“1 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains
of Moab on this side Jordan [by] Jericho. 2 And Balak the son of Zippor
saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3 And Moab was sore afraid
of the people, because they [were] many: and Moab was distressed because
of the children of Israel. 4 And Moab said unto the elders of Midian,
Now shall this company lick up all [that are] round about us, as the ox
licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor [was]
king of the Moabites at that time. 5 He sent messengers therefore unto
Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which [is] by the river of the land of
the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a
people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth,
and they abide over against me: 6 Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse
me this people; for they [are] too mighty for me: peradventure I shall
prevail, [that] we may smite them, and [that] I may drive them out of
the land: for I wot 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 departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they
came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak. 8 And he said
unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as
the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
9 And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men [are] these with thee? 10
And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath
sent unto me, [saying], 11 Behold, [there is] a people come out of
Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them;
peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out. 12
And God said unto 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 unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for
the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you. 14 And the princes of
Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to
come with us.”
“15 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than
they. 16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the
son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto
me: 17 For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do
whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me
this people. 18 And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak,
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go
beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more. 19 Now
therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know
what the LORD will say unto me more. 20 And God came unto Balaam at
night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, [and]
go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt
thou do. 21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and
went with the princes of Moab.”
“22 And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the
LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding
upon his ass, and his two servants [were] with him. 23 And the ass saw
the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his
hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field:
and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. 24 But the angel of
the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall [being] on this side,
and a wall on that side. 25 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD,
she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the
wall: and he smote her again. 26 And the angel of the LORD went further,
and stood in a narrow place, where [was] no way to turn either to the
right hand or to the left. 27 And when the ass saw the angel of the
LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he
smote the ass with a staff. 28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass,
and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast
smitten me these three times? 29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because
thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now
would I kill thee. 30 And the ass said unto Balaam, [Am] not I thine
ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since [I was] thine unto this day?
was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay. 31 Then the LORD
opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in
the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head,
and fell flat on his face. 32 And the angel of the LORD said unto him,
Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went
out to withstand thee, because [thy] way is perverse before me: 33 And
the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had
turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.
34 And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew
not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it
displease thee, I will get me back again. 35 And the angel of the LORD
said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak
unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of
Balak.”
“36 And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him
unto a city of Moab, which [is] in the border of Arnon, which [is] in
the utmost coast. 37 And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly
send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not
able indeed to promote thee to honour? 38 And Balaam said unto Balak,
Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing?
the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak. 39 And Balaam
went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth. 40 And Balak offered
oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that [were] with
him. 41 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and
brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see
the utmost [part] of the people.” (Nu 22:1-41 AV)
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