Numbers 22:1-32

¹And the sons of Israel moved onward, and encamped in the plain of Moab (at some space) from the ford of the Jordan (towards) Jericho.

²And Balak bar Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amoraah.

³And the Moabaah feared before the people greatly, because they were many; yea, the Moabaee were in distress before the sons of Israel.

⁴And Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now will this host consume all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the herbage of the field. And Balak bar Zippor was the king of Moab at that time.

⁵And he sent messengers to Bileam bar Beor unto Pethor Aram which is upon the Phrat, the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying: Behold, a people hath come out of Mizraim; lo, they cover the sunshine from the earth, and they are dwelling over against me.

⁶Come now, I entreat, curse this people for me, for they are stronger than I: if perhaps I may become able to fight with him, and drive him from the land: for I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou dost curse is accursed.

⁷And the elders of Moab and of Midian went, with the (price of) divinations in their hands, and came to Bileam, and told him the words of Balak.

⁸And he said to them, Lodge here for the night, and I will return you word, according as the Lord speaketh with me. And the princes of Moab tarried with Bileam.

⁹And a word from before the Lord came unto Bileam, and said, Who are these men who are with thee?

¹⁰And Bileam said before the Lord, Balak bar Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent to me.

¹¹Behold, a people are come out of Mizraim, and hide the glance of the sun from the earth. Now come, curse him for me, that I may be able to fight him, and drive him away.

¹²And the Lord said to Bileam, Thou shalt not go with them: thou shalt not curse the people, for he is blessed.

¹³And Bileam arose in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, Go back to your country; for it is not pleasing before the Lord to permit me to go with you.

¹⁴And the princes of Moab arose and came to Balak, and said, Bileam refuseth to come with us.

¹⁵But Balak added to send princes more (in number) and nobler than those.

¹⁶And they came to Bileam, and said to him: Thus saith Balak bar Zippor: Be not, I beseech thee, hindered from coming to me;

¹⁷For I will greatly honour thee with honour, and will do all that thou shalt bid me. Come, then, curse me this people.

¹⁸Bileam responded, and said to the servants of Balak: If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I have no power to transgress the decree of the Word of the Lord my God, to do either little or great.

¹⁹But now I beg you tarry here this night, that I may know what yet the Lord will speak unto me.

²⁰And word came from before the Lord unto Bileam by night, and said to him: If the men come to call thee, arise and go with them; nevertheless the word that I speak with thee, that thou shalt do.

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

²²But the displeasure of the Lord was provoked because he (so) went; and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to withstand him: and he was riding upon his ass, and his two young men with him.

²³And the ass discerned the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his sword drawn in his hand; and the ass started aside from the road, and went into the field. And Bileam struck the ass to make her to return into the road.

²⁴And the angel of the Lord (again) stood in the way of the vineyards in a place where there was a fence here and a fence there.

²⁵And the ass discerned the angel of the Lord, and thrust herself to the wall, and drave Bileam’s foot against the wall; and he smote her again.

²⁶And the angel of the Lord yet passed on, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn to the right or to the left.

²⁷And the ass discerned the angel of the Lord, and fell down under Bileam; and Bileam’s wrath was provoked, and he smote the ass with his staff.

²⁸And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass; and she spake to Bileam, What have I done to thee that thou bast smitten me these three times?

²⁹And Bileam said to the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: would that there was a sword in my hand! For now would I kill thee.

³⁰And the ass said to Bileam, Am I not thy ass, upon whom thou hast ridden from (the time that) I have been thine unto this day? Have I ever been used to do thus to thee? And he said, No.

³¹And the Lord unveiled Bileam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword unsheathed in his hand: and he bowed, and worshipped upon his face.

³²And the angel of the Lord said to him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? Behold, I have come out to withstand thee, because it is seen before me that thou art willing to go in a way contrary to me.