Numbers 22

DOUAI-RHEIMS	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 And they went forward and encamped in the plains of Moab, over against where Jericho is situate beyond the Jordan.	1 Then the people of Israel set out, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.
2 And Balac the son of Sephor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorrhite,	2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
3 And that the Moabites were in great fear of him, and were not able to sustain his assault,	3 And Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were many; Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel.
4 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.	4 And Moab said to the elders of Midian, "This horde will now lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field." So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time,
5 He sent therefore messengers to Balaam the son of Beer, a soothsayer, who dwelt by the river of the land of the children of Ammon, to call him, and to say: Behold a people is come out of Egypt, that hath covered the face of the earth, sitting over against me.	5 sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River, in the land of Amaw to call him, saying, "Behold, a people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me.
6 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.	6 Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me; perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed."
7 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:	7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and gave him Balak's message.
8 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:	8 And he said to them, "Lodge here this night, and I will bring back word to you, as the LORD speaks to me"; so the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9 What mean these men that are with thee?	9 And God came to Balaam and said, "Who are these men with you?"
10 He answered: Balac the son of Sephor king of the Moabites hath sent to me,	10 And Balaam said to God, "Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,
11 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.	11 'Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth; now come, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to fight against them and drive them out.'"
12 And God said to Balaam : Thou shalt not go with them, nor shalt thou curse the people: because it is blessed.	12 God said to Balaam, "You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed."
13 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.	13 So Balaam rose in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, "Go to your own land; for the LORD has refused to let me go with you."
14 The princes returning, said to Balac: Balaam would not come with us.	14 So the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, "Balaam refuses to come with us."
15 Then he sent many more and more noble than he had sent before:	15 Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than they.
16 Who, when they were come to Balaam, said: Thus saith Balac the son of Sephor, Delay not to come to me:	16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, "Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: 'Let nothing hinder you from coming to me;
17 For I am ready to honour thee, and will give thee whatsoever thou wilt: come and curse this people.	17 for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do; come, curse this people for me.'"
18 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.	18 But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, "Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the LORD my God, to do less or more.
19 I pray you to stay here this night also, that I may know what the Lord will answer me once more.	19 Pray, now, tarry here this night also, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me."
20 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.	20 And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only what I bid you, that shall you do."
21 Balaam arose in the morning, and saddling his ass went with them.	21 So Balaam rose 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 against Balaam, who sat on the ass, and had two servants with him.	22 But God's anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the ass, and his two servants were with him.
23 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,	23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the road, and went into the field; and Balaam struck the ass, to turn her into the road.
24 The angel stood in a narrow place between two walls, wherewith the vineyards were enclosed.	24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side.
25 And the ass seeing him, thrust herself close to the wall, and bruised the foot of the rider. But he beat her again:	25 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she pushed against the wall, and pressed Balaam's foot against the wall; so he struck her again.
26 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.	26 Then the angel of the LORD went ahead, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left.
27 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.	27 When the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the ass with his staff.
28 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?	28 Then the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?"
29 Balaam answered: Because thou hast deserved it, and hast served me ill: I would I had a sword that I might kill thee.	29 And Balaam said to the ass, "Because you have made sport of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you."
30 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.	30 And the ass said to Balaam, "Am I not your ass, upon which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Was I ever accustomed to do so to you?" And he said, "No."
31 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.	31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.
32 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:	32 And the angel of the LORD said to him, "Why have you struck your ass these three times? Behold, I have come forth to withstand you, because your way is perverse before me;
33 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.	33 and the ass saw me, and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have slain you and let her live."
34 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.	34 Then Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned, for I did not know that thou didst stand in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in thy sight, I will go back again."
35 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.	35 And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men; but only the word which I bid you, that shall you speak." So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.
36 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.	36 When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, on the boundary formed by the Arnon, at the extremity of the boundary.
37 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?	37 And Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?"
38 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?	38 Balaam said to Balak, "Lo, I have come to you! Have I now any power at all to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak."
39 So they went on together, and came into a city, that was in the uttermost borders of his kingdom.	39 Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.
40 And when Balac had killed oxen and sheep, he sent presents to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.	40 And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam and to the princes who were with him.
41 And when morning was come, he brought him to the high places of Baal, and he beheld the uttermost part of the people.	41 And on the morrow Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal; and from there he saw the nearest of the people.