Balak Summons Balaam

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

2And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3And Moab was greatly afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. 4And 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. 5He 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 has a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me: 6Come now therefore, I pray thee, Curse for me this people; for they are too mighty for me: it may be 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.

7And 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. 8And 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. 9And God came to Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee? 10And Balaam said to God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent to me, saying, 11Behold, there has a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse them for me: it may be I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out. 12And God said to Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed. 13And Balaam rose in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, Depart into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you. 14And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.

15And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they. 16And 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: 17For I will promote thee to very great honor, and I will do whatever thou sayest to me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse this people for me. 18And 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. 19Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say to me more. 20And 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.

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

The Angel and Balaam's Donkey

22And 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. 23And 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. 24But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. 25And when the ass 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. 26And 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. 27And 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. 28And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said to Balaam, What have I done to thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? 29And Balaam said to the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in my hand, for now would I kill thee. 30And the ass said to Balaam, Am not I thy ass, upon which thou hast rid ever since I was thine to this day? was I ever wont to do so to thee? And he said, Nay.

31Then 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. 32And the angel of the LORD said to him, Why hast thou smitten thy ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: 33And 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. 34And 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 displeaseth thee, I will return again. 35And 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.

36And 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 limit. 37And 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 honor? 38And 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. 39And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kirjath-huzoth. 40And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.

41And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and conducted him to the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.