[[Numbers 21|<< Numbers 21]] | [[Numbers|Numbers]] | [[Numbers 23|Numbers 23 >>]] ### Numbers 22 1 AND the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan _by_ Jericho. ^1 2 ¶ And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. ^2 3 And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they _were_ many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. ^3 4 And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all _that_ _are_ round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor _was_ king of the Moabites at that time. ^4 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 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 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 spoke unto him the words of Balak. ^7 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 9 And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men _are_ these with thee? ^9 10 And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent unto me, _saying_, ^10 11 Behold, _there_ _is_ a people come out of Egypt, which covers the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out. ^11 12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they _are_ blessed. ^12 13 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuses to give me leave to go with you. ^13 14 And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuses to come with us. ^14 15 ¶ And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they. ^15 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 17 For I will promote thee unto very great honor, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. ^17 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 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 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 21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. ^21 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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, No. ^30 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 honor? ^37 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 puts in my mouth, that shall I speak. ^38 39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjath-huzoth. ^39 40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that _were_ with him. ^40 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