Dual Panel1The Israelites <03478> <01121> traveled <05265> on and camped <02583> in the plains <06160> of Moab <04124> on the side <05676> of the Jordan River <03383> across from Jericho <03405>.
2Balak <01111> son <01121> of Zippor <06834> saw <07200> all <03605> that <0834> the Israelites <03478> had done <06213> to the Amorites <0567>.
3And the Moabites <04124> were greatly <03966> afraid <01481> of the people <05971>, because <03588> they were so numerous <07227>. The Moabites <04124> were sick with fear <06973> because of <06440> the Israelites <03478> <01121>.
4So the Moabites <04124> said <0559> to <0413> the elders <02205> of Midian <04080>, “Now <06258> this mass of people <06951> will lick up <03897> everything <03605> around <05439> us, as the bull <07794> devours <03897> the <0853> grass <03418> of the field <07704>. Now Balak <01111> son <01121> of Zippor <06834> was king <04428> of the Moabites <04124> at this <01931> time <06256>.
5And he sent <07971> messengers <04397> to <0413> Balaam <01109> son <01121> of Beor <01160> at Pethor <06604>, which <0834> is by <05921> the Euphrates River <05104> in the land <0776> of Amaw <05971> <01121>, to summon <07121> him, saying <0559>, “Look <02009>, a nation <05971> has come out <03318> of Egypt <04714>. They cover <03680> the face <05869> of the earth <0776>, and they <01931> are settling <03427> next <04136> to me.
6So now <06258>, please <04994> come <01980> and curse <0779> this <02088> nation <05971> for me, for <03588> they are too <04480> powerful <06099> for me <01931>. Perhaps <0194> I will prevail <03201> so that we may conquer <05221> them and drive <01644> them out <01644> of <04480> the land <0776>. For <03588> I know <03045> that whoever <0834> you bless <01288> is blessed <01288>, and whoever <0834> you curse <0779> is cursed <0779>.”
7So the elders <02205> of Moab <04124> and the elders <02205> of Midian <04080> departed <01980> with the fee for divination <07081> in their hand <03027>. They came <0935> to <0413> Balaam <01109> and reported <01696> to <0413> him the words <01697> of Balak <01111>.
8He replied <0559> to <0413> them, “Stay <03885> here <06311> tonight <03915>, and I will bring back <07725> to you whatever <0834> word <01697> the Lord <03068> may speak <01696> to <0413> me.” So the princes <08269> of Moab <04124> stayed <03427> with <05973> Balaam <01109>.
9And God <0430> came <0935> to <0413> Balaam <01109> and said <0559>, “Who <04310> are these <0428> men <0582> with <05973> you?”
10Balaam <01109> said <0559> to <0413> God <0430>, “Balak <01111> son <01121> of Zippor <06834>, king <04428> of Moab <04124>, has sent <07971> a message to <0413> me, saying,
11“Look <02009>, a nation <05971> has come out <03318> of Egypt <04714>, and it covers <03680> the face <05869> of the earth <0776>. Come <01980> now <06258> and put a curse <06895> on them for me; perhaps <0194> I will be able <03201> to defeat <03898> them and drive <01644> them out <01644>.”
12But God <0430> said <0559> to <0413> Balaam <01109>, “You must not <03808> go <01980> with <05973> them; you must not <03808> curse <0779> the people <05971>, for <03588> they <01931> are blessed <01288>.”
13So Balaam <01109> got up <06965> in the morning <01242>, and said <0559> to <0413> the princes <08269> of Balak <01111>, “Go <01980> to <0413> your land <0776>, for <03588> the Lord <03068> has refused <03985> to permit <05414> me to go <01980> with <05973> you.”
14So the princes <08269> of Moab <04124> departed <06965> and went <0935> back to <0413> Balak <01111> and said <0559>, “Balaam <01109> refused <03985> to come <01980> with <05973> us.”
15Balak <01111> again <05750> <03254> sent <07971> princes <08269>, more numerous <07227> and more distinguished <03513> than the first <0428>.
16And they came <0935> to <0413> Balaam <01109> and said <0559> to him, “Thus <03541> says <0559> Balak <01111> son <01121> of Zippor <06834>: ‘Please do not <0408> let <04994> anything hinder <04513> you from coming <01980> to <0413> me.
17For <03588> I will honor <03513> you greatly <03966>, and whatever <0834> <03605> you tell <0559> me I will do <06213>. So come <01980>, put <06895> a curse <06895> on this <02088> nation <05971> for me.’”
18Balaam <01109> replied <06030> to <0413> the servants <05650> of Balak <01111>, “Even if <0518> Balak <01111> would give <05414> me his palace <01004> full <04393> of silver <03701> and gold <02091>, I could <03201> not <03808> transgress <05674> the commandment <06310> of the Lord <03068> my God <0430> to do <06213> less <06996> or <0176> more <01419>.
19Now <06258> therefore, please <04994> stay <03427> the night <03915> here <02088> also <01571>, that I may know <03045> what <04100> more <03254> the Lord <03068> might say <01696> to <05973> me.”
20God <0430> came <0935> to <0413> Balaam <01109> that night <03915>, and said <0559> to him, “If <0518> the men <0376> have come <0935> to call <07121> you, get up <06965> and go <01980> with <0854> them; but <0389> the word <01697> that <0834> I will say <01696> to <0413> you, that you must do <06213>.”
21So Balaam <01109> got up <06965> in the morning <01242>, saddled <02280> his donkey <0860>, and went <01980> with <05973> the princes <08269> of Moab <04124>.
