NUMBERS 22:15-40

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

¹⁶And 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:

¹⁷for I will promote thee unto very great honour, and whatsoever thou sayest unto me I will do: come therefore, I pray thee, 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 the LORD my God, to do less or more.

¹⁹Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will speak unto me more.

²⁰And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men be come to call thee, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak unto thee, that shalt thou do.

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

²²And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD placed himself 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 the LORD standing in the way, with 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.

²⁴Then the angel of the LORD stood in a hollow way between the vineyards, a fence being on this side, and a fence on that side.

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

²⁶And 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.

²⁷And the ass saw the angel of the LORD, and she lay down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with his staff.

²⁸And 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?

²⁹And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now I had killed thee.

³⁰And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden all thy life long unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.

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

³²And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because thy way is perverse before me:

³³and the ass saw me, and turned aside before me these three times: unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I had even slain thee, and saved her alive.

³⁴And 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.

³⁵And 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.

³⁶And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto the City of Moab, which is on the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.

³⁷And 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?

³⁸And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to speak any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.

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

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