Balak Summons Balaam 1 WBS And the children of Israel moved forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side of Jordan by Jericho. BSB BSB: Then the Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan, across from Jericho.
2 WBS And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. BSB BSB: Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,
3 WBS And Moab was greatly afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. BSB BSB: and Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous. Indeed, Moab dreaded the Israelites.
4 WBS And Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are around 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. 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,
5 WBS He sent messengers therefore to 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 has a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me: BSB BSB: he sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people. “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt,” said Balak. “They cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. 6 WBS Come now therefore, I pray thee, Curse for me this people; for they are too mighty for me: it may be I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest 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 WBS And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak. 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 WBS And he said to them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak to me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam. 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 WBS And God came to Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee? BSB BSB: Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
10 WBS And Balaam said to God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent to me, saying , BSB BSB: And Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:
11 WBS Behold, there has a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse them for me: it may be I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out. 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 WBS And God said to Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are 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 WBS And Balaam rose in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, Depart into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave 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 WBS And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us. BSB BSB: And the princes of Moab arose, returned to Balak, and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
15 WBS And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they. BSB BSB: Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first messengers.
16 WBS 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 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 WBS For I will promote thee to very great honor, and I will do whatever thou sayest to me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse this 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 WBS And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, If Balak would 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. 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 WBS Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say to me 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 WBS And God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, If the men come to call thee, rise and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say to thee, that shalt thou perform. 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 WBS And Balaam rose in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of 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 WBS 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. 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 WBS 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. 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 WBS 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. BSB BSB: Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow passage between two vineyards, with walls on either side.
25 WBS And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself against the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote 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 WBS 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. 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 WBS 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. 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 WBS And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said to Balaam, What have I done to thee, that thou hast smitten me these 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 WBS And Balaam said to the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in my hand, for now would I 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 WBS And the ass said to Balaam, Am not I thy ass, upon which thou hast rid ever since I was thine to this day? was I ever wont to do so to thee? And he said, Nay. 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 WBS 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. 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 WBS And the angel of the LORD said to him, Why hast thou smitten thy ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before 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 WBS 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. 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 WBS And Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displeaseth thee, I will return again. 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 WBS And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak to thee, that thou shalt speak: So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. 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 WBS And when Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost limit. 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 WBS And Balak said to Balaam, Did I not earnestly send to thee to call thee? why camest thou not to me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honor? 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 WBS And Balaam said to Balak, Lo, I have come to thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak. 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 WBS And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kirjath-huzoth. BSB BSB: So Balaam accompanied Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.
40 WBS And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent 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 WBS And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and conducted him to the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost 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.