¹ Then did the sons of Israel break up,—and encamp in the waste plains of Moab, on the other side of the Jordan by Jericho.

² And Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done unto the Amorites;

³ and Moab shrank with great fear from the presence of the people because, many, they were,—and Moab was alarmed at the presence of the sons of Israel.

⁴ So Moab said unto the elders of Midian—Now, shall the gathered host lick up all that are round about us, as the ox doth lick up the verdure of the field. But, Balak son of Zippor, was king unto Moab at that time.

⁵ So he sent messengers unto Balaam son of Beor, to Pethor which was by the river of the land of the sons of his people to call him,—saying Lo! a people, hath come forth out of Egypt Lo! he hath covered the eye of the land, Yea he, is tarrying over against me.

⁶ Now, therefore, do come, I pray thee curse me this people. For stronger, he is than I, If peradventure I prevail, we shall smite him, That I may drive him out of the land,—For I know that, he whom thou dost bless, is to be blessed, And, he whom thou dost curse, is to be cursed.

⁷ And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went their way, with the rewards of divination in their hand,—so they came in unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.

⁸ And he said unto them—Tarry ye here for the night, and I will bring you back word, as Yahweh shall speak unto me. So the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.

⁹ And God came in unto Balaam,—and said, Who are these men with thee?

¹⁰ Then said Balaam unto God,—Balak, son of Zippor king of Moab, hath sent unto me:

¹¹ Lo! the people that hath come forth out of Egypt—he covereth the eye of the land. Now, do come, do revile me him, Peradventure I shall prevail in making war with him, And shall drive him out.

¹² And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them,—Thou shalt not curse the people, For blessed, he is.

¹³ And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your own land,—For Yahweh hath refused to let me go with you.

¹⁴ So the princes of Moab arose, and came in unto Balak,—and said, Balaam refused to come with us.

¹⁵ Then added Balak again,—to send princes, more and weightier than these.

¹⁶ And they came in unto Balaam,—and said unto him—Thus, said Balak son of Zippor, Do not be withheld, I pray thee from coming unto me:

¹⁷ For I will honour, thee, exceedingly, and all that thou shalt say unto me, will I do. Do come therefore I pray thee oh revile me this people.

¹⁸ And Balaam responded and said unto the servants of Balak, Though Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the bidding of Yahweh my God, to do less or more.

¹⁹ Now, therefore abide here, I pray you even ye,—for the night,—that I may get to know what further Yahweh may be speaking with me.

²⁰ And God came in unto Balaam, by night, and said unto him—If, to call thee, the men have come in, arise go with them,—But only, the thing that I shall speak unto thee, that, shalt thou do.

²¹ So Balaam arose in the morning, and saddled his ass,—and went with the princes of Moab.

²² Then kindled the anger of God, because he was going, and the messenger of Yahweh stationed himself in the way, to withstand him,—as he was riding upon his ass, his two young men being with him.

²³ And the ass saw the messenger of Yahweh stationed in the road with his drawn sword in his hand, so the ass turned aside out of the road and went into the field,—and Balaam smote the ass, to make her turn back into the road.

²⁴ But the messenger of Yahweh took his stand, in a hollow pass of the vineyards,—with a fence on this side, and a fence on that side.

²⁵ And when the ass saw the messenger of Yahweh, she squeezed herself against the wall, and squeezed the foot of Balaam against the wall,—and again he smote her.

²⁶ And the messenger of Yahweh went on further, and took his stand in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn to the right hand or to the left.

²⁷ And, when the ass saw the messenger of Yahweh, she sank down under Balaam,—then was Balaam’s anger kindled, and he smote the ass with the staff.

²⁸ And Yahweh opened the mouth of the ass,—and she said unto Balaam—What have I done to thee, that thou hast smitten me, these three times?

²⁹ And Balaam said unto the ass, Surely thou hast been making sport of me,—Would there had been a sword in my hand, for, now, would I have slain thee.

³⁰ Then said the ass unto Balaam—Am not I thine own ass on which thou hast ridden all thy life, until this day? Have I, been wont, to do unto thee, thus? And he said, Nay!

³¹ Then did Yahweh unveil the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the messenger of Yahweh stationed in the road, with his sword drawn in his hand,—so he bent his head and bowed down before him.

³² And the messenger of Yahweh said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass, these three times? Lo! I, myself, am come forth to withstand thee, because headlong was thy way before me.

³³ And the ass hath seen me, and hath turned aside at my presence these three times: Unless she had turned aside from my presence, yea now even thee, had I slain, but, her, had I suffered to live.

³⁴ Then said Balaam unto the messenger of Yahweh—I have sinned, for I knew not, that, thou, wast stationed to meet me in the road,—Now, therefore, if it be displeasing in thine eyes, I must get me back again.

³⁵ And the messenger of Yahweh said unto Balaam—Go with the men: Only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that, shalt thou speak. So Balaam went his way with the princes of Balak.

³⁶ And Balak heard that Balaam, was coming,—so he went forth to meet him unto a city of Moab which was upon the boundary of Arnon, which was in the utmost part of the boundary.

³⁷ And Balak said unto Balaam: Did I not, send, unto thee, to call thee? Wherefore didst thou not come unto me? Am I not in very deed, able to honour thee?

³⁸ And Balaam said unto Balak—Lo! I am come unto thee, Now, can, I, possibly, promise anything? The word that God shall put in my mouth, that, must I speak.

³⁹ So Balaam went with Balak,—and they entered Kiriath-huzoth.