Numbers 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 Moab feared the people greatly, for they were many; Moab dreaded the Israelites. ⁴ Moab said to Midian's elders, "This horde will lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up field grass." Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab then.

⁵ He sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, by the Euphrates in his people's land, to summon him. He said, "Look, a people has come out of Egypt. Look, they cover the face of the land, and have settled facing me." ⁶ Come, please curse this people for me — they are stronger than I am. Maybe then I can strike them and drive them from the land, for I know: whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.

⁷ The elders of Moab and elders of Midian went, fortune-telling fees in their hand, and came to Balaam and told him Balak's words.

⁸ He said to them, "Stay here tonight, and I'll bring back word as God 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 land's face. Come now, curse them for me — maybe I can fight against them and drive them out.

¹² But our Father told Balaam, "Do not go with them. Do not curse the people, for they are blessed."

¹³ Balaam got up that morning and told Balak's officials, "Return to your land — God has refused to let me go with you."

¹⁴ Moab's officials got up, 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, "Balak son of Zippor says: Let nothing keep you from coming to me," ¹⁷ For I will honor you greatly, and do whatever you say to me. So please come and curse this people for me.

¹⁸ Balaam answered Balak's servants, "Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond God's command, to do small or great." ¹⁹ Now please, stay here tonight, you too, so I may learn what more our Father will say to me.

²⁰ And our Father came to Balaam at night and said to him, "Since these men came 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 went, and our Father's messenger stood in the road as Balaam's adversary. Balaam was riding his donkey, with his two servants. ²³ The donkey saw the messenger of our Father standing in the road, his sword drawn in his hand, and she turned off the road into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road. ²⁴ Then our Father's messenger stood in a narrow path between vineyards, a wall on each side. ²⁵ The donkey saw the messenger of our Father, pressed against the wall, and pressed Balaam's foot against it, so he struck her again.

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

²⁸ Then our Father opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you struck me these three times?"

²⁹ Balaam said to the donkey, "You have mocked me! If I had a sword in my hand, I'd kill you now."

³⁰ The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey, the one you've ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?" He said, "No."

³¹ Then our Father opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw our Father's messenger standing in the road, sword drawn in hand, and he bowed low and fell facedown.

³² The messenger of our Father said to him, "Why have you hit your donkey three times? I've come out as an adversary, because your way is reckless before me." ³³ The donkey saw me and turned aside from me these three times. Had she not turned aside, I would have killed you by now and spared her life."

³⁴ Balaam said to the messenger of our Father, "I have sinned—I didn't know you stood in the road to oppose me. Now if this is displeasing in your eyes, I'll turn back."

³⁵ The messenger of our Father told Balaam, "Go with the men, but say only what I tell you." So Balaam went on with Balak's officials.

³⁶ When Balak heard Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, on the Arnon border, at the border's edge. ³⁷ Balak said to Balaam, "Didn't I send urgently to call you? Why didn't you come to me? Can I really not honor you?"

³⁸ Balaam told Balak, "Look, I've come to you now — but can I say just anything? I can only speak what God puts in my mouth."

³⁹ So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. ⁴⁰ Balak slaughtered cattle and sheep, sending shares to Balaam and the officials with him. ⁴¹ In the morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal, and from there he saw the edge of the people.