Numbers
Chapter 22
1 The Israelites moved on and camped in the Moab plains near the Jordan River across from Jericho.
2 Balak, Zippor’s son, saw everything Israel did to the Amorites.
3 Moab was very scared of the people because there were so many, and Moab was troubled because of the children of Israel.
4 Moab told Midian’s leaders, “This group will consume everything around us like an ox eats the field’s grass.” At that time, Balak, Zippor’s son, was king of Moab.
5 He sent messengers to Balaam, son of Beor, at Pethor by the river in his homeland, to invite him, saying, “Look, a people has come out of Egypt; they cover the land and are settling near me.”
6 Please come now and curse these people for me because they are too powerful. Maybe then I can defeat them and force them out of the land. I know that anyone you bless is blessed, and anyone you curse is cursed.
7 The leaders of Moab and Midian left with money for fortune-telling and went to Balaam. They told him what Balak had said.
8 He told them, “Stay here tonight, and I will give you an answer after I hear what God tells me.” So the Moab leaders stayed with Balaam.
9 God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
10 Balaam said to God, “Balak, Zippor’s son and Moab’s king, has sent for me, saying,
11 Look, people have left Egypt and they are everywhere. Come and curse them for me; maybe then I can defeat them and drive them away.
12 God told Balaam, “Do not go with them; do not curse the people, because they are blessed.”
13 Balaam got up in the morning and told Balak’s leaders, “Go back to your country, because God will not let me go with you.”
14 The Moab leaders got up, went to Balak, and said, “Balaam won’t come with us.”
15 Balak sent even more princes who were greater and more respected than the first ones.
16 They went to Balaam and told him, “Balak, Zippor’s son, says, ‘Please don’t let anything stop you from coming to me.’”
17 I will give you great honor and do what you ask: please come and curse these people for me.
18 Balaam replied to Balak’s servants, “Even if Balak gave me a house full of silver and gold, I can’t ignore God’s command to do anything less or more.”
19 Please stay here tonight, so I can find out what more God will tell me.
20 God came to Balaam at night and said, “If the men come to call you, get up and go with them; but you must only do what I tell you to do.”
21 Balaam got up in the morning, put a saddle on his donkey, and left with the leaders of Moab.
22 God became angry because Balaam went, and God’s angel stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and he had two servants with him.
23 The donkey saw God’s angel standing on the path with a sword in his hand, so the donkey left the path and went into the field. Balaam hit the donkey to make her go back on the path.
24 An angel of God stood in a vineyard path with a wall on each side.
25 When the donkey saw God’s angel, she pushed against the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot, and he hit her again.
26 God’s angel went on and stopped in a tight space where there was no room to move right or left.
27 When the donkey saw God’s angel, she lay down with Balaam on her; this made Balaam angry, and he hit the donkey with a stick.
28 God let the donkey talk, and she asked Balaam, “What did I do to you, that you have hit me three times?”
29 Balaam said to the donkey, “You have made fun of me. If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”
30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Aren’t I your donkey, the one you’ve ridden on since you got me until today? Have I ever acted this way to you before?” And he said, “No.”
31 Then God let Balaam see, and he noticed God’s angel standing in the path with a sword ready in his hand, so he bowed deeply and lay face down.
32 The angel of God said to him, “Why have you hit your donkey three times? Look, I came to oppose you because you are going the wrong way against my will.”
33 The donkey saw me and moved away from me three times. If she hadn’t moved away, I would have surely killed you by now, but let her live.
34 Balaam said to the angel of God, “I have done wrong because I didn’t know you were standing in my way. If you’re unhappy, I’ll go back.”
35 The angel of God told Balaam, “Go with the men, but say only what I tell you to say.” So Balaam went with Balak’s leaders.
36 When Balak found out that Balaam had arrived, he went to meet him at a city in Moab, near the edge of the Arnon River, at the farthest boundary.
37 Balak said to Balaam, “Didn’t I send for you urgently to call you? Why didn’t you come to me? Can’t I reward you with honor?”
38 Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you: can I just say anything? I will speak only what God gives me to say.”
39 Balaam went with Balak to Kirjathhuzoth.
40 Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent them to Balaam and to the leaders with him.
41 The next day, Balak took Balaam to the high places of Baal so he could see all the people.