¹ And the children of Israel moved forward, and encamped in the plains of Moab on this side of Jordan by Jericho.

² And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

³ And Moab was greatly afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

⁴ And Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are around 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.

⁵ He sent messengers therefore to 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 hast a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide opposite to me:¹

1. face: Heb. eye

⁶ Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse for me this people; for they are too mighty for me: perhaps I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.

⁷ And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.

⁸ And he said to them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak to me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.

⁹ And God came to Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?

¹⁰ And Balaam said to God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent to me, saying,

¹¹ Behold, there hast a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.¹

1. I shall...: Heb. I shall prevail in fighting against him

¹² And God said to Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.

¹³ And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, Go back to your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.

¹⁴ And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.

¹⁵ And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.

¹⁶ And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming to me:¹

1. Let...: Heb. Be not thou hindered from, etc

¹⁷ For I will promote thee to very great honour, and I will do whatever thou sayest to me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse this people for me.

¹⁸ And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.

¹⁹ Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say to me more.

²⁰ And God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, If the men come to call thee, rise, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say to thee, that shalt thou perform.

²¹ And Balaam rose in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

²² And 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 donkey, and his two servants were with him.

²³ And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the donkey turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the donkey, to turn her into the way.

²⁴ But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.

²⁵ And when the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself against the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again.

²⁶ And 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.

²⁷ And when the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the donkey with a staff.

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

²⁹ And Balaam said to the donkey, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in my hand, for now would I kill thee.

³⁰ And the donkey said to Balaam, Am not I thy donkey, upon which thou hast rid ever since I was thine to this day? was I ever accustomed to do so to thee? And he said, Nay.¹²

1. upon...: Heb. who hast ridden upon me
2. ever since...: or, ever since thou wast, etc

³¹ Then 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.¹

1. fell...: or, bowed himself

³² And the angel of the LORD said to him, Why hast thou smitten thy donkey these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:¹

1. to...: Heb. to be an adversary unto thee

³³ And the donkey 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.

³⁴ And Balaam said to 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 return again.¹

1. displease...: Heb. be evil in thine eyes

³⁵ And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak to thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

³⁶ And when Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost border.

³⁷ And Balak said to Balaam, Did I not earnestly send to thee to call thee? why camest thou not to me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?

³⁸ And Balaam said to Balak, Lo, I have come to thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.