1 A nd the sons of Israel journey and encamp in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan, Jericho.

¶ And the sons of Israel set forward and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan in front of Jericho.

2 A nd Balak son of Zippor seeth all that Israel hath done to the Amorite,

And Balak, the son of Zippor, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorite.

3 a nd 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,

And Moab was sore afraid of the people because they were many; and Moab was distressed because of the sons of Israel.

4 a nd 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,

And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licks up the herbs of the field. And Balak, the son of Zippor, was king of the Moabites at that time.

5 a nd 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;

Therefore he sent messengers unto Balaam, the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the river Eufrates in the land of the sons 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 a nd 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.'

Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people, for they are too mighty for me; peradventure I shall be able to smite them and drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom thou blessest shall be blessed, and he whom thou cursest shall be cursed.

7 A nd 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,

And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the incantations in their hand; and they came unto Balaam and spoke unto him the words of Balak.

8 a nd 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.

And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will recite the words unto you when the LORD shall speak unto me. So the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.

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

And God came unto Balaam and said, Who are these men with thee?

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

And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent unto me, saying,

11 L o, 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;'

Behold, this people that has come out of Egypt, covers the face of the earth; come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them and drive them out.

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

Then God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; neither shalt thou curse the people; for they are blessed.

13 A nd 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;'

So Balaam rose up in the morning and said unto the princes of Balak, Go back to your land; for the LORD refuses to give me leave to go with you.

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

And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak and said, Balaam refused to come with us.

15 A nd Balak addeth yet to send princes, more numerous and honoured than these,

¶ And Balak sent yet again princes, more and more honourable than those.

16 a nd 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,

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

for I will without a doubt honour thee greatly, and I will do whatever thou sayest unto me; come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.

18 A nd 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;

And Balaam answered and said unto the slaves 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 anything small or great.

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

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

20 A nd 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.'

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

So Balaam rose up in the morning and saddled his female ass and went with the princes of Moab.

22 a nd 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,

¶ And God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.

23 a nd 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.

And 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. Then Balaam smote the ass to turn her into the way.

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

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 a nd 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;

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 a nd 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 --

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 a nd 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.

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 A nd 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?'

Then 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 a nd 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;'

And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now would I kill thee.

30 a nd 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.'

And the ass said unto Balaam, Am I not thine ass upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? Was I ever accustomed to do so unto thee? And he said, No.

31 A nd 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;

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 a nd 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,

And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? Behold, I went out as thine adversary, because thy way is perverse before me.

33 a nd 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.'

The ass saw me and turned from me these three times; and if she had not turned from me, I also now would slay thee and leave her alive.

34 A nd 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.'

Then Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I did not know that thou didst stand in the way against me; now therefore, if it displease thee, I will return.

35 A nd 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.

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 A nd 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;

¶ And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is next to the border of Arnon, which is at the limit of his territory.

37 a nd 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?'

And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? Why hast thou not come unto me? Am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?

38 A nd 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.'

And Balaam said unto Balak, Behold, I am come unto thee; may I now say something? The word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.

39 A nd Balaam goeth with Balak, and they come to Kirjath-Huzoth,

And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth.

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

And Balak killed oxen and sheep and sent to Balaam and to the princes that were with him.

41 a nd 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.

And on the next day, Balak took Balaam and brought him up into the high places of Baal, and from there he saw the utmost part of the people.