Numbers, 22

1. The Israelites then set out and pitched their camp in the Plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan opposite Jericho.

1. Then the people of Israel set out, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.

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

2. And Balak the 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;

3. And Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were many; Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel.

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.

4. And Moab said to the elders of Mid'ian, "This horde will now lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field." So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that 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.

5. sent messengers to Balaam the son of Be'or at Pethor, which is near the River, in the land of Amaw to call him, saying, "Behold, a people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me.

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.'

6. Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me; perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed."

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.

7. So the elders of Moab and the elders of Mid'ian departed with the fees for divination in their hand; and they came to 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.

8. And he said to them, "Lodge here this night, and I will bring back word to you, as the LORD speaks to me"; so the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

9. God came to Balaam and said, 'Who are these men staying with you?'

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

10. Balaam said to God, 'Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent me this message,

10. And Balaam said to God, "Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,

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." '

11. `Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth; now come, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to fight against 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.'

12. God said to Balaam, "You shall not go with them; you shall not 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.'

13. So Balaam rose in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, "Go to your own land; for the LORD has refused to 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.'

14. So the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, "Balaam refuses to come with us."

15. And again Balak sent chiefs, more numerous and more renowned than the first.

15. Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than they.

16. They came to Balaam and said, 'A message from Balak son of Zippor, "Now do not refuse to come to me.

16. And they came to Balaam and said to him, "Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: `Let nothing hinder you from coming to me;

17. I will load you with honours and do whatever you say. I beg you come and curse this people for me." '

17. for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do; come, 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.

18. But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, "Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the LORD my God, to do less or more.

19. Now please stay the night here yourselves, and I will learn what else Yahweh has to tell me.'

19. Pray, now, tarry here this night also, that I may know what more the LORD will say to 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.'

20. And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only what I bid you, that shall you do."

21. Balaam got up and saddled his donkey and set out with the chiefs of Moab.

21. So Balaam rose in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes 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.

22. But God's anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the ass, 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.

23. And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the road, and went into the field; and Balaam struck the ass, to turn her into 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.

24. Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side.

25. The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh and scraped against the wall, scraping Balaam's foot against it, so he struck her again.

25. And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she pushed against the wall, and pressed Balaam's foot against the wall; 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.

26. Then the angel of the LORD went ahead, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the 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.

27. When the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the ass with his staff.

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?'

28. Then the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?"

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.'

29. And Balaam said to the ass, "Because you have made sport of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you."

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.

30. And the ass said to Balaam, "Am I not your ass, upon which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Was I ever accustomed to do so to you?" And he said, "No."

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.

31. Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell 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.

32. And the angel of the LORD said to him, "Why have you struck your ass these three times? Behold, I have come forth to withstand you, because your way is perverse before me;

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.'

33. and the ass saw me, and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have slain you and let her live."

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.'

34. Then Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned, for I did not know that thou didst stand in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in thy sight, I will go back 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.

35. And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men; but only the word which I bid you, that shall you speak." So Balaam went on with the princes of 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.

36. When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, on the boundary formed by the Arnon, at the extremity of the 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?'

37. And Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor 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.'

38. Balaam said to Balak, "Lo, I have come to you! Have I now any power at all to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak."

39. Balaam set out with Balak. They came to Kiriath-Huzoth.

39. Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kir'iath-hu'zoth.

40. Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and offered portions to Balaam and the chiefs who were with him.

40. And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam and to the princes 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.

41. And on the morrow Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-ba'al; and from there he saw the nearest of the people.