CHAPTER 22
Then the Israelites
traveled on
and camped
in the plains
of Moab
near the Jordan,
across from
Jericho.
and Moab
was terrified
of
the people
because
they
were numerous.
Indeed, Moab
dreaded
the Israelites.
So the Moabites
said
to
the elders
of Midian,
“This horde
will devour
everything
around us,
as an ox
licks up
the grass
of the field.”
Since Balak
son
of Zippor
was king
of Moab
at that
time,
he sent
messengers
to
Balaam
son
of Beor
at Pethor,
which
is by
the Euphrates
in the land
of his people.
“Behold,
a people
has come out
of Egypt,”
said Balak.
“They cover
the face
of the land
and have settled
next to me.
So please
come
now
and put a curse
on these
people,
because
they
are too mighty
for me.
Perhaps I may
be able
to defeat
them
and drive them out
of
the land;
for
I know
that those
you bless
are blessed,
and those
you curse
are cursed."
The elders
of Moab
and Midian
departed
with the fees for divination
in hand.
They came
to
Balaam
and relayed
to him
the words
of Balak.
“Spend
the night
here,”
Balaam replied,
“and I will give
you the answer
the LORD
speaks
to me.”
So the princes
of Moab
stayed
with
Balaam.
‘Behold,
a people
has come out
of Egypt,
and they cover
the face
of the land.
Now
come
and put a curse
on them
for me.
Perhaps I may
be able
to fight
against them
and drive them away.’”
But God
said
to
Balaam,
“Do not
go
with them.
You are not
to curse
this people,
for
they
are blessed.”
So Balaam
got up
the next morning
and said
to
Balak’s
princes,
“Go back
to
your homeland,
because
the LORD
has refused
to let
me go
with you.”
They came
to
Balaam
and said,
“This is what
Balak
son
of Zippor
says:
‘Please
let nothing
hinder
you from coming
to me,
for
I will honor you
richly
and do
whatever
you say.
So please
come
and put a curse
on these
people for me!’”
But Balaam
replied
to
the servants
of Balak,
“If
Balak
were to give
me his house
full
of silver
and gold,
I could
not
do
anything small
or
great
to go beyond
the command
of the LORD
my God.
So now,
please
stay
here
overnight
as the others did,
that I may find out
what
else
the LORD
has to tell me.”
That night
God
came
to
Balaam
and said,
“Since
these men
have come
to summon you,
get up
and go
with them,
but you must only
do
what
I tell you.”
Then God’s
anger
was kindled
because
Balaam
was going along,
and the Angel
of the LORD
stood
in the road
to oppose him.
Balaam
was riding
his donkey,
and his two
servants
were with him.
When the donkey
saw
the Angel
of the LORD
standing
in the road
with a drawn
sword
in His hand,
she
turned
off
the path
and went
into a field.
So Balaam
beat
her
to return her
to the path.
Then the Angel
of the LORD
stood
in a narrow passage
between two vineyards,
with walls
on either side.
And the donkey
saw
the Angel
of the LORD
and pressed
herself against
the wall,
crushing
Balaam’s
foot
against
it.
So he beat her
once again.
And the Angel
of the LORD
moved
on ahead
and stood
in a narrow
place
where
there was no
room
to turn
to the right
or left.
When the donkey
saw
the Angel
of the LORD,
she lay down
under
Balaam,
and he
became furious
and beat
her
with his staff.
Then the LORD
opened
the donkey’s
mouth,
and she said
to Balaam,
“What
have I done
to you
that
you have beaten
me these
three
times?”
Balaam
answered
the donkey,
“You have made a fool of me!
If
I had
a sword
in my hand,
I would kill you
right now!”
But the donkey
said
to Balaam,
“Am I
not
the donkey
you have ridden
all your life
until today?
Have I ever treated
you
this way
before?”
“No,”
he replied.
Then the LORD
opened
Balaam’s
eyes,
and he saw
the Angel
of the LORD
standing
in the road
with a drawn
sword
in His hand.
And Balaam bowed low
and fell facedown.
The Angel
of the LORD
asked him,
“Why
have you beaten
your donkey
these
three
times?
Behold,
I
have come out
to oppose you,
because
your way
is perverse
before me.
The donkey
saw
me and turned away
from me
these
three
times.
If she had not
turned away,
I would surely have killed
you
by now,
and let her live.”
“I have sinned,”
Balaam
said
to
the Angel
of the LORD,
“for
I did not
realize
that
you
were standing
in the road
to confront me.
And now,
if
this is displeasing
in Your sight,
I will go back home.”
But the Angel
of the LORD
said
to
Balaam,
“Go
with
the men,
but you are to speak
only
what
I tell you.”
So Balaam
went
with
the princes
of Balak.
When Balak
heard
that
Balaam
was coming,
he went out
to meet
him at
the Moabite
city
on
the Arnon
border,
at the edge
of his territory.
And he
said to
Balaam,
“Did I not
send you an urgent summons?
Why
did you not come
to me?
Am I really
not
able
to richly reward you?”
“See,
I have come
to you,”
Balaam
replied,
“but can
I say
just anything?
I must speak
only the word
that
God
puts
in my mouth.”
Balak
sacrificed
cattle
and sheep,
and he gave portions
to Balaam
and the princes
who
were with him.
The next morning,
Balak
took
Balaam
and brought him
up to Bamoth-baal.
From there
he could see
the outskirts of the camp
of the people.