Numbers 22

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 And they set out and made camp in the plains of Moab, across the Jordan, where Jericho is situated.	1 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.
2 Then Balak, the son of Zippor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorite,	2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
3 and that the Moabites had great fear of him, and that they were not able to bear his assault,	3 And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
4 said to those greater by birth of Midian: “So will this people wipe away all those who are dwelling within our borders, in the same way that the ox is accustomed to tear out grass, all the way to the roots.” At that time, he was king of Moab.	4 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.
5 Therefore, he sent messengers to Balaam, the son of Beor, a seer who lived above the river of the land of the sons of Ammon, to call him, and to say: “Behold, a people has gone forth from Egypt, which has covered the face of the earth. They are encamped opposite me.	5 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:
6 Therefore, come and curse this people, for they are stronger than I am. If only, in some way, I might be able to strike them and to drive them from my land. For I know that he whom you bless shall be blessed, and he whom you curse shall be cursed.”	6 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.
7 And the elders of Moab, and those greater by birth of Midian, continued on, holding the price of divination in their hands. And when they had come to Balaam, and had explained to him all the words of Balak,	7 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.
8 he responded, “Remain for this night, and I will answer with whatever the Lord will say to me.” And while they stayed with Balaam, God came and said to him,	8 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.
9 “What do these men want with you?”	9 And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?
10 He responded, “Balak, the son of Zippor, the king of the Moabites has sent to me,	10 And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,
11 saying: ‘Behold, a people, which has gone forth from Egypt, has covered the face of the earth. Come and curse them, so that, in some way, I may be able to fight them and drive them away.’ ”	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.
12 And God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them, and do not curse the people, for they are blessed.”	12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.
13 And he, rising up in the morning, said to the leaders, “Go into your own land, for the Lord has prohibited me from going with you.”	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.
14 Returning, the leaders said to Balak, “Balaam was not willing to come with us.”	14 And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.
15 Again, he sent many more persons, and these were more noble than those he had sent before.	15 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.
16 And when these had come to Balaam, they said: “So says Balak, the son of Zippor. Do not hesitate to come to me.	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:
17 For I am ready to honor you, and whatever you would want, I shall give to you. Come and curse this people.”	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.
18 Balaam responded: “Even if Balak were to give to me his own house, filled with silver and gold, I still would not be able to change the word of the Lord my God, neither to say more, nor to say less.	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.
19 I beg you to remain for this night also, so that I may know what the Lord will answer me again.”	19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.
20 Therefore, God came to Balaam in the night, and said to him: “If these men have arrived to call you, then rise up and go with them; yet only in so far as you shall do what I will command you.”	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.
21 Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddling his donkey, he set out with them.	21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
22 And God was angry. And an Angel of the Lord stood in the way opposite Balaam, who was sitting on the donkey, and he had two servants with him.	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.
23 The donkey, discerning that the Angel was standing in the way with a drawn sword, turned herself from the road and went through a field. And when Balaam beat her and intended to return her to the path,	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.
24 the Angel stood in a narrow place between the two walls, with which the vineyards were enclosed.	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.
25 And the donkey, seeing this, drew herself close to the wall and scraped the foot of the rider. So he beat her again.	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.
26 And, nevertheless, the Angel passing on to a narrow place, where one would not be able to deviate either to the right or to the left, stood to meet him.	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.
27 And when the donkey had seen the Angel standing there, she fell under the feet of the rider, who, being angry, struck her sides more vehemently with a club.	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.
28 And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said: “What have I done to you? Why do strike you me, behold now, for the third time?”	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?
29 Balaam responded, “Because you have deserved it, and you have mistreated me. If only I had a sword, so that I might pierce you.”	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.
30 The donkey said: “Am not I your animal, on which you have always been accustomed to sit, even until this present day? Tell me, when did I ever do the same thing to you.” But he said, “Never.”	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.
31 Immediately, the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the Angel standing in the way with a drawn sword, and he reverenced him prone on the ground.	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.
32 And the Angel said to him: “Why did you beat your donkey three times? I have come to be an adversary to you, because your way is perverse and contrary to me.	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:
33 And unless the donkey had turned aside from the way, allowing a place for my opposition, I would have killed you, and she would have lived.”	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.
34 Balaam said: “I have sinned, not knowing that you stood against me. And now, if it displeases you for me to continue on, I will return.”	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.
35 The Angel said, “Go with them, but be careful not to speak anything other than what I shall instruct you.” And so, he went with the leaders.	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.
36 And when Balak had heard it, he went out to meet him in a town of the Moabites, which is situated at the furthest borders of Arnon.	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.
37 And he said to Balaam: “I sent messengers to call you. Why did you not come to me immediately? Was it because I am not able to pay the cost for your arrival?”	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?
38 He answered him: “Behold, here I am. Am I able to speak anything other than what God will put into my mouth?”	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.
39 Therefore, they continued on together, and they arrived at a city, which was at the furthest borders of his kingdom.	39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjath-huzoth.
40 And after Balak had killed oxen and sheep, he sent the gifts to Balaam, and to the leaders who were with him.	40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
41 Then, when morning arrived, he led him to the heights of Baal, and he gazed upon the most distant portions of the population.	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.