Balak Summons Balaam

1And ye children of Israel remoued and pitched in the feldes of Moab on the other syde of Iordane by Iericho.

2And Balac the sonne of Ziphor sawe all that Israel had done to the Amorites 3and the Moabites were sore afrayed of the people because they were many and abhorred the childern of Israel: 4And Moab sayed vnto the elders of Madian now this companye hath lickte vpp all that are rounde aboute vs as an oxe lycketh vp the grasse of the felde. And Balac the sonne of Ziphor was kinge of the Moabites at that tyme. 5And he sent messangers vnto Balam the sonne of Beor the interpreter whiche dwelt vppon the ryuer of the lande of the childern of his folke to call him sayenge: beholde there is a people come out of Egipte which couereth the face of the erthe and lye euen harde by me. 6Come nowe a felashippe and curse me this people. For they are to myghtie for me so perauenture I myghte be able to smyte them and to dryue them oute of the londe. For I wote that whome thou blessest shalbe blessed and whome thou cursest shalbe cursed.

7And the elders of Moab went with the elders of Madian and the rewarde of the sothe sayenge in their handes. And they came vnto Balam and tolde him the wordes of Balac. 8And he sayed vnto them: tary here all nyghte and I will bringe you worde euen as the Lorde shall saye vnto me. And the lordes of Moab abode with Balam. 9And god came vnto Balam and sayed: what men are these which are with the? 10And Balam sayed vnto god: Balac the sonne of Ziphor kynge of Moab hath sent vnto me sayenge: 11beholde there is a people come out of Egipte and couereth the face of the erthe: come now therfore and curse me them that so peraduenture I maye be able to ouercome them in batell and to dryue the out. 12And god sayed vnto Balam: thou shalt not goo with them nether curse the people for they are blessed. 13And Balam rose vp in the mornynge and sayed vnto the lordes of Balac: gett you vnto youre lande for the Lorde will not suffre me to goo with you. 14And the lordes of Moab rose vpp and went vnto Balac and sayed Balam wolde not come with vs.

15And Balac sent agayne a greatter companye of lordes ad more honorable than they. 16And they came to Balam and tolde him: Thus sayeth Balac the sonne of Ziphor: oh let nothynge lett the to come vnto me 17for I will greatly promote the vnto great honoure ad will doo whatsoeuer thou sayest vnto me come therfore I praye the curse me this people. 18And Balam answered and sayed vnto the servauntes of Balac: Yf Balac wolde geue me his housfull of syluer and golde I can goo no further than the worde of the Lorde my god to do lesse or moare. 19Neuerthelesse tarye ye here all nyghte: that I maye wete what the Lorde will saye vnto me once moare. 20And God came to Balam by nyghte and sayed vnto him: Yf the men come to fett the ryse vppe and goo with them: but what I saye vnto the that onlye thou shalt doo.

21And Balam rose vppe early and sadelde his asse and went with the lordes of Moab

The Angel and Balaam’s Donkey

22But God was angrye because he went. And the angell of the Lorde stode in the waye agenste hym. And he ryd vppon hys asse and two seruauntes with him. 23And when the asse sawe the angell of the Lorde stonde in the waye and his swerde drawen in his hande she turned a syde oute of the waye and went out in to the felde. And Balam smote the asse to turne her in to the waye. 24And the angell of the Lorde went and stode in a path betwene the vyneyardes where was a wall on the one syde and another on the other. 25When the asse sawe the angell of the Lorde she wrenshed vnto the walle and thrust Balams fote vnto the wall and he smote her agayne. 26And the angell of ye Lorde went forder and stode in a narowe place where was no waye to turne ether to the right hande or to the lyfte. 27And when the asse sawe the angell of the Lorde she fell downe vnder Balam: and Balam was wroth and smote the asse with a staffe. 28And the Lorde opened the mouthe of the asse and she sayed vnto Balam: what haue I done vnto the that thou smytest me this .iij tymes? 29And Balam sayde vnto the Asse: because thou hast mocked me? I wolde that I had a swerde in myne hande that I myghte now kyll the. 30And the asse sayed vnto Balam: am not I thyne asse whiche thou hast rydden vppon sence thou wast borne vnto this daye? Was I euer wont to do so vnto the? And he sayed nay.

31And the lorde opened the eyes of Balam that he sawe the angell of the Lorde stondinge in the waye with his swerde drawen in his honde. And he bowed him selfe and fell flatt on his face. 32And ye angell of ye Lord sayed vnto him: Wherfore smytest thou thyne asse this .iij. tymes? beholde I came oute to resyst the for the waye is contrary vnto me: 33and the asse sawe me and avoyded me thre tymes: or else (had she not turned fro me) I had suerly slayne the and saued her alyue. 34And Balam sayed vnto the angell of ye Lorde: I haue synned: for I wist not that thou stodest in the waye agenst me. Now therfore yf it displease thyne eyes I will turne agayne. 35And the angell sayde vnto Balam goo with the men: but in any wise what I saye vnto the that saye. And Balam went with the lordes of Balac.

36And when Balac herde that Bala was come he went o ut agenst him vnto a cytie off Moab that stode in the border of Arno whiche was the vttmost parte of his contre. 37And Balac sayed vnto Balam: dyd I not sende for the to call the? wherfore camest thou not vnto me? thinkest thou that I am not able to promote the vnto honoure? 38And Balam sayed vnto Balac: Loo I am come vnto the. But I can saye nothynge at all saue what God putteth in my mouthe that must I speake. 39And Balam went with Balac and they came vnto the cytie of Huzoth. 40And Balac offered oxen and shepe and sent for Balam and for the lordes that were with hym.

41And on the mornynge Balac toke Balam and brought him vpp in to the hye place of Baall ad thece he sawe vnto the vttmost parte of the people.