Numbers 22

Balak Sends for Balaam

11Then the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 journeyedH5265 onH5265, 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 inH6973 dreadH6973 of the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478. 4MoabH4124 saidH559 to the eldersH2205 of 4MidianH4080, “NowH6258 this 5hordeH6951 will eatH3897 upH3897 allH3605 that is aroundH5439 us, as the oxH7794 eatsH3897 upH3897 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 Euphrates RiverH5104, in the landH776 of the sonsH1121 of his peopleH5971, to callH7121 for him, sayingH559, “BeholdH2009, a peopleH5971 cameH3318 outH3318 of EgyptH4714; beholdH2009, they have coveredH3680 the surfaceH5869 of the landH776, and they are livingH3427 oppositeH4480H4136 me. 68NowH6258, therefore, pleaseH4994 comeH1980, 9curseH779 thisH2088 peopleH5971 for me sinceH3588 they are tooH4480 10mightyH6099 for me; perhapsH194 I will beH3201 ableH3201 to 11defeatH5221 them and driveH1644 them outH1644 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 leftH1980 with the fees for 12divinationH7081 in their handsH3027; and they cameH935 to BalaamH1109 and 13repeatedH1696 Balak’sH1111 wordsH1697 to him. 8And he saidH559 to them, “SpendH3885 the nightH3915 hereH6311, and I will bringH7725 wordH1697 backH7725 to you justH3512 asH3512 the LordH3068 may speakH1696 to me.” And the leadersH8269 of MoabH4124 stayedH3427 with BalaamH1109. 9Then 14GodH430 cameH935 to BalaamH1109 and saidH559, “WhoH4310 are theseH428 menH376 with you?” 10BalaamH1109 saidH559 to GodH430, “BalakH1111 the sonH1121 of ZipporH6834, kingH4428 of MoabH4124, sentH7971 word to me: 11‘BeholdH2009, there is a peopleH5971 who cameH3318 outH3318 of EgyptH4714, and they coverH3680 the surfaceH5869 of the landH776; nowH6258 comeH1980, curseH6895 them for me; perhapsH194 I will beH3201 ableH3201 to fightH3898 against them and driveH1644 them outH1644.’” 12But GodH430 saidH559 to BalaamH1109, “Do not goH1980 with them; 15you shall not curseH779 the peopleH5971, for they 16are blessedH1288.” 13So BalaamH1109 gotH6965 upH6965 in the morningH1242 and saidH559 to Balak’sH1111 representativesH8269, “GoH1980 back to your landH776, for the LordH3068 has refusedH3985 to letH5414 me goH1980 with you.” 14And the representativesH8269 from MoabH4124 gotH6965 upH6965 and wentH1980 to BalakH1111, and saidH559, “BalaamH1109 refusedH3985 to comeH1980 with us.”

15Then BalakH1111 sentH7971 representativesH8269 onceH5750 againH3254, moreH4480 numerousH7227 and moreH4480 distinguishedH3513 thanH4480 17the previousH428. 16They cameH935 to BalaamH1109 and saidH559 to him, “ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 BalakH1111 the sonH1121 of ZipporH6834 saysH559: ‘I begH4994 you, let nothingH408 keepH4513 you fromH4513H4480 comingH1980 to me; 17for I will indeedH3513 honorH3513 you richlyH3966, and I will doH6213 whateverH3605H834 you tellH559 me. 18PleaseH4994 comeH1980 then, curseH6895 thisH2088 peopleH5971 for me.’” 18But BalaamH1109 repliedH6030 to the servantsH5650 of BalakH1111, “19Even ifH518 BalakH1111 were to giveH5414 me his houseH1004 fullH4393 of silverH3701 and goldH2091, I couldH3201 not doH6213 anything, either smallH6996 orH176 greatH1419, contraryH5674 to the 20commandH6310 of the LordH3068 my GodH430. 19NowH6258 pleaseH4994, you alsoH1571 stayH3427 hereH2088 tonightH3915, and I will findH3045 out whatH4100 elseH3254 the LordH3068 will sayH1696 to me.” 20And GodH430 cameH935 to BalaamH1109 at nightH3915 and saidH559 to him, “IfH518 the menH376 have comeH935 to callH7121 you, riseH6965 and goH1980 with them; but you shall doH6213 21onlyH389 the thingH1697 that I tellH1696 you.”

2122So BalaamH1109 aroseH6965 in the morningH1242, saddledH2280 his donkeyH860, and wentH1980 with the leadersH8269 of MoabH4124.

