Numbers 22

Balak Sends for Balaam

11Then the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 journeyedH5265, and campedH2583 in the plainsH6160 of MoabH4124 beyondH4480H5676 the JordanH3383 opposite JerichoH3405.

2Now 2BalakH1111 the sonH1121 of ZipporH6834 sawH7200 allH3605 that IsraelH3478 had doneH6213 to the AmoritesH567. 33So MoabH4124 was in greatH3966 fearH1481 becauseH4480H6440 of the peopleH5971, for they were numerousH7227; and MoabH4124 was in dreadH6973 of the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478. 4MoabH4124 saidH559 to the eldersH2205 of 4MidianH4080, “NowH6258 this 5hordeH6951 will lickH3897 up allH3605 that is aroundH5439 us, as the oxH7794 licksH3897 up the grassH3418 of the fieldH7704.” And BalakH1111 the sonH1121 of ZipporH6834 was kingH4428 of MoabH4124 at that timeH6256. 5So he sentH7971 messengersH4397 to 6BalaamH1109 the sonH1121 of BeorH1160, at 7PethorH6604, whichH834 is nearH5921 the 8RiverH5104, in the landH776 of the sonsH1121 of his peopleH5971, to callH7121 him, sayingH559, “BeholdH2009, a peopleH5971 cameH3318 out of EgyptH4714; beholdH2009, they coverH3680 the surfaceH5869 of the landH776, and they are livingH3427 oppositeH4480H4136 me. 69NowH6258, therefore, pleaseH4994 comeH1980, 10curseH779 thisH2088 peopleH5971 for me sinceH3588 they are tooH4480 11mightyH6099 for me; perhapsH194 I may be ableH3201 to 12defeatH5221 them and driveH1644 them out of the landH776. For I knowH3045 that he whomH834 you blessH1288 is blessedH1288, and he whomH834 you curseH779 is cursedH779.”

7So the eldersH2205 of MoabH4124 and the eldersH2205 of MidianH4080 departedH1980 with the fees for 13divinationH7081 in their handH3027; and they cameH935 to BalaamH1109 and 14repeatedH1696 Balak’sH1111 wordsH1697 to him. 8He saidH559 to them, “SpendH3885 the nightH3915 hereH6311, and I will bringH7725 wordH1697 backH7725 to you as the LordH3068 may speakH1696 to me.” And the leadersH8269 of MoabH4124 stayedH3427 with BalaamH1109. 9Then 15GodH430 cameH935 to BalaamH1109 and saidH559, “WhoH4310 are theseH428 menH376 with you?” 10BalaamH1109 saidH559 to GodH430, “BalakH1111 the sonH1121 of ZipporH6834, kingH4428 of MoabH4124, has sentH7971 word to me, 11‘BeholdH2009, there is a peopleH5971 who cameH3318 out of EgyptH4714 and they coverH3680 the surfaceH5869 of the landH776; nowH6258 comeH1980, curseH6895 them for me; perhapsH194 I may be ableH3201 to fightH3898 against them and driveH1644 them out.’” 12GodH430 saidH559 to BalaamH1109, “Do not goH1980 with them; 16you shall not curseH779 the peopleH5971, for they 17are blessedH1288.” 13So BalaamH1109 aroseH6965 in the morningH1242 and saidH559 to Balak’sH1111 leadersH8269, “GoH1980 backH1980 to your landH776, for the LordH3068 has refusedH3985 to letH5414 me goH1980 with you.” 14The leadersH8269 of MoabH4124 aroseH6965 and wentH1980 to BalakH1111 and saidH559, “BalaamH1109 refusedH3985 to comeH1980 with us.”

15Then BalakH1111 againH5750H3254 sentH7971 leadersH8269, moreH4480 numerousH7227 and moreH4480 distinguishedH3513 thanH4480 18the formerH428. 16They cameH935 to BalaamH1109 and saidH559 to him, “ThusH3541 saysH559 BalakH1111 the sonH1121 of ZipporH6834, ‘Let nothingH408, I begH4994 you, hinderH4513 you from comingH1980 to me; 17for I will indeedH3513 honorH3513 you richlyH3966, and I will doH6213 whateverH3605H834 you sayH559 to me. 19PleaseH4994 comeH1980 then, curseH6895 thisH2088 peopleH5971 for me.’” 18BalaamH1109 repliedH6030 to the servantsH5650 of BalakH1111, “20ThoughH518 BalakH1111 were to giveH5414 me his houseH1004 fullH4393 of silverH3701 and goldH2091, I couldH3201 not doH6213 anything, either smallH6996 orH176 greatH1419, contraryH5674 to the 21commandH6310 of the LordH3068 my GodH430. 19NowH6258 pleaseH4994, you alsoH1571 stayH3427 hereH2088 tonightH3915, and I will findH3045 out whatH4100 elseH3254 the LordH3068 will speakH1696 to me.” 20GodH430 cameH935 to BalaamH1109 at nightH3915 and saidH559 to him, “IfH518 the menH376 have comeH935 to callH7121 you, riseH6965 up and goH1980 with them; but 22onlyH389 the wordH1697 whichH834 I speakH1696 to you shall you doH6213.”

2123So BalaamH1109 aroseH6965 in the morningH1242, and saddledH2280 his donkeyH860 and wentH1980 with the leadersH8269 of MoabH4124.

