Numbers 22

Chapter 22.

22 ¹ Then the Israelites set out and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan, opposite Jericho. ² Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. ³ And Moab was terrified of the people because there were so many of them; Moab was filled with dread of the Israelites. ⁴ So Moab said to the elders of Midian, "Now this horde will lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field." Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.

⁵ He sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates, in the land of his people, to summon him. He said, "Look, a people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land, and they have settled next to me. ⁶ Come now, please curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps then I will 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."

⁷ So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went, with the fees for divination in their hand, and they came to Balaam and told him Balak's words.

⁸ He said to them, "Spend the night here, and I will bring you back word, as our Father speaks to me." So the officials of Moab stayed with Balaam.

⁹ Then our Father came to Balaam and said, "Who are these men with you?"

¹⁰ Balaam said to our Father, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent word to me: ¹¹ 'Look, the people who came out of Egypt cover the face of the land. Come now, curse them for me; perhaps I will be able to fight against them and drive them out.'"

¹² But our Father said to Balaam, "You must not go with them. You must not curse the people, for they are blessed."

¹³ Balaam got up in the morning and said to Balak's officials, "Go back to your own land, for our Father has refused to let me go with you."

¹⁴ So the officials of Moab got up and went to Balak and said, "Balaam refused to come with us."

¹⁵ Then Balak sent officials again — more numerous and more honored than the first. ¹⁶ They came to Balaam and said to him, "This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Please do not let anything keep you from coming to me, ¹⁷ for I will reward you very richly, and whatever you say to me I will do. So come, please, and curse this people for me."

¹⁸ But Balaam answered Balak's servants, "Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of our Father, to do anything small or great. ¹⁹ Now please, you also stay here tonight, so that I may know what more our Father will say to me."

²⁰ And our Father came to Balaam at night and said to him, "Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them; but do only what I tell you."

²¹ So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the officials of Moab.

Our Father Speaks Through a Donkey

²² But our Father's anger burned because he was going, and the messenger of our Father took his stand in the road as an adversary against him. Now Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

²³ The donkey saw the messenger of our Father standing in the road with his drawn sword in his hand, and she turned off the road and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road.

²⁴ Then the messenger of our Father stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with walls on both sides. ²⁵ When the donkey saw the messenger of our Father, she pressed against the wall and pressed Balaam's foot against it; so he struck her again.

²⁶ The messenger of our Father went on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn right or left. ²⁷ When the donkey saw the messenger of our Father, she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam's anger flared, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

²⁸ Then our Father 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?"

²⁹ Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now."

³⁰ The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey, the one you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I ever been in the habit of treating you this way?" And he said, "No."

³¹ Then our Father opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the messenger of our Father standing in the road with his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed low and fell on his face.

³² The messenger of our Father 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. ³³ The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away from me, by now I would surely have killed you and let her live."

³⁴ Balaam said to the messenger of our Father, "I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now, if it is displeasing in your eyes, I will turn back."

³⁵ The messenger of our Father said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you." So Balaam went on with the officials of Balak.

³⁶ When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab on the border of the Arnon, at the very edge of the territory. ³⁷ Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not send an urgent summons to you? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?"

³⁸ Balaam said to Balak, "Look, I have come to you now. But am I able to say anything at all? The word that our Father puts in my mouth — that is what I must speak."

³⁹ So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. ⁴⁰ Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent portions to Balaam and to the officials who were with him. ⁴¹ In the morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal, and from there he could see the edge of the people.