22 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.