The Angel and Balaam

22But GodH430 was angryH639H2734 becauseH3588 he was goingH1980, 24and the angelH4397 of the LordH3068 tookH3320 his standH3320 in the wayH1870 as an adversaryH7854 against him. Now he was ridingH7392 on his donkeyH860 and his twoH8147 servantsH5288 were with him. 23When the donkeyH860 sawH7200 the angelH4397 of the LordH3068 standingH5324 in the wayH1870 with his drawnH8025 swordH2719 in his handH3027, the donkeyH860 turnedH5186 off from the wayH1870 and wentH1980 into the fieldH7704; but BalaamH1109 struckH5221 the donkeyH860 to turnH5186 her backH5186 into the wayH1870. 24Then the angelH4397 of the LordH3068 stoodH5975 in a narrowH4934 pathH4934 of the vineyardsH3754, with a wallH1447 on thisH2088 sideH2088 and a wallH1447 on that sideH2088. 25When the donkeyH860 sawH7200 the angelH4397 of the LordH3068, she pressedH3905 herself to the wallH7023 and pressedH3905 Balaam’sH1109 footH7272 againstH413 the wallH7023, so he struckH5221 her againH3254. 26The angelH4397 of the LordH3068 wentH5674 furtherH3254, and stoodH5975 in a narrowH6862 placeH4725 whereH834 thereH369 was noH369 wayH1870 to turnH5186 to the rightH3225 handH3225 or the leftH8040. 27When the donkeyH860 sawH7200 the angelH4397 of the LordH3068, she layH7257 downH7257 underH8478 BalaamH1109; so 25BalaamH1109 was angryH639H2734 and struckH5221 the donkeyH860 with his stickH4731. 28And 26the LordH3068 openedH6605 the mouthH6310 of the donkeyH860, and she saidH559 to BalaamH1109, “WhatH4100 have I doneH6213 to you, that you have struckH5221 me theseH2088 threeH7969 timesH7272?” 29Then BalaamH1109 saidH559 to the donkeyH860, “BecauseH3588 you have madeH5953 a mockeryH5953 of me! IfH3863 thereH3426 hadH1426 beenH3426 a swordH2719 in my handH3027, 27I would have killedH2026 you by nowH6258.” 30The donkeyH860 saidH559 to BalaamH1109, “Am I not your donkeyH860 on whichH834 you have riddenH7392 allH4480H5750 your lifeH5750 to thisH2088 dayH3117? Have I everH5532 been accustomedH5532 to doH6213 soH3541 to you?” And he saidH559, “NoH3808.”

31Then the LordH3068 openedH1540 the eyesH5869 of BalaamH1109, and he sawH7200 28the angelH4397 of the LordH3068 standingH5324 in the wayH1870 with his drawnH8025 swordH2719 in his handH3027; and he bowedH6915 29all the wayH1870 to the groundH639. 32The angelH4397 of the LordH3068 saidH559 to him, “WhyH5921H4100 have you struckH5221 your donkeyH860 theseH2088 threeH7969 timesH7272? BeholdH2009, I have comeH3318 out as an adversaryH7854, becauseH3588 your wayH1870 was 3031contraryH3399 to me. 33But the donkeyH860 sawH7200 me and turnedH5186 asideH5186 from me theseH2088 threeH7969 timesH7272. IfH194 she had not turnedH5186 asideH5186 from me, I would surelyH3588 have killedH2026 you just nowH6258, and let her liveH2421.” 34BalaamH1109 saidH559 to the angelH4397 of the LordH3068, “32I have sinnedH2398, for I did not knowH3045 that you were standingH5324 in the wayH1870 againstH7122 me. NowH6258 then, ifH518 it is displeasingH7489 to you, I will turnH7725 backH7725.” 35But the angelH4397 of the LordH3068 saidH559 to BalaamH1109, “GoH1980 with the menH376, but 33you shall speakH1696 onlyH657 the wordH1697 whichH834 I 34tellH1696 you.” So BalaamH1109 wentH1980 along with the leadersH8269 of BalakH1111.

36When BalakH1111 heardH8085 that BalaamH1109 was comingH935, he wentH3318 out to meetH7122 him at the cityH5892 of MoabH4124, whichH834 is on the ArnonH769 borderH1366, 35at the extremeH7097 endH7097 of the borderH1366. 37Then BalakH1111 saidH559 to BalaamH1109, “Did I not urgentlyH7971 sendH7971 to you to callH7121 you? WhyH4100 did you not comeH1980 to me? Am I reallyH552 unableH3808H3201 to honorH3513 you?” 38So BalaamH1109 saidH559 to BalakH1111, “BeholdH2009, I have comeH935 nowH6258 to you! 36Am I ableH3201 to speakH1696 anythingH3972 at all? The wordH1697 that GodH430 putsH7760 in my mouthH6310, that I shall speakH1696.” 39And BalaamH1109 wentH1980 with BalakH1111, and they cameH935 to Kiriath-huzothH7155. 40BalakH1111 sacrificedH2076 oxenH1241 and sheepH6629, and sentH7971 some to BalaamH1109 and the leadersH8269 whoH834 were with him.

41Then it cameH1961 about in the morningH1242 that BalakH1111 tookH3947 BalaamH1109 and broughtH5927 him up to 3738the highH1116 placesH1116 of BaalH1168, and he sawH7200 from thereH8033 39a 40portionH7097 of the peopleH5971.