1 The Israelites then set out and pitched their camp in the Plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan opposite Jericho.
2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,
3 and Moab was terrified of the people, because there were so many of them. Moab was afraid of the Israelites;
4 he said to the elders of Midian, 'This horde will soon have cropped everything round us as closely as an ox crops grass in the countryside.' Now Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at the time.
5 He sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, at Pethor on the River, in the territory of the Amawites, saying, 'Look, a people coming from Egypt has overrun the whole countryside; they have halted at my very door.
6 I beg you come and curse this people for me, for they are stronger than I am. We may then be able to defeat them and drive them out of the country. For this I know: anyone you bless is blessed, anyone you curse is accursed.'
7 The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian set out, taking the fee for the divination with them. They found Balaam and gave him Balak's message.
8 He said to them, 'Stay the night here, and I will answer as Yahweh directs me.' So the chiefs of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9 God came to Balaam and said, 'Who are these men staying with you?'
10 Balaam said to God, 'Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent me this message,
11 "Look, a people coming from Egypt has overrun the whole countryside. Come now and curse them for me; I may then be able to defeat them and drive them out." '
12 God said to Balaam, 'You are not to go with them. You are not to curse the people, for they are blessed.'
13 In the morning Balaam got up and said to the chiefs sent by Balak, 'Go back to your country, for Yahweh will not let me go with you.'
14 So the chiefs of Moab got up, went back to Balak and said, 'Balaam refuses to come with us.'
15 And again Balak sent chiefs, more numerous and more renowned than the first.
16 They came to Balaam and said, 'A message from Balak son of Zippor, "Now do not refuse to come to me.
17 I will load you with honours and do whatever you say. I beg you come and curse this people for me." '
18 In reply, Balaam said to Balak's envoys, 'Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go against the order of Yahweh my God in anything, great or small.
19 Now please stay the night here yourselves, and I will learn what else Yahweh has to tell me.'
20 God came to Balaam during the night and said to him, 'Have not these men come to summon you? Get up, go with them, but do only what I tell you to do.'
21 Balaam got up and saddled his donkey and set out with the chiefs of Moab.
22 His going kindled Yahweh's anger, and the angel of Yahweh took his stand on the road to bar his way. Balaam was riding his donkey and his two servants were with him.
23 Now the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, and she turned off the road into the open country. Balaam then struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road.
24 The angel of Yahweh then went and stood on a narrow path among the vineyards, with a wall to the right and a wall to the left.
25 The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh and scraped against the wall, scraping Balaam's foot against it, so he struck her again.
26 The angel of Yahweh then moved and stood in a place so narrow that there was no room to pass either to right or left.
27 When the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, she lay down under Balaam. Balaam flew into a rage and struck the donkey with his stick.
28 Yahweh then gave the donkey the power to talk, and she said to Balaam, 'What harm have I done you, for you to strike me three times like this?'
29 Balaam answered the donkey, 'Because you have been making a fool of me! If I had been carrying a sword, I should have killed you by now.'
30 The donkey said to Balaam, 'Am I not your donkey, and have I not been your mount all your life? Have I ever behaved like this with you before?' 'No,' he replied.
31 Yahweh then opened Balaam's eyes and he saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed his head and threw himself on his face.
32 And the angel of Yahweh said to him, 'Why did you strike your donkey three times like that? I myself had come to bar your way; while I am here your road is blocked.
33 The donkey saw me and turned aside because of me three times. You are lucky she did turn aside, or I should have killed you by now, though I would have spared her.'
34 Balaam said to the angel of Yahweh, 'I have sinned. I did not know you were standing in the road to stop me. But if what I am doing displeases you, I will go home again.'
35 The angel of Yahweh said to Balaam, 'Go with these men, but say only what I tell you to say.' So Balaam went on with the chiefs sent by Balak.
36 Balak learned that Balaam was coming and went out to meet him, in the direction of Ar in Moab, at the Arnon frontier on the country's furthest boundary.
37 Balak said to Balaam, 'Did I not send messengers to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Did you think, perhaps, I could confer no honours on you?'
38 Balaam said to Balak, 'I have come to you after all. I suppose you know I cannot say anything on my own? The words God puts into my mouth are what I shall say.'
39 Balaam set out with Balak. They came to Kiriath-Huzoth.
40 Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and offered portions to Balaam and the chiefs who were with him.
41 Next morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-Baal, from where he could see the edge of the camp.
Versículos relacionados com Numbers, 22:
Numbers 22 narrates the story of Balaam, a little man who was hired by King Balaque to curse the sons of Israel. However, God prevents Balaam from cursing the people and instead causes him to bless the Israelites. Below are five verses related to the topics covered in numbers 22:
Deuteronomy 23:5: "However, the Lord, your God, did not want to hear Balaam, and turned the curse into blessing to you, for the Lord, your God, loves them." This verse refers to the story of Balaam and how God has transformed his curse into a blessing to the children of Israel.
2 Peter 2:15: "They followed the path of Balaam, son of Beor, who loved the dishonest gain" This verse highlights Balaam's greed by accepting Balaque's money to curse the Israelites and warns against following Balaam's example.
Judas 1:11: "O's their! For they followed the way to Cain, seeking the profit in Balaam, and rebelled like Corá rebelled in the desert." This verse also warns against following Balaam's example and highlights his search for dishonest profit.
Numbers 24:9: "Let whom God blesses, and die who he curses!" This is one of the verses of Balaam's blessing, in which he blesses the children of Israel instead of cursing them, as originally intended.
Numbers 22:35: "The Angel of the Lord said to Balaam, Go with these men, but speak only what I tell you." This verse highlights how God controlled the situation of Balaam, causing him to bless the children of Israel instead of cursing them, showing God's sovereign will.
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