Israel in the plains of Moab
1THE Israelites moved on and encamped in the lowlands of Moab on the farther side of the Jordan opposite Jericho.
2Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,
3and Moab was in terror of the people because there were so many of them. The Moabites were overcome with fear at the sight of them;
4and they said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will soon eat up everything round us as an ox eats up the new grass in the field.” Balak son of Zippor, who was at that time king of Moab,
5sent a deputation to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor by the Euphrates in the land of the Amavites, with this message, “A whole nation has just arrived from Egypt: they cover the face of the country and are settling at my very door.
6Come at once and lay a curse on them, because they are too many for me. I may then be able to defeat them and drive them out of the country. I know that those whom you bless are blessed, and those whom you curse are cursed.”
7The elders of Moab and Midian took the fees for augury with them, and coming to Balaam they gave him Balak's message.
8“Spend this night here,” he replied, “and I shall give you whatever answer the LORD gives me.” So the Moabite chiefs stayed with Balaam.
9God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men with you?”
10Balaam replied, “Balak son of Zippor king of Moab has sent them to me and he says,
11‘A people which has just come out of Egypt is covering the face of the country. Come at once and put a curse on them for me; then I may be able to give battle and drive them away.’”
12God said to Balaam, “You are not to go with them or curse the people, because they are to be blessed.”
13So when Balaam rose in the morning he said to Balak's chiefs, “Go back to your own country; the LORD has refused to let me go with you.”
14The Moabite chiefs took their leave and went back to Balak, and reported to him that Balaam had refused to come with them.
15Balak sent a second embassy, larger and more high-powered than the first.
16When they came to Balaam they said, “This is the message from Balak son of Zippor: ‘Let nothing stand in the way of your coming to me.
17I shall confer great honour upon you and do whatever you ask me. But you must come and put a curse on this people for me.’”
18Balaam gave this answer to Balak's messengers: “Even if Balak were to give me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not disobey the command of the LORD my God in anything, small or great.
19But stay here for this night, as the others did, that I may learn what more the LORD may have to say to me.”
20During the night God came to Balaam and said to him, “If these men have come to summon you, then rise and go with them, but do only what I tell you.”
21When morning came Balaam rose, saddled his donkey, and went with the Moabite chiefs.
22But God was angry because Balaam was going, and as he came riding on his donkey, accompanied by his two servants, the angel of the LORD took his stand in the road to bar his way.
23When the donkey saw the angel standing in the road with his sword drawn, she turned off the road into the fields, and Balaam beat her to bring her back on to the road.
24The angel of the LORD then stood where the road ran through a hollow, with enclosed vineyards on either side.
25The donkey saw the angel and, squeezing herself against the wall, she crushed Balaam's foot against it, and again he beat her.
26The angel of the LORD moved on farther and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn to either right or left.
27When the donkey saw the angel, she lay down under Balaam. At that Balaam lost his temper and beat the donkey with his staff.
28The LORD then made the donkey speak, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done? This is the third time you have beaten me.”
29Balaam answered, “You have been making a fool of me. If I had had a sword with me, I should have killed you on the spot.”
30But the donkey answered, “Am I not still the donkey which you have ridden all your life? Have I ever taken such a liberty with you before?” He said, “No.”
31Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes: he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn, and he bowed down and prostrated himself.
32The angel said to him, “What do you mean by beating your donkey three times like this? I came out to bar your way, but you made straight for me,
33and three times your donkey saw me and turned aside. If she had not turned aside, I should by now have killed you, while sparing her.”
34“I have done wrong,” Balaam replied to the angel of the LORD. “I did not know that you stood confronting me in the road. But now, if my journey displeases you, I shall turn back.”
35The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men; but say only what I tell you.” So Balaam went on with Balak's chiefs.
36When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him as far as Ar of Moab by the Arnon on his frontier.
37Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send time and again to summon you? Why did you not come? Did you think that I could not do you honour?”
38Balaam replied, “I have come, as you see. But now that I am here, what power have I of myself to say anything? It is only whatever word God puts into my mouth that I can speak.”
39So Balaam went with Balak till they came to Kiriath-huzoth,
40and Balak slaughtered cattle and sheep and sent portions to Balaam and to the chiefs who were with him.
41In the morning Balak took Balaam and led him up to Bamoth-baal, from where he could see the full extent of the Israelite host.
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