| 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. |
