Numbers 22

Balak Sends for Balaam

1The Israelites set out and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan from Jericho. 2Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3Moab was greatly afraid of the people because they were so numerous, and Moab was sick with dread because of the Israelites. 4So Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this multitude will lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Now Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.

5He sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the River, in the land of his people, to call him, saying, “Look, a people has come out of Egypt. Look, they cover the face of the land, and they are settling opposite me. 6Now please come and curse this people for me, because they are stronger than I am. Perhaps I may be able to strike them and drive them out of the land, for I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.” 7So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went with the fees for divination in their hands. They came to Balaam and spoke Balak’s words to him. 8He said to them, “Spend the night here, and I will bring back to you whatever word the LORD speaks to me.” So the leaders of Moab stayed with Balaam.

9God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” 10Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, 11‘Look, the people who came out of Egypt cover the face of the land. Now come, curse them for me. Perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them out.’” 12God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” 13Balaam rose in the morning and said to Balak’s leaders, “Go to your land, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you.” 14So the leaders of Moab rose, went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

Balak Sends More Honored Leaders

15Once again Balak sent leaders, more numerous and more honored than the first. 16They came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak son of Zippor: ‘Please let nothing keep you from coming to me, 17for I will honor you very greatly, and whatever you say to me I will do. Please come and curse this people for me.’” 18But Balaam answered and said to Balak’s servants, “Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not cross the command of the LORD my God to do anything small or great. 19Now please stay here tonight also, so that I may know what more the LORD will speak to me.”

20God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise and go with them; but only the word that I speak to you shall you do.” 21So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the leaders of Moab.

Balaam’s Donkey Sees the Angel

22But God’s anger burned because he went, and the angel of the LORD took a stand in the road as his adversary. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23The donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey turned aside from the road and went into the field, and Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road. 24Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. 25When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed against the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall, and he struck her again.

26Then the angel of the LORD went farther and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. 27When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam. Balaam’s anger burned, and he struck the donkey with his staff. 28Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have struck me these three times?” 29Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me! If only there were a sword in my hand, I would kill you now.” 30The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life until this day? Have I ever been accustomed to do this to you?” And he said, “No.”

Balaam Sees the Angel

31Then the LORD uncovered Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his drawn sword in his hand. He bowed low and fell on his face. 32The angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Look, I have come out as an adversary, because your way is reckless before me. 33The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely by now I would have killed you and let her live.” 34Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the road against me. Now then, if it is evil in your eyes, I will turn back.” 35But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I speak to you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s leaders.

Balaam Meets Balak

36When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at a city of Moab on the border formed by the Arnon, at the edge of the territory. 37Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not urgently send to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not able to honor you?” 38Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you now. But am I able to speak anything at all? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak.” 39Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. 40Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep and sent portions to Balaam and to the leaders who were with him. 41In the morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal, and from there he saw the edge of the people.