The Fourth Book of Moses: Numbers

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 22 -

Then the Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan, across from Jericho.

Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,

and Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous. Indeed, Moab dreaded the Israelites.

So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will devour everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Since Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time,

he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates

(a)

in the land of his people. “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt,” said Balak. “They cover the face of the land and have settled next to me.

So please come now and put a curse on this people, because they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.”

The elders of Moab and Midian departed with the fees for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and relayed to him the words of Balak.

“Spend the night here,” Balaam replied, “and I will give you the answer that the LORD speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”

And Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:

‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them away.’”

But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.”

So Balaam got up the next morning and said to Balak’s princes, “Go back to your homeland, because the LORD has refused to let me go with you.”

And the princes of Moab arose, returned to Balak, and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first messengers.

They came to Balaam and said, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me,

for I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. So please come and put a curse on this people for me!’”

But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything small or great to go beyond the command of the LORD my God.

So now, please stay here overnight as the others did, that I may find out what else the LORD has to tell me.”

That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you.”

So in the morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

The Angel and Balaam’s Donkey

Then God’s anger was kindled because Balaam was going along, and the angel

(b)

of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the path and went into a field. So Balaam beat her to return her to the path.

Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow passage between two vineyards, with walls on either side.

And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD and pressed herself against the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat her once again.

And the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn to the right or left.

When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he became furious and beat her with his staff.

Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”

Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!”

But the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not the donkey you have ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” “No,” he replied.

Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. And Balaam bowed low and fell facedown.

The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you, because your way is perverse

(c)

before me.

The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, then by now I would surely have killed you and let her live.”

“I have sinned,” Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “for I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me. And now, if this is displeasing in your sight, I will go back home.”

But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you are to speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite city on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.

And he said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not able to richly reward you?”

“See, I have come to you,” Balaam replied, “but can I say just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.”

So Balaam accompanied Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.

Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he gave portions to Balaam and the princes who were with him.

The next morning, Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see the outskirts of the camp of the people.

Footnotes

(a)22:5 Hebrew the River

(b)22:22 Or Angel; here through the rest of chapter 22; corresponding pronouns may also be capitalized.

The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.

Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

Moab was very afraid of the people, because they were many. Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this multitude will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.

He sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, “Behold, there is a people who came out of Egypt. Behold, they cover the surface of the earth, and they are staying opposite me.

Please come now therefore, and curse this people for me; for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall prevail, that we may strike them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand. They came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.

He said to them, “Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak to me.” The princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

God came to Balaam, and said, “Who are these men with you?”

Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has said to me,

‘Behold, the people that has come out of Egypt covers the surface of the earth. Now, come curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.’”

God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”

Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land; for the LORD refuses to permit me to go with you.”

The princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

Balak again sent princes, more, and more honorable than they.

They came to Balaam, and said to him, “Balak the son of Zippor says, ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me,

for I will promote you to very great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Please come therefore, and curse this people for me.’”

Balaam answered the servants of Balak, “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.

Now therefore please stay here tonight as well, that I may know what else the LORD will speak to me.”

God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak to you, that you shall do.”

Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

The Angel and Balaam’s Donkey

God’s anger burned because he went; and the LORD’s angel placed himself in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

The donkey saw the LORD’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned out of the path, and went into the field. Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the path.

Then the LORD’s angel stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.

The donkey saw the LORD’s angel, and she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. He struck her again.

The LORD’s angel went further, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

The donkey saw the LORD’s angel, and she lay down under Balaam. Balaam’s anger burned, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

The LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”

Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have mocked me, I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would have killed you.”

The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long until today? Was I ever in the habit of doing so to you?” He said, “No.”

Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the LORD’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.

The LORD’s angel said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary, because your way is perverse before me.

The donkey saw me, and turned away before me these three times. Unless she had turned away from me, surely now I would have killed you, and saved her alive.”

Balaam said to the LORD’s angel, “I have sinned; for I didn’t know that you stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases you, I will go back again.”

The LORD’s angel said to Balaam, “Go with the men; but you shall only speak the word that I shall speak to you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.

Balak said to Balaam, “Didn’t I earnestly send for you to summon you? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?”

Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you. Have I now any power at all to speak anything? I will speak the word that God puts in my mouth.”

Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth.

Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him.

In the morning, Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw from there part of the people.