Numbers 22

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.	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 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.	2 Now Balak, son of Zippor, saw all that Israel did to the Amorites.
3 And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.	3 Indeed, Moab feared the Israelites greatly because of their numbers, and detested them.
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.	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 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:	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 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.	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 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.	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 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.	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 And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?	9 Then God came to Balaam and said, "Who are these men visiting you?"
10 And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,	10 Balaam answered God, "Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me the message:
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.	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 unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt 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 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.	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 And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.	14 So the princes of Moab went back to Balak with the report, "Balaam refused to come with us."
15 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.	15 Balak again sent princes, who were more numerous and more distinguished than the others.
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:	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 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.	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 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.	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 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.	19 But, you too shall stay here overnight, till I learn what else the LORD may tell me."
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.	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 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.	21 So the next morning when Balaam arose, he saddled his ass, and went off with the princes of Moab.
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.	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 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.	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 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.	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 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.	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 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.	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 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.	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 ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?	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 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.	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 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.	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 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.	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 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:	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 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.	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 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.	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 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.	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 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.	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 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?	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 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.	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 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjath-huzoth.	39 Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.
40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.	40 Here Balak slaughtered oxen and sheep, and sent portions to Balaam and to the princes who were with him.
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.	41 The next morning Balak took Balaam up on Bamoth-baal, and from there he saw some of the clans.