Numbers 22
1 The Israelites set out and camped on the plains of Moab, across the Jordan from Jericho.
2 Balak son of Zippor saw everything Israel had done to the Amorites.
3 Moab was terrified of the people because they were so numerous. Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites.
4 Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this crowd will lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” At that time Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab.
5 He sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the river, in the land of his people, to summon him: “Look, a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the land and have settled across from me.
6 Now please come and curse this people for me, because they are stronger than I am. Perhaps I can defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”
7 The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went, carrying payment for divination. They came to Balaam and told him Balak’s words.
8 He said to them, “Stay here tonight, and I will give you the answer the LORD speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9 God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”
10 Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent word to me:
11 ‘Look, the people who came out of Egypt cover the face of the land. Now come and curse them for me. Perhaps I can fight them and drive them out.’”
12 God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. Do not curse the people, for they are blessed.”
13 Balaam got up in the morning and said to Balak’s princes, “Go back to your land, because the LORD has refused to let me go with you.”
14 The princes of Moab got up, returned to Balak, and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
15 Balak sent princes again, more numerous and more distinguished than the others.
16 They came to Balaam and said to him, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Please do not refuse to come to me.
17 For I will honor you greatly and do whatever you tell me. Please come and curse this people for me.’”
18 Balaam answered Balak’s officials, “Even if Balak gave me his house filled with silver and gold, I could not disobey the command of the LORD my God, in anything small or great.
19 Now please, you too stay here tonight, so I can find out what more the LORD will say to me.”
20 God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them. But you must do only what I tell you.”
21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
22 God’s anger burned because he went, and the Angel of the LORD stood in the road as his adversary. He was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
23 The donkey saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand. The donkey turned off the road and went into the field. Balaam struck the donkey to make it turn back onto the road.
24 Then the Angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on each side.
25 The donkey saw the Angel of the LORD and pressed against the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. He struck her again.
26 The Angel of the LORD went ahead again and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn either right or left.
27 The donkey saw the Angel of the LORD and lay down under Balaam. Balaam’s anger burned, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
28 Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”
29 Balaam said to the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now.”
30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, which you have ridden all your life until this day? Have I ever treated you this way?” He said, “No.”
31 Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand. He bowed low and fell facedown.
32 The Angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Look, I have come as your adversary, because your way is reckless before me.
33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away from me, I would have killed you by now and spared her.”
34 Balaam said to the Angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, because I did not know you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now, if this is displeasing to you, I will go back.”
35 The Angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you must speak only the word I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s princes.
36 When Balak heard that Balaam had arrived, he went out to meet him as far as the Moabite town on the border of the Arnon, at the edge of the territory.
37 Balak said to Balaam, “Didn’t I send for you insistently? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really unable to honor you?”
38 Balaam said to Balak, “Here I am; I have come to you. But can I say anything at all? I will speak the word God puts in my mouth.”
39 Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.
40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent some of them to Balaam and the princes who were with him.
41 In the morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal. From there he saw the outskirts of the people.
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