| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 1Then the children of Israel moved, and camped in the plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan across from Jericho. | 1Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho. |
| 2Now Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. | 2Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, |
| 3And Moab was exceedingly afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was sick with dread because of the children of Israel. | 3and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites. |
| 4So Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this company will lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. | 4The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, "This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field." So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, |
| 5Then he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying: “Look, a people has come from Egypt. See, they cover the face of the earth, and are settling next to me! | 5sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River, in his native land. Balak said: "A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. |
| 6Therefore please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.” | 6Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. 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 with the diviner’s fee in their hand, and they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak. | 7The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said. |
| 8And he said to them, “Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the LORD speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. | 8"Spend the night here," Balaam said to them, "and I will report back to you with the answer the LORD gives me." So the Moabite officials stayed with him. |
| 9Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” | 9God came to Balaam and asked, "Who are these men with you?" |
| 10So Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, | 10Balaam said to God, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: |
| 11‘Look, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come now, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to overpower them and drive them out.’ ” | 11A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.'" |
| 12And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” | 12But God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed." |
| 13So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go back to your land, for the LORD has refused to give me permission to go with you.” | 13The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's officials, "Go back to your own country, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you." |
| 14And the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.” | 14So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, "Balaam refused to come with us." |
| 15Then Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more honorable than they. | 15Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. |
| 16And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me; | 16They came to Balaam and said: "This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, |
| 17for I will certainly honor you greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Therefore please come, curse this people for me.’ ” | 17because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me." |
| 18Then Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to 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. | 18But Balaam answered them, "Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the LORD my God. |
| 19Now therefore, please, you also stay here tonight, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me.” | 19Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the LORD will tell me." |
| 20And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you—that you shall do.” | 20That night God came to Balaam and said, "Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you." |
| 21So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. | 21Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. |
| 22Then God’s anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the LORD took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. | 22But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. |
| 23Now the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road. | 23When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road. |
| 24Then the Angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. | 24Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides. |
| 25And when the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall; so he struck her again. | 25When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam's foot against it. So he beat the donkey again. |
| 26Then the Angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. | 26Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. |
| 27And when the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam’s anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff. | 27When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff. |
| 28Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” | 28Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and it said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?" |
| 29And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!” | 29Balaam answered the donkey, "You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now." |
| 30So the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?” And he said, “No.” | 30The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?" "No," he said. |
| 31Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face. | 31Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown. |
| 32And the Angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me. | 32The angel of the LORD asked him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. |
| 33The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live.” | 33The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it." |
| 34And Balaam said to the Angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back.” | 34Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back." |
| 35Then the Angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but only the word that I speak to you, that you shall speak.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. | 35The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you." So Balaam went with Balak's officials. |
| 36Now when Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, which is on the border at the Arnon, the boundary of the territory. | 36When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory. |
| 37Then Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not earnestly send to you, calling for you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?” | 37Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn't you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?" |
| 38And Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you! Now, have I any power at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak.” | 38"Well, I have come to you now," Balaam replied. "But I can't say whatever I please. I must speak only what God puts in my mouth." |
| 39So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kirjath Huzoth. | 39Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth. |
| 40Then Balak offered oxen and sheep, and he sent some to Balaam and to the princes who were with him. | 40Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and gave some to Balaam and the officials who were with him. |
| 41So it was, the next day, that Balak took Balaam and brought him up to the high places of Baal, that from there he might observe the extent of the people. | 41The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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