Numbers 22 — Chapter 22

¹And the children of Yashar'el (Israel) set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.

²And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Yashar'el (Israel) had done to the Amorites.

³And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Yashar'el (Israel).

⁴And 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.

⁵He 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:

⁶Come now therefore, I pray you, 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 you blessest is blessed, and he whom you cursest is cursed.

⁷And 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.

⁸And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as Yahuah (LORD) shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.

⁹And Elohim (God) came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with you?

¹⁰And Balaam said unto Elohim (God), Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent unto me, saying,

¹¹Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covers the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.

¹²And Elohim (God) said unto Balaam, You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people: for they are blessed.

¹³And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for Yahuah (LORD) refuses to give me leave to go with you.

¹⁴And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuses to come with us.

¹⁵And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.

¹⁶And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray you, hinder you from coming unto me:

¹⁷For I will promote you unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever you say unto me: come therefore, I pray you, curse me this people.

¹⁸And 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 Yahuah Elohai (the LORD my God), to do less or more.

¹⁹Now therefore, I pray you, tarry you also here this night, that I may know what Yahuah (LORD) will say unto me more.

²⁰And Elohim (God) came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call you, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto you, that shall you do.

²¹And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

²²And Elohim's (God’s) anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of Yahuah (LORD) stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.

²³And the ass saw the angel of Yahuah (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.

²⁴But the angel of Yahuah (LORD) stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.

²⁵And when the ass saw the angel of Yahuah (LORD), she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again.

²⁶And the angel of Yahuah (LORD) went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

²⁷And when the ass saw the angel of Yahuah (LORD), she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.

²⁸And Yahuah (LORD) opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto you, that you have smitten me these three times?

²⁹And Balaam said unto the ass, Because you have mocked me: I would there were a sword in my hand, for now would I kill you.

³⁰And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I your ass, upon which you have ridden ever since I was your unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto you? And he said, Nay.

³¹Then Yahuah (LORD) opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of Yahuah (LORD) standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.

³²And the angel of Yahuah (LORD) said unto him, Wherefore have you smitten your ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand you, because your way is perverse before me:

³³And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain you, and saved her alive.

³⁴And Balaam said unto the angel of Yahuah (LORD), I have sinned; for I knew not that you stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease you, I will get me back again.

³⁵And the angel of Yahuah (LORD) said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto you, that you shall speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

³⁶And 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.

³⁷And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto you to call you? wherefore came you not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote you to honour?

³⁸And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto you: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that Elohim (God) puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.

³⁹And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjath-huzoth.

⁴⁰And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.

⁴¹And 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.