Balak Summons Balaam 1 DRA And they went forward and encamped in the plains of Moab, over against where Jericho is situate beyond the Jordan. BSB BSB: Then the Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan, across from Jericho.
2 DRA And Balac the son of Sephor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorrhite, BSB BSB: Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,
3 DRA And that the Moabites were in great fear of him, and were not able to sustain his assault, BSB BSB: and Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous. Indeed, Moab dreaded the Israelites.
4 DRA He said to the elders of Madian: So will this people destroy all that dwell in our borders, as the ox is wont to eat the grass to the very roots. Now he was at that time king in Moab. BSB BSB: So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will devour everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Since Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time,
6 DRA Come therefore, and curse this people, because it is mightier than I: if by any means I may beat them and drive them out of my land: for I know that he whom thou shalt bless is blessed, and he whom thou shalt curse is cursed. BSB BSB: So please come now and put a curse on this people, because they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.”
7 DRA And the ancients of Moab, and the elders of Madian, went with the price of divination in their hands. And when they were come to Balaam, and had told him all the words of Balac: BSB BSB: The elders of Moab and Midian departed with the fees for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and relayed to him the words of Balak.
8 DRA He answered: Tarry here this night, and I will answer whatsoever the Lord shall say to me. And while they stayed with Balaam, God came and said to him: BSB BSB: “Spend the night here,” Balaam replied, “and I will give you the answer that the LORD speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9 DRA What mean these men that are with thee? BSB BSB: Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
10 DRA He answered: Balac the son of Sephor king of the Moabites hath sent to me, BSB BSB: And Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:
11 DRA Saying: Behold a people that is come out of Egypt, hath covered the face of the land: come and curse them, if by any means I may fight with them and drive them away. BSB BSB: ‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them away.’”
12 DRA And God said to Balaam: Thou shalt not go with them, nor shalt thou curse the people: because it is blessed. BSB BSB: But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.”
13 DRA And he rose in the morning and said to the princes: Go into your country, because the Lord hath forbid me to come with you. BSB BSB: So Balaam got up the next morning and said to Balak’s princes, “Go back to your homeland, because the LORD has refused to let me go with you.”
14 DRA The princes returning, said to Balac: Balaam would not come with us. BSB BSB: And the princes of Moab arose, returned to Balak, and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
15 DRA Then he sent many more and more noble than he had sent before: BSB BSB: Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first messengers.
16 DRA Who, when they were come to Balaam, said: Thus saith Balac the son of Sephor, Delay not to come to me: BSB BSB: They came to Balaam and said, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me,
17 DRA For I am ready to honour thee, and will give thee whatsoever thou wilt: come and curse this people. BSB BSB: for I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. So please come and put a curse on this people for me!’”
18 DRA Balaam answered: If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot alter the word of the Lord my God, to speak either more or less. BSB BSB: But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything small or great to go beyond the command of the LORD my God.
19 DRA I pray you to stay here this night also, that I may know what the Lord will answer me once more. BSB BSB: So now, please stay here overnight as the others did, that I may find out what else the LORD has to tell me.”
20 DRA God therefore came to Balaam in the night, and said to him: It these men be come to call thee, arise and go with them: yet so, that thou do what I shall command thee. BSB BSB: That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you.”
21 DRA Balaam arose in the morning, and saddling his ass went with them. BSB BSB: So in the morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
The Angel and Balaam’s Donkey 22 DRA And God was angry. And an angel of the Lord stood in the way against Balaam, who sat on the ass, and had two servants with him. BSB BSB: Then God’s anger was kindled because Balaam was going along, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
23 DRA The ass seeing the angel standing in the way, with a drawn sword, turned herself out of the way, and went into the field. And when Balaam beat her, and had a mind to bring her again to the way, BSB BSB: When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the path and went into a field. So Balaam beat her to return her to the path.
24 DRA The angel stood in a narrow place between two walls, wherewith the vineyards were enclosed. BSB BSB: Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow passage between two vineyards, with walls on either side.
25 DRA And the ass seeing him, thrust herself close to the wall, and bruised the foot of the rider. But he beat her again: BSB BSB: And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD and pressed herself against the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat her once again.
26 DRA And nevertheless the angel going on to a narrow place, where there was no way to turn aside either to the right hand or to the left, stood to meet him. BSB BSB: And the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn to the right or left.
27 DRA And when the ass saw the angel standing, she fell under the feet of the rider: who being angry beat her sides more vehemently with a staff. BSB BSB: When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he became furious and beat her with his staff.
28 DRA And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said: What have I done to thee? Why strikest thou me, lo, now this third time? BSB BSB: Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”
29 DRA Balaam answered: Because thou hast deserved it, and hast served me ill: I would I had a sword that I might kill thee. BSB BSB: Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!”
30 DRA The ass said: Am not I thy beast, on which thou hast been always accustomed to ride until this present day? tell me if I ever did the like thing to thee. But he said: Never. BSB BSB: But the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not the donkey you have ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” “No,” he replied.
31 DRA Forthwith the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel standing in the way with a drawn sword, and he worshipped him falling flat on the ground. BSB BSB: Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. And Balaam bowed low and fell facedown.
32 DRA And the angel said to him: Why beatest thou thy ass these three times? I am come to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse, and contrary to me: BSB BSB: The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you, because your way is perverse before me.
33 DRA And unless the ass had turned out of the way, giving place to me who stood against thee, I had slain thee, and she should have lived. BSB BSB: The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, then by now I would surely have killed you and let her live.”
34 DRA Balaam said: I have sinned, not knowing that thou didst stand against me: and now if it displease thee that I go, I will return. BSB BSB: “I have sinned,” Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “for I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me. And now, if this is displeasing in your sight, I will go back home.”
35 DRA The angel said: Go with these men, and see thou speak no other thing than what I shall command thee. He went therefore with the princes. BSB BSB: But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you are to speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
36 DRA And when Balac heard it he came forth to meet him in a town of the Moabites, that is situate in the uttermost borders of Arnon. BSB BSB: When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite city on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.
37 DRA And he said to Balaam: I sent messengers to call thee, why didst thou not come immediately to me? was it because I am not able to reward thy coming? BSB BSB: And he said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not able to reward you richly?”
38 DRA He answered him: Lo, here I am: shall I have power to speak any other thing but that which God shall put in my mouth? BSB BSB: “See, I have come to you,” Balaam replied, “but can I say just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.”
39 DRA So they went on together, and came into a city, that was in the uttermost borders of his kingdom. BSB BSB: So Balaam accompanied Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.
40 DRA And when Balac had killed oxen and sheep, he sent presents to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him. BSB BSB: Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he gave portions to Balaam and the princes who were with him.
41 DRA And when morning was come, he brought him to the high places of Baal, and he beheld the uttermost part of the people. BSB BSB: The next morning, Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see the outskirts of the camp of the people.