Numbers 22

1And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan {by} Jericho.● 2And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.● 3And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they {were} many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.● 4And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all {that are} round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor {was} king of the Moabites at that time.● 5He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which {is} by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me: {face: Heb. eye}● 6Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they {are} too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, {that} we may smite them, and {that} I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest {is} blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.● 7And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.● 8And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.● 9And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men {are} these with thee?● 10And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, {saying},● 11Behold, {there is} a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out. {I shall...: Heb. I shall prevail in fighting against him}● 12And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they {are} blessed.● 13And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.● 14And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.● 15And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.● 16And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: {Let...: Heb. Be not thou hindered from, etc}● 17For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.● 18And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.● 19Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.● 20And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, {and} go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.● 21And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.● 22And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants {were} with him.● 23And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.● 24But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall {being} on this side, and a wall on that side.● 25And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.● 26And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where {was} no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.● 27And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.● 28And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?● 29And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.● 30And the ass said unto Balaam, {Am} not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since {I was} thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay. {upon...: Heb. who hast ridden upon me} {ever since...: or, ever since thou wast, etc}● 31Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face. {fell...: or, bowed himself}● 32And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because {thy} way is perverse before me: {to...: Heb. to be an adversary unto thee}● 33And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.● 34And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again. {displease...: Heb. be evil in thine eyes}● 35And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.● 36And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which {is} in the border of Arnon, which {is} in the utmost coast.● 37And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?● 38And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.● 39And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth. {Kirjathhuzoth: or, a city of streets}● 40And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that {were} with him.● 41And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost {part} of the people.●