Numbers, 22

1. And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan [by] Jericho.

1. Then the Israelites journeyed on and camped in the plains of Moab along the Jordan opposite Jericho.

2. And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

2. Now Balak, the son of Zippor, saw all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites.

3. And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they [were] many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

3. And the Moabites were afraid of Israel, because they were a very numerous people. In fact, they were terrified.

4. And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all [that are] round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor [was] king of the Moabites at that time.

4. So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, "Look, this horde is destroying everything around us as easily as the ox eats the grass of the field." So Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab at the time,

5. He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which [is] by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:

5. sent messengers to summon Balaam, son of Beor, at Pethor near the river in the land of the Amonites. Balak said, "A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the earth and are settling opposite me.

6. Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they [are] too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, [that] we may smite them, and [that] I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest [is] blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.

6. Come and put a curse on these people because they are too powerful for me. Then perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I well know that those you bless are indeed blessed and those you curse are cursed."

7. And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.

7. The elders of Moab and Midian set out, taking with them the fee for divination. They went to Balaam and gave him Balak's message.

8. And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.

8. Balaam said to them, "Stay here tonight and I will give you whatever answer Yahweh will have given me." So the Moabite elders stayed in Balaam's house.

9. And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men [are] these with thee?

9. God came to Balaam and asked him, "Who are these men with you?"

10. And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, [saying],

10. Balaam said to God, "Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent them to me with this message:

11. Behold, [there is] a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.

11. A people has come out of Egypt and covers the face of the earth. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps I shall then be able to fight and drive them away."

12. And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they [are] blessed.

12. But God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them; you must not put a curse on them because they are blessed."

13. And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.

13. Next morning Balaam got up and said to the elders of Balak, "Return to your country for Yahweh has refused to let me go with you."

14. And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.

14. So the Moabite elders returned to Balak and said, "Balaam refused to come with us."

15. And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.

15. Balak sent other leaders, more numerous and more distinguished than the first.

16. And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:

16. They went to Balaam and said, "This is what Balak, son of Zippor says: Do not refuse to come to me;

17. For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.

17. I will greatly honor you; whatever you ask of me I will do for you. Please come and lay a curse on this people for me."

18. And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.

18. Balaam answered the servants of Balak, "Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold I could not do anything great or small beyond the command of Yahweh, my God.

19. Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.

19. Now you, too, stay here tonight as the others did, till I wait for what else Yahweh may tell me."

20. And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, [and] go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.

20. God came to Balaam at night and said, "If these men have come to summon you, go with them, but you may only do what I tell you."

21. And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

21. Balaam got up next morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite leaders.

22. And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants [were] with him.

22. But the anger of God was aroused because of his going and Yahweh's angel posted himself on the road, a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam was riding on the donkey and his two boys were with him.

23. And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.

23. When the donkey saw the angel, she turned off the road and went into the field. Then Balaam hit the donkey to get her back on to the road.

24. But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall [being] on this side, and a wall on that side.

24. But the angel of Yahweh stood on a narrow lane between vineyards with a stone wall in either side.

25. And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.

25. When the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, she shrank against the wall crushing Balaam's foot against it so he beat her again.

26. And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where [was] no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

26. Then Yahweh's angel went ahead and stopped at a narrow place where there was no room to go either to the right or left.

27. And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.

27. When the donkey saw Yahweh's angel there, she lay down under Balaam; he was angry and beat her with a stick.

28. And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

28. But now Yahweh opened the mouth of the donkey and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat me three times?"

29. And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.

29. Balaam answered, "You have made a fool of me. If I had a sword just now I would kill you."

30. And the ass said unto Balaam, [Am] not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since [I was] thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.

30. And the donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey that you have ridden to this day? Have I ever dared to do this to you?" He said, "No!"

31. Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.

31. Then Yahweh opened Balaam's eyes and he saw Yahweh's angel standing on the road with a drawn sword. He bowed and fell downward, his face to the ground.

32. And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because [thy] way is perverse before me:

32. Yahweh's angel said to him, "Why did you strike your donkey three times? I have come here to oppose you because you are going a wrong way.

33. And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.

33. The donkey saw me and turned away three times. Otherwise I would have killed you, but not her."

34. And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.

34. And Balaam said to Yahweh's angel, "I did not want to sin. I did not know you were posted against me on the road. But if this journey displeases you I will go back."

35. And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

35. Yahweh's angel said to Balaam, "Go with these men, but you may say only what I tell you." So Balaam went on with Balak's men.

36. And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which [is] in the border of Arnon, which [is] in the utmost coast.

36. When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went to meet him at the boundary city of Moab on the Arnon border.

37. And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?

37. Then Balak said to Balaam, "I sent an urgent summons to you; why didn't you come? Did you think I would not pay you well enough?"

38. And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.

38. Balaam then said to Balak, "Now I have come to you; but what can I say? Only what Yahweh puts on my lips."

39. And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth.

39. So Balaam went with Balak and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.

40. And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that [were] with him.

40. There Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep and gave some to Balaam and the leaders who were with him.

41. And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost [part] of the people.

41. Next morning Balak took Balaam up to the high places of Baal and from there he saw some of the people of Israel.