And the children of Israel
set forward
, and pitched
in the plains
of Moab
on this side
Jordan
by Jericho
.
And Balak the son
of Zippor
saw
all that Israel
had done
to the Amorites
.
And Moab was sore
afraid
of
the people
, because they were many
: and Moab
was distressed
because of
the children
of Israel
.
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
.
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:
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
.
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
.
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
.
And God came
unto Balaam
, and said
, What men
are these with thee?
And Balaam said
unto God
, Balak
the son
of Zippor
, king
of Moab
, hath sent
unto me, saying ,
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
.
And God said
unto Balaam
, Thou shalt not go
with them; thou shalt not curse
the people
: for they are blessed
.
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.
And the princes of Moab
rose up
, and they went
unto Balak
, and said
, Balaam
refuseth
to come
with us.
And Balak sent
yet again
princes
, more
, and more honourable
than they.
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:
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
.
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
.
Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night
, that I may know
what the LORD
will say
unto me more
.
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
.
And Balaam rose up
in the morning
, and saddled
his ass
, and went
with the princes
of Moab
.
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.
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
.
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.
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
.
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
.
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
.
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
?
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.
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.
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
.
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:
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
.
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
.
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
.
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
.
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
?
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
.
And Balaam went
with Balak
, and they came
unto Kirjathhuzoth
.
And Balak offered
oxen
and sheep
, and sent
to Balaam
, and to the princes
that were with him.
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
.