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Numbers 22
- 1
- And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in
the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.
- 2
- And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done
to the Amorites.
- 3
- And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they
were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
- 4
- And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this
company lick up all that are round about 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 unto 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 is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they
cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:
- 6
- Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people;
for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may
smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot 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 unto Balaam, and
spake unto him the words of Balak.
- 8
- And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will
bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab
abode with Balaam.
- 9
- And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these
with thee?
- 10
- And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king
of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,
- 11
- Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which
covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall
be able to overcome them, and drive them out.
- 12
- And God said unto 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 unto the
princes of Balak, Get you into 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 unto
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
unto me:
- 17
- For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I
will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me
this people.
- 18
- And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak,
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot 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 unto me more.
- 20
- And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If
the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I
shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.
- 21
- And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass,
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 ass, and his two servants were with him.
- 23
- And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the
way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way,
and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, 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 ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust
herself unto 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 ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell
down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a
staff.
- 28
- And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said
unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three
times?
- 29
- And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked
me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.
- 30
- And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon
which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont
to do so unto thee? and he said, Nay.
- 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.
- 32
- And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast
thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand
thee, because thy way is perverse before me:
- 33
- And the ass 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 unto 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 get me back again.
- 35
- And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the
men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So
Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
- 36
- And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out
to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in
the utmost coast.
- 37
- And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send
unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able
indeed to promote thee to honour?
- 38
- And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee:
have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my
mouth, that shall I speak.
- 39
- And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto
Kirjathhuzoth.
- 40
- And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam,
and to the princes that were with him.
- 41
- And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took
Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might
see the utmost part of the people.
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