1
And the sons of Israel journeyed, and encamped in the deserts of Moab across the Jordan by Jericho.
2
And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
3
And Moab was· very ·afraid of the faces of the people, for they were many; and Moab was moved··with··loathing at the faces of the sons of Israel.
4
And Moab said to▵ the elders of Midian, Now shall the assembly lick up all that are around us, as the ox licks up the greenness◦ of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of◦ Moab at that◦ time.
5
And he sent messengers to▵ Balaam the son of Beor to▫ Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, a people has come··out from Egypt; behold, they cover the eye of the earth, and they are sitting next··to me.
6
And go now, I pray◦ thee, curse for me this people; for he◦ is too numerous for me; perhaps I shall prevail◦, that we may smite him, and that I may drive· him ·out from the land; for I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.
7
And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went, and the divinations were in their hand*; and they came to▵ Balaam, and spoke to▵ him the words of Balak.
8
And he said to▵ them, Pass··the··night here tonight, and I will return you word, as◦ Jehovah shall speak to▵ me; and the princes of Moab dwelt with Balaam.
9
And God came to▵ Balaam, and said, Who are these men◦ with thee?
10
And Balaam said to▵ God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to▵ me, saying,
11
Behold, there is a people gone··out from Egypt, and he covers the eye of the earth; go now, curse▵ him for me; perhaps I shall be··able to fight with him, and drive· him ·out.
12
And God said to▵ Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people; for they are blessed.
13
And Balaam rose··up in the morning, and said to▵ the princes of Balak, Go to▵ your land; for Jehovah refuses to allow◦ me to Go◦ with you.
14
And the princes of Moab rose··up, and they came to▵ Balak, and said, Balaam refuses to go◦ with us.
15
And Balak added yet··again to send princes, more, and more honorable than those.
16
And they came to▵ Balaam, and said to him, Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray◦ thee, withhold thee from coming* to▵ me;
17
for honoring◦ I will honor◦ thee exceedingly, and I will do all that thou sayest to▵ me; go now◦, I pray◦ thee, curse▵ for me this people.
18
And Balaam answered and said to▵ the servants of Balak, If Balak would give to me his house full of silver and gold, I am not able to go··beyond◦ the mouth of Jehovah my God, to do less or more.
19
And now, I pray◦ you, dwell ye also in this place tonight, and I will know what Jehovah will again speak with me.
20
And God came to▵ Balaam at night, and said to him, If the men◦ come to call thee, rise··up, go with◦ them; but surely the word which I speak to▵ thee, it shalt thou do.
21
And Balaam rose··up in the morning, and saddled his she··donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
22
And the anger of God was··fierce because◦ he◦ went◦; and the angel of Jehovah stood··forth in the way to be an opponent to him. And he◦ was riding on his she··donkey, and his two lads were with him.
23
And the she··donkey saw the angel of Jehovah standing··up in the way, and his sword drawn▵ in His hand; and the she··donkey turned··aside◦ out··of the way, and went into the field; and Balaam smote the she··donkey, to turn her into the way.
24
But the angel of Jehovah stood in a lane of the vineyards, a fence being on this side, and a fence on that▵ side.
25
And the she··donkey saw the angel of Jehovah, and she pressed· herself ·against the wall◦, and pressed· the foot of Balaam ·against the wall◦; and he smote her again.
26
And the angel of Jehovah passed··on again, and stood in a strait place, where▵ there was no way to go··aside either to the right hand or◦ to the left hand.
27
And the she··donkey saw the angel of Jehovah, and she couched under Balaam; and Balaam’s anger was··fierce, and he smote the she··donkey with a stick.
28
And Jehovah opened the mouth of the she··donkey, and she said to Balaam, What have I done to thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times*?
29
And Balaam said to the she··donkey, Because◦ thou hast acted against◦ me, would··that there··were a sword in my hand, for now would I kill thee.
30
And the she··donkey said to▵ Balaam, Am not I▵ thy she··donkey, upon which thou hast ridden as··long··as I have been thine until this day? Being··familiar is· this ·familiar for me to do thus to thee? And he said, No.
31
And Jehovah uncovered the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of Jehovah standing··up in the way, and His sword was drawn▵ in His hand; and he bent··himself, and bowed· himself ·down on his face◦.
32
And the angel of Jehovah said to▵ him, On· what ·account hast thou smitten thy she··donkey these three times? Behold, I▵ went··out to be an opponent, for in··front··of Me thy way is evil.
33
And the she··donkey saw Me, and went··aside before Me these three times; perhaps she went··aside before Me, for by now I would have even killed thee, and let· her ·live.
34
And Balaam said to▵ the angel of Jehovah, I have sinned; for I knew not that Thou◦ stoodest··up in the way to meet me; and now, if it be··evil in Thine eyes, I will turn· myself ·back.
35
And the angel of Jehovah said to▵ Balaam, Go with the men◦; and nothing but the word that I shall speak to▵ thee, it thou shalt speak. And Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
36
And Balak heard that Balaam had come, and he went··out to meet him to▵ a city of Moab, which is on the border of Arnon, which is at the end of the border.
37
And Balak said to▵ Balaam, Sending did I not send to▵ thee to call thee? Why camest thou not to▵ me? Am· I not truly ·able to glorify thee.
38
And Balaam said to▵ Balak, Behold, I have come to▵ thee; now being··able am· I ·able to speak anything? The word that God sets in my mouth, it shall I speak.
39
And Balaam went with Balak, and they came··to Kirjath-chuzoth.
40
And Balak sacrificed of the herd and of the flock, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes who were with◦ him.
41
And it was in the morning, and Balak took Balaam, and brought· him ·up to the high··places of Baal, and thence he saw the edge of the people.
