22:1¹ The Israelites journeyed² and camped in the plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan across from Jericho. 22:2 And Balak, the son of Zippor, saw all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites. 22:3 And the Moabites were greatly afraid of the people, because they were so numerous. The Moabites³ were sick with fear because of the Israelites.

22:4 So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “Now this mass of people⁴ will lick up everything around us, as the bull devours the grass of the field. Now Balak, the son of Zippor, was king of the Moabites at this time. 22:5 And he sent messengers to Balaam,⁵ the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the river in his native land,⁶ to call him, saying, “Look, a nation has come out of Egypt. They cover the face⁷ of the earth, and they are settling next to me. 22:6 So⁸ now, please come and curse this nation for me, for they are too powerful for me. Perhaps I will prevail so that we may conquer them,⁹ and drive them out of the land. For I know that whomever you bless is blessed,¹⁰ and whomever you curse is cursed.”

22:7 And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fee for divination in their hand. And they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak. 22:8 And he said to them, “Stay¹¹ here tonight, and I will bring back to you whatever word the LORD may speak to me.” So the princes of Moab abode with Balaam. 22:9 And God came to Balaam, and said, “Who are these men with you?” 22:10 And Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me saying, 22:11 “Look, a nation has come out¹² of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Come now and put a curse on them for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them¹³ and drive them out.”¹⁴ 22:12 But God said to Balaam, “You must not go with them; you must not curse the people,¹⁵ for they are blessed.”¹⁶

22:13 So Balaam got up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land, for the LORD has refused to permit me to go¹⁷ with you.” 22:14 And the princes of Moab rose up and they went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

22:15 And Balak again sent princes,¹⁸ more numerous and more honorable than the first.¹⁹ 22:16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, “Please do not let anything hinder you from coming²⁰ to me. 22:17 For I will honor you greatly,²¹ and whatever you say to me I will do. So come, put a curse on this nation for me.”

22:18 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 transgress the commandment of the LORD my God,²² to do less or more. 22:19 Now therefore, please stay²³ the night here also, that I might know what more the LORD might say to me.”²⁴ 22:20 And God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise up and go with them; but the word which I will say to you, that you must do.” 22:21 So Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

22:22 Then God’s anger was kindled²⁵ because he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the way to oppose²⁶ him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 22:23 And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with²⁷ his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned aside from the way and went into the field. And Balaam beat the donkey, to turn her back to the road.

22:24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a path²⁸ among the vineyards, where there was a wall on either side.²⁹ 22:25 And when the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed herself into the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall, and so he beat her again.³⁰

22:26 Then the angel of the LORD went farther, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. 22:27 So when the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she crouched down under Balaam. Then Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he beat his donkey with a staff.

22:28 Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?” 22:29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made me look stupid; I wish³¹ there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you.” 22:30 And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am not I your donkey, upon which you have ridden ever since I was yours unto this day? Have I ever attempted³² to treat you this way?”³³ And he said, “No.” 22:31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with his sword drawn in his hand; so he bowed his head, and fell on his face.³⁴ 22:32 And the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you, because what you are doing³⁵ is perverse before me.³⁶ 22:33 The donkey saw me, and turned from me these three times. If³⁷ she had not turned from me, I would have slain you, but saved her alive.” 22:34 And Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood against me in the way.³⁸ So now, if it is evil in your sight,³⁹ I will go back home.”⁴⁰ 22:35 But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you may only speak⁴¹ the word that I will speak to you.”⁴² So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

22:36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at a city of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon at the boundary of his territory. 22:37 And Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send again and again⁴³ to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?”⁴⁴ 22:38 And Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you. Now, am I able⁴⁵ to speak⁴⁶ anything at all? I must speak⁴⁷ the word that God puts in my mouth.” 22:39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. 22:40 And Balak sacrificed bulls and sheep, and sent some⁴⁸ to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him. 22:41 Then on the next day Balak took Balaam, and brought him up to Bamoth Baal of Baal. And from there he saw the extent of the nation.