1 T hen the children of Israel moved, and camped in the plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan across from Jericho.

And the sons of Israel journey and encamp in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan, Jericho.

2 N ow Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

And Balak son of Zippor seeth all that Israel hath done to the Amorite,

3 A nd Moab was exceedingly afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was sick with dread because of the children of Israel.

and Moab is exceedingly afraid of the presence of the people, for it numerous; and Moab is vexed by the presence of the sons of Israel,

4 S o Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this company will lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.

and Moab saith unto the elders of Midian, `Now doth the assembly lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licketh up the green thing of the field.' And Balak son of Zippor king of Moab at that time,

5 T hen he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying: “Look, a people has come from Egypt. See, they cover the face of the earth, and are settling next to me!

and he sendeth messengers unto Balaam son of Beor, to Pethor, which by the River of the land of the sons of his people, to call for him, saying, `Lo, a people hath come out of Egypt; lo, it hath covered the eye of the land, and it is abiding over-against me;

6 T herefore please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

and now, come, I pray thee, curse for me this people, for it mightier than I; it may be I prevail -- we smite it -- and I cast it out from the land; for I have known -- that which thou blessest is blessed, and that which thou cursest is cursed.'

7 S o the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the diviner’s fee in their hand, and they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak.

And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian go, and divinations in their hand, and they come in unto Balaam, and speak unto him the words of Balak,

8 A nd he said to them, “Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

and he saith unto them, `Lodge here to-night, and I have brought you back word, as Jehovah speaketh unto me;' and the princes of Moab abide with Balaam.

9 T hen God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”

And God cometh in unto Balaam, and saith, `Who these men with thee?'

10 S o Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,

And Balaam saith unto God, `Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me:

11 ‘ Look, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come now, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to overpower them and drive them out.’”

Lo, the people that is coming out from Egypt and covereth the eye of the land, -- now come, pierce it for me; it may be I am able to fight against it, and have cast it out;'

12 A nd God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”

and God saith unto Balaam, `Thou dost not go with them; thou dost not curse the people; for it blessed.'

13 S o Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go back to your land, for the Lord has refused to give me permission to go with you.”

And Balaam riseth in the morning, and saith unto the princes of Balak, `Go unto your land, for Jehovah is refusing to suffer me to go with you;'

14 A nd the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

and the princes of Moab rise, and come in unto Balak, and say, `Balaam is refusing to come with us.'

15 T hen Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more honorable than they.

And Balak addeth yet to send princes, more numerous and honoured than these,

16 A nd they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me;

and they come in unto Balaam, and say to him, `Thus said Balak son of Zippor, Be not, I pray thee, withheld from coming unto me,

17 f or I will certainly honor you greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Therefore please come, curse this people for me.’”

for very greatly I honour thee, and all that thou sayest unto me I do; and come, I pray thee, pierce for me this people.'

18 T hen Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.

And Balaam answereth and saith unto the servants of Balak, `If Balak doth give to me the fulness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of Jehovah my God, to do a little or a great thing;

19 N ow therefore, please, you also stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.”

and, now, abide, I pray you, in this, you also, to-night; and I know what Jehovah is adding to speak with me.'

20 A nd God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you—that you shall do.”

And God cometh in unto Balaam, by night, and saith to him, `If to call for thee the men have come, rise, go with them, and only the thing which I speak unto thee -- it thou dost do.'

21 S o Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. Balaam, the Donkey, and the Angel

And Balaam riseth in the morning, and saddleth his ass, and goeth with the princes of Moab,

22 T hen God’s anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the Lord took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

and the anger of God burneth because he is going, and a messenger of Jehovah stationeth himself in the way for an adversary to him, and he is riding on his ass, and two of his servants with him,

23 N ow the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road.

and the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah standing in the way, and his drawn sword in his hand, and the ass turneth aside out of the way, and goeth into a field, and Balaam smiteth the ass to turn it aside into the way.

24 T hen the Angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side.

And the messenger of Jehovah standeth in a narrow path of the vineyards -- a wall on this and a wall on that --

25 A nd when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall; so he struck her again.

and the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah, and is pressed unto the wall, and presseth Balaam's foot unto the wall, and he addeth to smite her;

26 T hen the Angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

and the messenger of Jehovah addeth to pass over, and standeth in a strait place where there is no way to turn aside -- right or left --

27 A nd when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam’s anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

and the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah, and croucheth under Balaam, and the anger of Balaam burneth, and he smiteth the ass with a staff.

28 T hen the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”

And Jehovah openeth the mouth of the ass, and she saith to Balaam, `What have I done to thee that thou hast smitten me these three times?'

29 A nd Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!”

and Balaam saith to the ass, `Because thou hast rolled thyself against me; oh that there were a sword in my hand, for now I had slain thee;'

30 S o the donkey said to Balaam, “ Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?” And he said, “No.”

and the ass saith unto Balaam, `Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden since thine unto this day? have I at all been accustomed to do to thee thus?' and he saith, `No.'

31 T hen the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face.

And Jehovah uncovereth the eyes of Balaam, and he seeeth the messenger of Jehovah standing in the way, and his drawn sword in his hand, and he boweth and doth obeisance, to his face;

32 A nd the Angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me.

and the messenger of Jehovah saith unto him, `Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? lo, I -- I have come out for an adversary, for way hath been perverse before me,

33 T he donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live.”

and the ass seeth me, and turneth aside at my presence these three times; unless she had turned aside from my presence, surely now also, thee I had slain, and her kept alive.'

34 A nd Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back.”

And Balaam saith unto the messenger of Jehovah, `I have sinned, for I did not know that thou standing to meet me in the way; and now, if evil in thine eyes -- I turn back by myself.'

35 T hen the Angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but only the word that I speak to you, that you shall speak.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

And the messenger of Jehovah saith unto Balaam, `Go with the men; and only the word which I speak unto thee -- it thou dost speak;' and Balaam goeth with the princes of Balak.

36 N ow when Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, which is on the border at the Arnon, the boundary of the territory.

And Balak heareth that Balaam hath come, and goeth out to meet him, unto a city of Moab, which on the border of Arnon, which in the extremity of the border;

37 T hen Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not earnestly send to you, calling for you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?”

and Balak saith unto Balaam, `Did I not diligently sent unto thee to call for thee? why didst thou not come unto me? am I not truly able to honour thee?'

38 A nd Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you! Now, have I any power at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak.”

And Balaam saith unto Balak, `Lo, I have come unto thee; now -- am I at all able to speak anything? the word which God setteth in my mouth -- it I do speak.'

39 S o Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kirjath Huzoth.

And Balaam goeth with Balak, and they come to Kirjath-Huzoth,

40 T hen Balak offered oxen and sheep, and he sent some to Balaam and to the princes who were with him. Balaam’s First Prophecy

and Balak sacrificeth oxen and sheep, and sendeth to Balaam, and to the princes who with him;

41 S o it was, the next day, that Balak took Balaam and brought him up to the high places of Baal, that from there he might observe the extent of the people.

and it cometh to pass in the morning, that Balak taketh Balaam, and causeth him to go up the high places of Baal, and he seeth from thence the extremity of the people.