Balak Summons Balaam
1Then the Israelites set out and camped on the plains of Moab, across the Jordan from Jericho. 2Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3Moab was terrified of the people, because they were so numerous, and Moab was overcome with dread because of the Israelites. 4So Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this horde will lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. 5He sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates, in the land of his people, to summon him, saying, “Look, a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the land, and they are settled next to me. 6Now come and curse this people for me, for they are stronger than I am. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.” 7So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed, taking with them the fees for divination. They came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak. 8He said to them, “Spend the night here, and I will bring back word to you, just as Yahweh speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. 9Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” 10Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent to me, saying, 11‘Look, the people that came out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come, put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight against them and drive them out.’” 12But God said to Balaam, “You must not go with them. You must not curse the people, for they are blessed.” 13So Balaam got up in the morning and said to Balak’s princes, “Go back to your own land, for Yahweh has refused to let me go with you.” 14The princes of Moab got up and went to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.” 15Then Balak sent other princes again, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. 16They came to Balaam and said to him, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Please do not let anything keep you from coming to me, 17for I will honor you richly, and I will do whatever you tell me. Please come and put a curse on this people for me.” 18But Balaam answered the servants of Balak, “Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of Yahweh my God, to do less or more. 19But please, you also stay here tonight, so that I may find out what more Yahweh will say to me.” 20That night God came to Balaam and said to him, “If the men have come to summon you, get up and go with them; but do only what I tell you.” 21So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
The Angel and the Donkey
22But God’s anger burned because he went, and the angel of Yahweh stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, and the donkey turned off the road and went into the field. Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road. 24Then the angel of Yahweh stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. 25When the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, she pressed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam’s foot against it, so he struck her again. 26Then the angel of Yahweh went further ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, right or left. 27When the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, she lay down under Balaam. Balaam’s anger burned, and he struck the donkey with his staff. 28Then Yahweh opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” 29Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.” 30The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have ridden all your life, to this day? Have I ever treated you this way before?” And he said, “No.” 31Then Yahweh opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, and he bowed low and fell facedown. 32The angel of Yahweh said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Look, I have come out to oppose you, because your way is reckless before me. 33The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away from me, I would surely have killed you by now and let her live.” 34Balaam said to the angel of Yahweh, “I have sinned. I did not know that you were standing in the road to confront me. Now, if this is wrong in your eyes, I will turn back.” 35But the angel of Yahweh said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you must say only what I tell you.” So Balaam went on with Balak’s princes.
Balaam Arrives in Moab
36When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab on the border formed by the Arnon, at the farthest point of the border. 37Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send to you urgently to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not able to honor you?” 38Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you now. But can I say just anything? I will speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.” 39Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. 40Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent some to Balaam and to the princes who were with him. 41The next morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal, and from there he saw the outermost part of the people.
