Numbers 22 Balaque and Balaão

Numbers 22

Balaque and Balaão

1 And the children of Israel departed, and encamped in the plains of Moab, of the border of the Jordan of Jericho.

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

3 And Moab was very afraid before this people, because it was too much; and Moab was distressed for the children of Israel.

4 And Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now this congregation shall lick all that is round about us, as the ox licks the grass of the field. At that time Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites.

5 And he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river in the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, a people is come out of Egypt; behold, he covereth the face of the earth, and standing before me.

6 Come now, now, I beseech you, curse me this people, for I am mightier than I; to see if I can hurt, and cast him out of the ground: for I know that whom thou shalt bless, and whom thou cursest shall be cursed.

7 And the elders of the Moabites and the elders of the Midianites went up with the price of the spices in their hands. And they came to Balaam and told him the words of Balak.

8 And he said unto them, Come over here this night, and I will bring the answer unto you, as the LORD spake unto me: and the princes of the Moabites stayed with Balaam.

9 And God came to Balaam, and said, Who are these men that are with thee?

10 And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of the Moabites, sent us saying,

11 Behold, the people that came out of Egypt have covered the face of the earth: come now, curse me; I will fight against him, and I will cast him out.

12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them, neither shalt thou curse this people, because they are blessed.

13 Then Balaam arose in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, Go your land, for the LORD refuses to let me go with you.

14 And the princes of the Moabites arose, and came to Balak, and said, Balaam refused to come with us.

15 But Balak went on to send more princes, and more honorable than them.

16 And they came to Balaam, and said unto him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, I beseech thee, be not slow to come unto me,

17 For I will greatly honor thee, and will do all that thou say unto me: Come, I beseech thee, curse me this people.

18 And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, Though Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the commandment of the LORD my God, to do small or great;

19 Now therefore, I beseech thee, be ye here also tonight, that I may know what the Lord shall say unto me more.

20 And the LORD came to Balaam by night, and said unto him, If these men have come to thee to call, rise up, go with them; Yet you will do as I say.

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

22 And the wrath of God was kindled, because he was gone: and the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary: ​​and he went on his ass, and two of his young men with him.

23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing by the way, with his sword unbleached in his hand; and the ass went aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, and brought her to the way.

24 But the angel of the Lord stood in a path of vineyards, one wall of the wall and one wall of the other.

25 And when the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed herself against the wall, and pressed the foot of Balaam against the wall. so he beat her again.

26 Then the angel of the Lord passed on, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

27 And the ass saw the angel of the Lord lying down under Balaam: and the anger of Balaam was kindled, and he beat the ass with the staff.

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

29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: for I had had a sword in my hand, for now I would slay thee.

30 And the ass said to Balaam, Am I not thy donkey, in which thou hast ridden from the time that I was thine until this day? Did I ever do this to you? And he answered: No.

31 And the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword unblemished in his hand: and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.

32 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Why hast thou smitten thine ass thrice? Behold, I go out to be your adversary, because your way is perverse before me;

33 But the ass saw me, and turned three times from before me: if she had not turned aside from me, in the truth that I had now slain thee, and had left her alive.

34 And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned, that I knew not that thou wast in this way, to oppose me; and now, if it seem evil to you, I will become.

35 And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, "Go with these men, but only the word that I speak to you will speak." So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

36 And when Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him, even unto the city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, at the border of his border.

37 And Balak said unto Balaam, Have I not I sent diligently to call thee? Why did you not come to me? can I not in truth honor thee?

38 And Balaam said to Balak, Behold, I have come to you; Can I now somehow say something? The word that God puts in my mouth I will speak.

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

40 And Balak slew oxen and sheep; and he sent them to Balaam and to the princes who were with him.

41 And it came to pass in the morning, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, and he saw the last part of the people from thence.