¹ και απαραντες οι υιοι ισραηλ παρενεβαλον επι δυσμων μωαβ παρα τον ιορδανην κατα ιεριχω

² και ιδων βαλακ υιος σεπφωρ παντα οσα εποιησεν ισραηλ τω αμορραιω

³ και εφοβηθη μωαβ τον λαον σφοδρα οτι πολλοι ησαν και προσωχθισεν μωαβ απο προσωπου υιων ισραηλ

⁴ και ειπεν μωαβ τη γερουσια μαδιαμ νυν εκλειξει η συναγωγη αυτη παντας τους κυκλω ημων ως εκλειξαι ο μοσχος τα χλωρα εκ του πεδιου και βαλακ υιος σεπφωρ βασιλευς μωαβ ην κατα τον καιρον εκεινον

⁵ και απεστειλεν πρεσβεις προς βαλααμ υιον βεωρ φαθουρα ο εστιν επι του ποταμου γης υιων λαου αυτου καλεσαι αυτον λεγων ιδου λαος εξεληλυθεν εξ αιγυπτου και ιδου κατεκαλυψεν την οψιν της γης και ουτος εγκαθηται εχομενος μου

⁶ και νυν δευρο αρασαι μοι τον λαον τουτον οτι ισχυει ουτος η ημεις εαν δυνωμεθα παταξαι εξ αυτων και εκβαλω αυτους εκ της γης οτι οιδα ους εαν ευλογησης συ ευλογηνται και ους εαν καταραση συ κεκατηρανται

⁷ και επορευθη η γερουσια μωαβ και η γερουσια μαδιαμ και τα μαντεια εν ταις χερσιν αυτων και ηλθον προς βαλααμ και ειπαν αυτω τα ρηματα βαλακ

⁸ και ειπεν προς αυτους καταλυσατε αυτου την νυκτα και αποκριθησομαι υμιν πραγματα α εαν λαληση κυριος προς με και κατεμειναν οι αρχοντες μωαβ παρα βαλααμ

⁹ και ηλθεν ο θεος προς βαλααμ και ειπεν αυτω τι οι ανθρωποι ουτοι παρα σοι

¹⁰ και ειπεν βαλααμ προς τον θεον βαλακ υιος σεπφωρ βασιλευς μωαβ απεστειλεν αυτους προς με λεγων

¹¹ ιδου λαος εξεληλυθεν εξ αιγυπτου και ιδου κεκαλυφεν την οψιν της γης και ουτος εγκαθηται εχομενος μου και νυν δευρο αρασαι μοι αυτον ει αρα δυνησομαι παταξαι αυτον και εκβαλω αυτον απο της γης

¹² και ειπεν ο θεος προς βαλααμ ου πορευση μετ' αυτων ουδε καταραση τον λαον εστιν γαρ ευλογημενος

¹³ και αναστας βαλααμ το πρωι ειπεν τοις αρχουσιν βαλακ αποτρεχετε προς τον κυριον υμων ουκ αφιησιν με ο θεος πορευεσθαι μεθ' υμων

¹⁴ και ανασταντες οι αρχοντες μωαβ ηλθον προς βαλακ και ειπαν ου θελει βαλααμ πορευθηναι μεθ' ημων

¹⁵ και προσεθετο βαλακ ετι αποστειλαι αρχοντας πλειους και εντιμοτερους τουτων

¹⁶ και ηλθον προς βαλααμ και λεγουσιν αυτω ταδε λεγει βαλακ ο του σεπφωρ αξιω σε μη οκνησης ελθειν προς με

¹⁷ εντιμως γαρ τιμησω σε και οσα εαν ειπης ποιησω σοι και δευρο επικαταρασαι μοι τον λαον τουτον

¹⁸ και απεκριθη βαλααμ και ειπεν τοις αρχουσιν βαλακ εαν δω μοι βαλακ πληρη τον οικον αυτου αργυριου και χρυσιου ου δυνησομαι παραβηναι το ρημα κυριου του θεου ποιησαι αυτο μικρον η μεγα εν τη διανοια μου

¹⁹ και νυν υπομεινατε αυτου και υμεις την νυκτα ταυτην και γνωσομαι τι προσθησει κυριος λαλησαι προς με

²⁰ και ηλθεν ο θεος προς βαλααμ νυκτος και ειπεν αυτω ει καλεσαι σε παρεισιν οι ανθρωποι ουτοι αναστας ακολουθησον αυτοις αλλα το ρημα ο αν λαλησω προς σε τουτο ποιησεις

²¹ και αναστας βαλααμ το πρωι επεσαξεν την ονον αυτου και επορευθη μετα των αρχοντων μωαβ

²² και ωργισθη θυμω ο θεος οτι επορευθη αυτος και ανεστη ο αγγελος του θεου ενδιαβαλλειν αυτον και αυτος επιβεβηκει επι της ονου αυτου και δυο παιδες αυτου μετ' αυτου

²³ και ιδουσα η ονος τον αγγελον του θεου ανθεστηκοτα εν τη οδω και την ρομφαιαν εσπασμενην εν τη χειρι αυτου και εξεκλινεν η ονος εκ της οδου και επορευετο εις το πεδιον και επαταξεν την ονον τη ραβδω του ευθυναι αυτην εν τη οδω

²⁴ και εστη ο αγγελος του θεου εν ταις αυλαξιν των αμπελων φραγμος εντευθεν και φραγμος εντευθεν

