Numbers 22

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 And they set out and made camp in the plains of Moab, across the Jordan, where Jericho is situated.	1 Then the Israelites moved on and encamped in the plains of Moab on the other side of the Jericho stretch of the Jordan.
2 Then Balak, the son of Zippor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorite,	2 Now Balak, son of Zippor, saw all that Israel did to the Amorites.
3 and that the Moabites had great fear of him, and that they were not able to bear his assault,	3 Indeed, Moab feared the Israelites greatly because of their numbers, and detested them.
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 So Moab said to the elders of Midian, "Soon this horde will devour all the country around us as an ox devours the grass of the field." And Balak, Zippor's son, who was king of Moab 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 sent messengers to Balaam, son of Beor, at Pethor on the Euphrates, in the land of the Amawites, summoning him with these words, "A people has come here from Egypt who now cover the face of the earth and are settling down opposite us!
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 Please come and curse this people for us; they are stronger than we are. We may then be able to defeat them and drive them out of the country. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed and whoever you curse 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 Then the elders of Moab and of Midian left with the divination fee in hand and went to Balaam. When they had given him Balak's message,
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 he said to them in reply, "Stay here overnight, and I will give you whatever answer the LORD gives me." So the princes of Moab lodged with Balaam.
9 “What do these men want with you?”	9 Then God came to Balaam and said, "Who are these men visiting you?"
10 He responded, “Balak, the son of Zippor, the king of the Moabites has sent to me,	10 Balaam answered God, "Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me the message:
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 'This people that came here from Egypt now cover the face of the earth. Please come and lay a curse on them for us; we may then be able to give them battle 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 But God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them and do not curse this 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 The next morning Balaam arose and told the princes of Balak, "Go back to your own country, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you."
14 Returning, the leaders said to Balak, “Balaam was not willing to come with us.”	14 So the princes of Moab went back to Balak with the report, "Balaam refused to come with us."
15 Again, he sent many more persons, and these were more noble than those he had sent before.	15 Balak again sent princes, who were more numerous and more distinguished than the others.
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 On coming to Balaam they told him, "This is what Balak, son of Zippor, has to say: Please do not refuse to come to 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 I will reward you very handsomely and will do anything you ask of me. Please come and lay a curse on this people for me."
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 But Balaam replied to Balak's officials, "Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, small or great, contrary to the command of the LORD, my God.
19 I beg you to remain for this night also, so that I may know what the Lord will answer me again.”	19 But, you too shall stay here overnight, till I learn what else the LORD may tell me."
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 That night God came to Balaam and said to him, "If these men have come to summon you, you may go with them; yet only on the condition that you do exactly as I tell you."
21 Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddling his donkey, he set out with them.	21 So the next morning when Balaam arose, he saddled his ass, and went off 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 But now the anger of God flared up at him for going, and the angel of the LORD stationed himself on the road to hinder him as he was riding along on his ass, accompanied by two of his servants.
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 When the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing on the road with sword drawn, she turned off the road and went into the field, and Balaam had to beat her to bring her back on the road.
24 the Angel stood in a narrow place between the two walls, with which the vineyards were enclosed.	24 Then the angel of the LORD took his stand in a narrow lane between vineyards with a stone wall on each 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 When the ass saw the angel of the LORD there, she shrank against the wall; and since she squeezed Balaam's leg against it, he beat 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 The angel of the LORD then went ahead, and stopped next in a passage so narrow that there was no room to move either to the right 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 When the ass saw the angel of the LORD there, she cowered under Balaam. So, in anger, he again beat the ass with his stick.
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 But now the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she asked Balaam, "What have I done to you that you should beat 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 "You have acted so willfully against me," said Balaam to the ass, "that if I but had a sword at hand, I would kill you here and now."
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 But the ass said to Balaam, "Am I not your own beast, and have you not always ridden upon me until now? Have I been in the habit of treating you this way before?" "No," replied Balaam.
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 removed the veil from Balaam's eyes, so that he too saw the angel of the LORD standing on the road with sword drawn; and he fell on his knees and bowed to the ground.
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 But the angel of the LORD said to him, "Why have you beaten your ass these three times? It is I who have come armed to hinder you because this rash journey of yours is directly opposed to 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 When the ass saw me, she turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away from me, I would have killed you; her I would have spared."
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 Then Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned. Yet I did not know that you stood against me to oppose my journey. Since it has displeased you, I will go back home."
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 But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men; but you may say only what I tell you." So Balaam went on 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 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the boundary city Ir-Moab on the Arnon at the end of the Moabite territory.
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 he said to Balaam, "I sent an urgent summons to you! Why did you not come to me? Did you think I could not reward you?"
38 He answered him: “Behold, here I am. Am I able to speak anything other than what God will put into my mouth?”	38 Balaam answered him, "Well, I have come to you after all. But what power have I to say anything? I can speak only what God puts in my mouth."
39 Therefore, they continued on together, and they arrived at a city, which was at the furthest borders of his kingdom.	39 Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-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 Here Balak slaughtered oxen and sheep, and sent portions to Balaam and to the princes who 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 The next morning Balak took Balaam up on Bamoth-baal, and from there he saw some of the clans.