Balak Summons Balaam 1 UDB Then the Israelites traveled west to the plain of Moab that was in the Valley of the Jordan River, across the river from Jericho. BSB BSB: Then the Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan, across from Jericho.
2 UDB But King Balak son of Zippor, who ruled Moab, found out what the Israelites had done to the Amor people. BSB BSB: Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,
3 UDB When he saw that the Israelites were very numerous, he and his people became terrified. BSB BSB: and Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous. Indeed, Moab dreaded the Israelites.
4 UDB So the king of Moab went to the leaders of the Midian people and said to them, "This huge group of Israelites will wipe out everything around them, like an ox devours grass!" Balak was the king of 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 UDB Because they are very powerful, we are afraid of them. So please come and curse them for me. Then my army may be able to defeat them and expel them from the land where they are now living. I know that good things will happen to the people whom you bless, and disasters will happen to the people whom you curse." 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 UDB Balak's messengers, who were leaders of both the Moab and Midian peoples, took money with them to pay Balaam in order that he would come and curse the Israelites. They went to Balaam and told him what Balak had said. 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 UDB Balaam said, "Stay here tonight. Tomorrow morning I will tell you whatever Yahweh tells me that I should say to you." So the leaders from Moab stayed there that night. 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 UDB During the night, God appeared to Balaam and asked him, "Who are these men who are staying with you?" BSB BSB: Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
10 UDB Balaam replied, "Balak, the king of Moab, sent these men to tell me this message, BSB BSB: And Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:
11 UDB 'A huge group of people has come from Egypt, and they have spread all over this area. Please come immediately to curse them. Then I may be able to defeat them and expel them from this area.'" 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 UDB God replied to Balaam, "Do not go with them! I have blessed those people, so you must not curse them!" BSB BSB: But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.”
13 UDB The next morning, Balaam got up and told Balak's men, "Go back home. But go by yourselves because Yahweh is not allowing me to go 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 UDB So the men from Moab returned to King Balak and they reported to him, "Balaam refused to come with us." BSB BSB: And the princes of Moab arose, returned to Balak, and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
15 UDB But Balak sent another group of leaders to Balaam. It was a group that was larger and they were more important than the men in the first group. BSB BSB: Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first messengers.
16 UDB They went to Balaam and told him this, "This is what King Balak says, 'Please do not allow anything to hinder you from coming here. 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 UDB I will pay you a lot of money if you come, and I will do anything that you ask me to do. Just come and curse these Israelite people for me!'" 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 UDB But Balaam answered them, "Even if Balak would give me a palace filled with silver and gold, I would not do anything to disobey Yahweh, my God. 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 UDB But stay here one more night, like the other messengers did, and I will find out if Yahweh has anything more to say to me." 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 UDB That night God appeared to Balaam again and said to him, "These men have come to request that you go back with them, so you may go with them, but do only what I tell you to do!" 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 UDB So the next morning, Balaam put a saddle on his donkey and he departed with two of his servants along with the men from Moab. 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 UDB Even though God had given Balaam permission to go, he was still angry. So he sent one of his angels to Balaam. This angel stood in the road to block Balaam's path. As Balaam and the two servants were riding on their donkeys, 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 UDB Balaam's donkey saw the angel. The angel was standing in the road and was holding a sword in his hand, but Balaam did not see him. Balaam's donkey turned off the road into a field. So Balaam struck the donkey and forced it to go back onto the road. 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 UDB Then the angel stood in a place where the road was very narrow, between two vineyards, with walls on each side of the road. BSB BSB: Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow passage between two vineyards, with walls on either side.
25 UDB When the donkey saw the angel standing there, it walked very close to the wall to try to get past the angel. As a result, it bashed Balaam's foot against the wall. So Balaam struck the donkey 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 UDB Then the angel went further along the road and stood at a place that was extremely narrow, with the result that the donkey could not get past at all. 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 UDB This time, when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down on the ground with Balaam sitting on top of it. Balaam became extremely angry, and he struck the donkey again with his walking stick. 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 UDB Then Yahweh enabled the donkey to speak! It said to Balaam, "What bad thing have I done to you that caused you to strike me three times?" 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 UDB Balaam shouted, "I struck you because you have caused me to appear to be foolish! If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!" 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 UDB But the donkey answered, "I am your own donkey, the one that you have always ridden! Have I ever done anything like this previously?" Balaam said, "No." 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 UDB Then Yahweh enabled Balaam to see the angel standing on the road, holding a sword in his hand. Balaam realized that it was an angel and prostrated himself on the ground in front of the angel. 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 UDB The angel asked him, "Why did you strike your donkey three times? I have come to block your path because what you are planning to do is wrong. 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 UDB Three times your donkey saw me and turned away from me. If it had not done that, I would certainly have killed you already, but I would have allowed the donkey to live." 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 UDB Then Balaam said to the angel, "I have sinned. But I did not realize that you were standing there, trying to block my path. So if you do not want me to continue going, I will return home." 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 UDB But the angel replied, "I will allow you to go with these men, but you must say only what I tell you to say!" So Balaam went on with the leaders whom Balak had sent. 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 UDB When King Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went to meet him at a city in Moab that is located alongside the Arnon River, near the border of his own land. 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 UDB When he arrived where Balaam was, he said to him, "I sent you a message saying that you should come immediately! Why did you not come? Did you think that I was not able to pay you a lot of money for 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 UDB Balaam replied, "I have come here now, but I am not able to say anything that I want to. I will say only the words that God tells me to say." 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 UDB Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth. BSB BSB: So Balaam accompanied Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.
40 UDB There Balak killed some cattle and sheep as sacrifices, and offered parts of the meat to Balaam and the leaders who were with him. BSB BSB: Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he gave portions to Balaam and the princes who were with him.
41 UDB They slept there, and the next morning Balak took Balaam part way up the mountain to Bamoth Baal village. From there, they could see some of the Israelite people who were down below. 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.
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