04_NUM_22_01 And the children of Israel set forward, And pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan [ by] Jericho.
04_NUM_22_02 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
04_NUM_22_03 And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they [ were] Many: And Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
04_NUM_22_04 And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, now shall this company lick up all [ that are] round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor [ was] king of the Moabites at that time.
04_NUM_22_05 he sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which [ Is] by the river of the land of the children 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:
04_NUM_22_06 come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they [ are] too mighty for me: Peradventure I shall prevail, [ that] we may smite them, And [ that] I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest [ Is] blessed, And he whom thou cursest Is Cursed.
04_NUM_22_07 And the elders of Moab And the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; And they came unto Balaam, And spake unto him the words of Balak.
04_NUM_22_08 And he said unto them, lodge here this night, And I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: And the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
04_NUM_22_09 And God came unto Balaam, And said, what men [ are] These with thee?
04_NUM_22_10 And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, [ saying],
04_NUM_22_11 behold, [ there Is] A people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; Peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, And drive them out.
04_NUM_22_12 And God said unto Balaam, thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they [ are] blessed.
04_NUM_22_13 And Balaam rose up in the morning, And said unto the princes of Balak, get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.
04_NUM_22_14 And the princes of Moab rose up, And they went unto Balak, And said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.
04_NUM_22_15 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, And more honourable than they.
04_NUM_22_16 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:
04_NUM_22_17 for I will promote thee unto very great honour, And I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.
04_NUM_22_18 And 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.
04_NUM_22_19 now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.
04_NUM_22_20 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.
04_NUM_22_21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, And saddled his ass, And went with the princes of Moab.
04_NUM_22_22 And God's anger was kindled because he went: And the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. now he was riding upon his ass, And his two servants [ were] with him.
04_NUM_22_23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, And 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.
04_NUM_22_24 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.
04_NUM_22_25 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.
04_NUM_22_26 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.
04_NUM_22_27 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.
04_NUM_22_28 And 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?
04_NUM_22_29 And Balaam said unto the ass, because thou hast mocked me: I would there were A sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.
04_NUM_22_30 And the ass said unto Balaam, [ am] not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since [ I was] thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do So unto thee? And he said, Nay.
04_NUM_22_31 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.
04_NUM_22_32 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass These three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because [ thy] way Is perverse before me:
04_NUM_22_33 And the ass saw me, And turned from me These three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, And saved her alive.
04_NUM_22_34 And 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.
04_NUM_22_35 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.
04_NUM_22_36 And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto A city of Moab, which [ Is] in the border of Arnon, which [ Is] in the utmost coast.
04_NUM_22_37 And 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?
04_NUM_22_38 And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.
04_NUM_22_39 And Balaam went with Balak, And they came unto Kirjathhuzoth.
04_NUM_22_40 And Balak offered oxen And sheep, And sent to Balaam, And to the princes that [ were] with him.
04_NUM_22_41 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, And brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost [ part] of the people.