Numbers 22

1 The Israelis continued their travels, eventually ^{a22:1The Heb. lacks eventually} encamping on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River ^{b22:1The Heb. lacks River} opposite Jericho.ISV — Numbers 22:1

2 Zippor’s son Balak saw everything that Israel had done to the Amorites.ISV — Numbers 22:2

3 As a result, Moab greatly feared the people, because they were so numerous. Because a sense of impending doom was afflicting the Moabites as they faced the Israelis,ISV — Numbers 22:3

4 the Moabites told the elders of Midian, “This horde of people is about to lick up everything around us, like an ox licks up the green ground.” At that time, Zippor’s son Balak was the king of Moab.ISV — Numbers 22:4

5 He sent messengers to Beor’s son Balaam in Pethor, near the Euphrates ^{c22:5 The Heb. lacks Euphrates} River, the land where the descendants of his people originated, ^{d22:5 Or the river of the people of Amaw; LXX reads the river of the land} to summon his aid. He said, “Look! A group of ^{e22:5 The Heb. lacks group of} people have escaped from Egypt. They cover the surface of the whole earth, and are sitting here right in front of me.ISV — Numbers 22:5

6 So come right now and curse this people for me, because there are too many of them for me to handle. ^{f22:6 The Heb. lacks to handle} Perhaps I’ll be able to strike them down and drive them out of the land, since I know that whomever you bless is blessed and whomever you curse is cursed.”ISV — Numbers 22:6

7 So the elders of Moab and Midian left to visit Balaam, bringing an honorarium with them, ^{g22:7 Lit. bringing divinations in their hand} and communicated Balak’s concerns to him.ISV — Numbers 22:7

8 In answer, Balaam ^{h22:8 Lit. he} told them, “Stay here for the night and I’ll bring back a message ^{i22:8 Lit. word} to you, depending on what the LORD says to me.” So the officers of Moab stayed with Balaam overnight.ISV — Numbers 22:8

9 God visited Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men with you?”ISV — Numbers 22:9

10 Then Balaam told God, “Zippor’s son Balak, king of Moab, sent them to me and said,ISV — Numbers 22:10

11 ‘Look! A group of ^{j22:11 The Heb. lacks group of} people have escaped from Egypt. They cover the surface of the whole earth! So come right now and curse them for me. Perhaps I’ll be able to fight against them and drive them out.’”ISV — Numbers 22:11

12 But God told Balaam, “Don’t go with them. Don’t curse the people, because they’re blessed.”ISV — Numbers 22:12

13 So Balaam got up the next morning and told Balak’s officials, “Go back to your homeland, because the LORD has refused me permission to go with you.”ISV — Numbers 22:13

14 So Balak’s officials got up, returned to Balak and reported, “Balaam refused to come with us.”ISV — Numbers 22:14

15 In response, Balak sent more officers—higher ranking ones, at that!—ISV — Numbers 22:15

16 who approached Balaam with this message: “This is what Zippor’s son Balak says: ‘Don’t let anything get in the way of your coming to me.ISV — Numbers 22:16

17 I’m determined to reward you generously, and I’ll do everything you tell me to do. So come right away and curse this people for me.’”ISV — Numbers 22:17

18 Balaam responded to Balak’s entourage by saying, “Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I won’t double-cross the command of the LORD my God in even the slightest way. ^{k22:18 Lit. God to do anything whether insignificant or great}ISV — Numbers 22:18

19 Meanwhile, stay here overnight so I may learn what the LORD might say to me.”ISV — Numbers 22:19

20 God came to visit Balaam that same night and told him, “If the men come to call on you, get up and go with them, but be sure to do only what I tell you to do.”ISV — Numbers 22:20

21 The next morning, Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started to leave, accompanied by the Moabite officials.ISV — Numbers 22:21

22 At this, the anger of the LORD flared up against Balaam, because he was leaving. So the angel of the LORD stood in the way to oppose him. As Balaam ^{l22:22 Lit. he} was riding his donkey, accompanied by two of his servants,ISV — Numbers 22:22

23 all of a sudden the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with an unsheathed sword in his hand! The donkey turned off the road and went into an open field. Balaam started beating the donkey in order to turn her back to the road,ISV — Numbers 22:23

24 but the angel of the LORD stood on a narrow path that crossed the vineyards. It had walls on both sides of the path.ISV — Numbers 22:24

25 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she squeezed herself so close to the wall that Balaam’s foot was pressed to the wall. So he beat her again!ISV — Numbers 22:25

26 Then the angel of the LORD went along a little further and stood in a much narrower space, where it was impossible ^{m22:26 Lit. there’s no way} to turn either right or left.ISV — Numbers 22:26

27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she crouched down under Balaam. As a result, Balaam got so angry that he started to whip ^{n22:27 Lit. struck} the donkey with his staff.ISV — Numbers 22:27

28 That’s when the LORD enabled the donkey to speak. ^{o22:28 Lit. LORD opened the donkey’s mouth} She asked Balaam, “What did I do to you that you would beat me in the space of only ^{p22:28 The Heb. lacks only} three footsteps?”ISV — Numbers 22:28

29 “Because you’re playing a dirty trick on me,” Balaam answered the donkey. “If only I had a sword in my hand! I’d kill you right now!”ISV — Numbers 22:29

30 But in response, the donkey asked Balaam, “I’m your donkey that you’ve ridden on in the past without incident, ^{q22:30 The Heb. lacks without incident} am I not, and I’m the same donkey you’re riding on right now, am I not? Am I in the habit of treating you like this?” “No,” he admitted.ISV — Numbers 22:30

31 Then the LORD enabled Balaam to see, so he observed the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with an unsheathed sword in his hand. So he bowed down and prostrated himself on his face.ISV — Numbers 22:31

32 Then the angel of the LORD asked him, “Why did you beat your donkey in the space of only ^{r22:32 The Heb. lacks only} three footsteps? I’ve come to oppose you, because I say that what you’re doing is perverted.ISV — Numbers 22:32

33 The donkey saw me and turned in front of me in the space of those three footsteps.ISV — Numbers 22:33

34 If she hadn’t turned away from me, I would have killed you by now and left her alive!” At this, Balaam replied to the angel of the LORD, “I’ve sinned! I didn’t know that you were standing to meet me on the road. So now, since it displeases you, let me go back.” ^{s22:34 Lit. let me return to me}ISV — Numbers 22:34

35 But the angel of the LORD told Balaam, “Go with the men, but deliver only the message that I’m going to give you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.ISV — Numbers 22:35

36 When Balak heard that Balaam had arrived, he went out to meet him in the city of Moab on the border of Arnon at the extreme end of his territory.ISV — Numbers 22:36

37 Balak asked Balaam, “Didn’t I repeatedly send for you to summon you? Why didn’t you come to me? I can pay you well, ^{t22:37 Lit. can honor you} can’t I?”ISV — Numbers 22:37

38 Balaam answered Balak, “Well, I’m here now. I’ve come to you, but I can’t just say anything, can I? I’ll speak only what God puts in my mouth to say.”ISV — Numbers 22:38

39 So accompanied by Balaam and Balak’s officials, Balak traveled to Kiriath-huzoth,ISV — Numbers 22:39

40 where he sacrificed oxen and sheep.ISV — Numbers 22:40

41 The next day, Balak brought Balaam up to Bamoth-baal, where he could see part of the community of Israel.ISV — Numbers 22:41