The Angel and Balaam

22But GodH430 wasH2734 angryH639H2734 that he was goingH1980, 23and the angelH4397 of the LordH3068 tookH3320 his standH3320 in the roadH1870 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 roadH1870 with his swordH2719 drawnH8025 in his handH3027, the donkeyH860 turnedH5186 offH5186 from the roadH1870 and wentH1980 into the fieldH7704; and BalaamH1109 struckH5221 the donkeyH860 to guideH5186 her backH5186 onto the roadH1870. 24Then the angelH4397 of the LordH3068 stoodH5975 in a narrowH4934 pathH4934 of the vineyardsH3754, with a stoneH1447 wallH1447 on thisH2088 sideH2088 and on that sideH2088. 25When the donkeyH860 sawH7200 the angelH4397 of the LordH3068, she pressedH3905 herself againstH413 the wallH7023 and pressedH3905 Balaam’sH1109 footH7272 againstH413 the wallH7023, so he struckH5221 her againH3254. 26Then the angelH4397 of the LordH3068 wentH5674 fartherH3254, and stoodH5975 in a narrowH6862 placeH4725 whereH834 thereH369 wasH369 noH369 wayH1870 to turnH5186 to the rightH3225 or to the leftH8040. 27When the donkeyH860 sawH7200 the angelH4397 of the LordH3068, she layH7257 downH7257 underH8478 BalaamH1109; so 24BalaamH1109 wasH2734 angryH639H2734 and struckH5221 the donkeyH860 with his staffH4731. 28Then 25the 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?” 29And BalaamH1109 saidH559 to the donkeyH860, “It is becauseH3588 you have madeH5953 aH5953 mockeryH5953 of me! IfH3863 onlyH3863 thereH3426 hadH3426 beenH3426 a swordH2719 in my handH3027! For 26I would have killedH2026 you by nowH6258!” 30But the donkeyH860 saidH559 to BalaamH1109, “Am I not your donkeyH860 on whichH834 you have riddenH7392 allH4480H5750 your lifeH5750 to thisH2088 dayH3117? Have I everH5532 beenH5532 inH5532 theH5532 habitH5532 ofH5532 doingH6213 suchH3541 aH3541 thingH3541 to you?” And he saidH559, “NoH3808.”

31Then the LordH3068 openedH1540 Balaam’sH1109 eyesH5869, and he sawH7200 27the angelH4397 of the LordH3068 standingH5324 in the wayH1870 with his swordH2719 drawnH8025 in his handH3027; and he bowedH6915 28all the wayH1870 to the groundH639. 32Then the angelH4397 of the LordH3068 saidH559 to him, “WhyH5921H4100 have you struckH5221 your donkeyH860 theseH2088 threeH7969 timesH7272? BeholdH2009, I have comeH3318 outH3318 as an adversaryH7854, becauseH3588 your wayH1870 was 29recklessH3399 and contraryH5048 to me. 33But the donkeyH860 sawH7200 me and turnedH5186 awayH5186 from me theseH2088 threeH7969 timesH7272. IfH194 she had not turnedH5186 awayH5186 from me, I certainlyH3588 would have killedH2026 you just nowH6258, and let her liveH2421.” 34So BalaamH1109 saidH559 to the angelH4397 of the LordH3068, “30I have sinnedH2398, for I did not knowH3045 that you were standingH5324 in the wayH1870 againstH7122 me. NowH6258 then, ifH518 it is displeasingH7451H5869 to you, I will turnH7725 backH7725.” 35But the angelH4397 of the LordH3068 saidH559 to BalaamH1109, “GoH1980 with the menH376, but 31you shall speakH1696 onlyH657 the wordH1697 that I 32tellH1696 you.” So BalaamH1109 wentH1980 along with the representativesH8269 of BalakH1111.

36When BalakH1111 heardH8085 that BalaamH1109 was comingH935, he wentH3318 outH3318 to meetH7122 him at the cityH5892 of MoabH4124, whichH834 is on the ArnonH769 borderH1366, 33at the extremeH7097 endH7097 of the borderH1366. 37Then BalakH1111 saidH559 to BalaamH1109, “Did I not urgentlyH7971 sendH7971 word to you to callH7121 for you? WhyH4100 did you not comeH1980 to me? AmH3201 I reallyH552 unableH3808H3201 to honorH3513 you?” 38So BalaamH1109 saidH559 to BalakH1111, “BeholdH2009, I have comeH935 to you nowH6258! 34AmH3201 I reallyH3201 ableH3201 to speakH1696 anythingH3972? The wordH1697 that GodH430 putsH7760 in my mouthH6310, that only shall I 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 aboutH1961 in the morningH1242 that BalakH1111 tookH3947 BalaamH1109 and broughtH5927 him upH5927 to 3536the highH1116 placesH1116 of BaalH1168, and he sawH7200 from thereH8033 37a 38portionH7097 of the peopleH5971.