22Then God’s <0430> anger <0639> was kindled <02734> because <03588> he went <01980>, and the angel <04397> of the Lord <03068> stood <03320> in the road <01870> to oppose <07854> him. Now he <01931> was riding <07392> on <05921> his donkey <0860> and his two <08147> servants <05288> were with <05973> him.
23And the donkey <0860> saw <07200> the angel <04397> of the Lord <03068> standing <05324> in the road <01870> with his sword <02719> drawn <08025> in his hand <03027>, so the donkey <0860> turned aside <05186> from <04480> the road <01870> and went <01980> into the field <07704>. But Balaam <01109> beat <05221> the donkey <0860>, to make her turn back <05186> to the road <01870>.
24Then the angel <04397> of the Lord <03068> stood <05975> in a path <04934> among the vineyards <03754>, where there was a wall <01447> on either <02088> <01447> side <02088>.
25And when the donkey <0860> saw <07200> the angel <04397> of the Lord <03068>, she pressed <03905> herself into <0413> the wall <07023>, and crushed <03905> Balaam’s <01109> foot <07272> against <0413> the wall <07023>. So he beat <05221> her again <03254>.
26Then the angel <04397> of the Lord <03068> went <05674> farther <03254>, and stood <05975> in a narrow <06862> place <04725>, where <0834> there was no <0369> way <01870> to turn <05186> either to the right <03225> or to the left <08040>.
27When the donkey <0860> saw <07200> the angel <04397> of the Lord <03068>, she crouched down <07257> under <08478> Balaam <01109>. Then Balaam <01109> was angry <0639> <02734>, and he beat <05221> his donkey <0860> with a staff <04731>.
28Then the Lord <03068> opened <06605> the mouth <06310> of the donkey <0860>, and she said <0559> to Balaam <01109>, “What <04100> have I done <06213> to you that <03588> you have beaten <05221> me these <02088> three <07969> times <07272>?”
29And Balaam <01109> said <0559> to the donkey <0860>, “You have made <05953> me look stupid <05953>; I wish <03863> there were <03426> a sword <02719> in my hand <03027>, for <03588> I would kill <02026> you right now <06258>.”
30The donkey <0860> said <0559> to <0413> Balaam <01109>, “Am not <03808> I <0595> your donkey <0860> that <0834> you have ridden <07392> ever since <05750> I was yours until <05704> this <02088> day <03117>? Have I ever attempted <05532> <05532> to treat <06213> you this way <03541>?” And he said <0559>, “No <03808>.”
31Then the Lord <03068> opened <01540> Balaam’s <01109> eyes <05869>, and he saw <07200> the angel <04397> of the Lord <03068> standing <05324> in the way <01870> with his sword <02719> drawn <08025> in his hand <03027>; so he bowed <06915> his head <06915> and threw <07812> himself down <07812> with his face <0639> to the ground.
32The angel <04397> of the Lord <03068> said <0559> to <0413> him, “Why <04100> have you beaten <05221> your donkey <0860> these <02088> three <07969> times <07272>? Look <02009>, I <0595> came out <03318> to oppose <07854> you because <03588> what you are doing <01870> is perverse <03399> before <05048> me.
33The donkey <0860> saw <07200> me and turned <05186> from <06440> me these <02088> three <07969> times <07272>. If <0194> she had not turned <05186> from <06440> me, I would have killed <02026> you but saved <02421> her alive <02421>.”
34Balaam <01109> said <0559> to <0413> the angel <04397> of the Lord <03068>, “I have sinned <02398>, for <03588> I did not <03808> know <03045> that <03588> you <0859> stood <05324> against <07125> me in the road <01870>. So now <06258>, if <0518> it is evil <07451> in your sight <05869>, I will go back home <07725>.”
35But the angel <04397> of the Lord <03068> said <0559> to <0413> Balaam <01109>, “Go <01980> with <05973> the men <0376>, but <0657> you may only <0657> speak <01696> the word <01697> that <0834> I will speak <01696> to <0413> you.” So Balaam <01109> went <01980> with <05973> the princes <08269> of Balak <01111>.
36When Balak <01111> heard <08085> that <03588> Balaam <01109> was coming <0935>, he went out <03318> to meet <07125> him at <0413> a city <05892> of Moab <04124> which <0834> was on <05921> the border <01366> of the Arnon <0769> at the boundary <07097> of his territory <01366>.
37Balak <01111> said <0559> to <0413> Balaam <01109>, “Did I not <03808> send again <07971> <07971> and again <07971> to <0413> you to summon <07121> you? Why <04100> did you not <03808> come <01980> to me <0413>? Am <0552> I not <03808> able <03201> to honor <03513> you?”
38Balaam <01109> said <0559> to <0413> Balak <01111>, “Look <02009>, I have come <0935> to <0413> you. Now <06258>, am I able <03201> to speak <01696> just anything <03972>? I must speak <01696> only the word <01697> that <0834> God <0430> puts <07760> in my mouth <06310>.”
39So Balaam <01109> went <01980> with <05973> Balak <01111>, and they came <0935> to Kiriath-huzoth <07155>.
40And Balak <01111> sacrificed <02076> bulls <01241> and sheep <06629>, and sent <07971> some to Balaam <01109>, and to the princes <08269> who <0834> were with <0854> him.
41Then on the next morning <01242> Balak <01111> took <03947> Balaam <01109>, and brought <05927> him up <05927> to Bamoth <01120> Baal. From there <08033> he saw <07200> the extent <07097> of the nation <05971>.