²⁵ και ιδουσα η ονος τον αγγελον του θεου προσεθλιψεν εαυτην προς τον τοιχον και απεθλιψεν τον ποδα βαλααμ και προσεθετο ετι μαστιξαι αυτην

²⁶ και προσεθετο ο αγγελος του θεου και απελθων υπεστη εν τοπω στενω εις ον ουκ ην εκκλιναι δεξιαν ουδε αριστεραν

²⁷ και ιδουσα η ονος τον αγγελον του θεου συνεκαθισεν υποκατω βαλααμ και εθυμωθη βαλααμ και ετυπτεν την ονον τη ραβδω

²⁸ και ηνοιξεν ο θεος το στομα της ονου και λεγει τω βαλααμ τι εποιησα σοι οτι πεπαικας με τουτο τριτον

²⁹ και ειπεν βαλααμ τη ονω οτι εμπεπαιχας μοι και ει ειχον μαχαιραν εν τη χειρι μου ηδη αν εξεκεντησα σε

³⁰ και λεγει η ονος τω βαλααμ ουκ εγω η ονος σου εφ' ης επεβαινες απο νεοτητος σου εως της σημερον ημερας μη υπερορασει υπεριδουσα εποιησα σοι ουτως ο δε ειπεν ουχι

³¹ απεκαλυψεν δε ο θεος τους οφθαλμους βαλααμ και ορα τον αγγελον κυριου ανθεστηκοτα εν τη οδω και την μαχαιραν εσπασμενην εν τη χειρι αυτου και κυψας προσεκυνησεν τω προσωπω αυτου

³² και ειπεν αυτω ο αγγελος του θεου δια τι επαταξας την ονον σου τουτο τριτον και ιδου εγω εξηλθον εις διαβολην σου οτι ουκ αστεια η οδος σου εναντιον μου

³³ και ιδουσα με η ονος εξεκλινεν απ' εμου τριτον τουτο και ει μη εξεκλινεν νυν ουν σε μεν απεκτεινα εκεινην δε περιεποιησαμην

³⁴ και ειπεν βαλααμ τω αγγελω κυριου ημαρτηκα ου γαρ ηπισταμην οτι συ μοι ανθεστηκας εν τη οδω εις συναντησιν και νυν ει μη σοι αρεσκει αποστραφησομαι

³⁵ και ειπεν ο αγγελος του θεου προς βαλααμ συμπορευθητι μετα των ανθρωπων πλην το ρημα ο εαν ειπω προς σε τουτο φυλαξη λαλησαι και επορευθη βαλααμ μετα των αρχοντων βαλακ

³⁶ και ακουσας βαλακ οτι ηκει βαλααμ εξηλθεν εις συναντησιν αυτω εις πολιν μωαβ η εστιν επι των οριων αρνων ο εστιν εκ μερους των οριων

³⁷ και ειπεν βαλακ προς βαλααμ ουχι απεστειλα προς σε καλεσαι σε δια τι ουκ ηρχου προς με οντως ου δυνησομαι τιμησαι σε

³⁸ και ειπεν βαλααμ προς βαλακ ιδου ηκω προς σε νυν δυνατος εσομαι λαλησαι τι το ρημα ο εαν βαλη ο θεος εις το στομα μου τουτο λαλησω

³⁹ και επορευθη βαλααμ μετα βαλακ και ηλθον εις πολεις επαυλεων

⁴⁰ και εθυσεν βαλακ προβατα και μοσχους και απεστειλεν τω βαλααμ και τοις αρχουσι τοις μετ' αυτου

⁴¹ και εγενηθη πρωι και παραλαβων βαλακ τον βαλααμ ανεβιβασεν αυτον επι την στηλην του βααλ και εδειξεν αυτω εκειθεν μερος τι του λαου

¹ Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

² I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:

³ Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.

⁴ We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.

⁵ For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:

⁶ That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:

⁷ That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:

⁸ And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

⁹ The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.

¹⁰ They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;

¹¹ And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.

¹² Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

¹³ He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.

¹⁴ In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.

¹⁵ He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.

¹⁶ He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.

¹⁷ And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.

¹⁸ And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.

¹⁹ Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?

²⁰ Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?

²¹ Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;

²² Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:

²³ Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,

²⁴ And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.

²⁵ Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.

²⁶ He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.

²⁷ He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:

²⁸ And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.

²⁹ So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;

³⁰ They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,

³¹ The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.

³² For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.

³³ Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.

³⁴ When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and inquired early after God.

³⁵ And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.

³⁶ Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.

³⁷ For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.

³⁸ But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

³⁹ For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

⁴⁰ How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

⁴¹ Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.

⁴² They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.

⁴³ How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:

⁴⁴ And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.

⁴⁵ He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.

⁴⁶ He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.

⁴⁷ He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.

⁴⁸ He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

⁴⁹ He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

⁵⁰ He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;

⁵¹ And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

⁵² But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

⁵³ And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

⁵⁴ And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.

⁵⁵ He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.

⁵⁶ Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:

⁵⁷ But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

⁵⁸ For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.

⁵⁹ When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:

⁶⁰ So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;

⁶¹ And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand.

⁶² He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.

⁶³ The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.

⁶⁴ Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.

⁶⁵ Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.

⁶⁶ And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.

⁶⁷ Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:

⁶⁸ But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.

⁶⁹ And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.

⁷⁰ He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:

⁷¹ From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

⁷² So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.