22 Afterward, the children of Israel departed and pitched on the plain of Moab, on the other side of Jordan from Jericho.

² Now Balak, the son of Zippor, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

³ And the Moabites were very afraid of the people, because they were many. And Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

⁴ Therefore, Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now shall this multitude lick up all who are 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.

⁵ Therefore, he sent messengers to Balaam, the son of Beor, to Pethor (which is by the river of the land of the children of his folk), to call him, saying, “Behold, a people have come out of Egypt, which covers the face of the Earth and lies next to me.

⁶ “Please come now, therefore, and curse this people for me (for they are stronger than me) so it may be that I shall be able to strike them and to drive them out of the land. For I know that he whom You bless is blessed; and he whom You curse shall be cursed.”

⁷ And the elders of Moab, and the elders of Midian departed, having the rewards of the soothsaying in their hand. And they came to Balaam and told him the words of Balak,

⁸ who answered them, “Stay here tonight, and I will give you an answer as the LORD shall say to me.” So, the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

⁹ Then God came to Balaam, and said, “What men are these with you?”

¹⁰ And Baalam said to God, “Balak, the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent word to me, saying,

¹¹ “‘Behold, a people comes out of Egypt and covers the face of the Earth. Come now, curse them for my sake, so it may be that I shall be able to overcome them in battle and to drive them out.’”

¹² And God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them or curse the people, for they are blessed.”

¹³ And Balaam rose up in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Return to your land. For the LORD has refused to allow me to go with you.”

¹⁴ So the princes of Moab rose up and went to Balak, and said, “Balaam has refused to come with us.”

¹⁵ Still, Balak sent more Princes, even more honorable than they,

¹⁶ who came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak, the son of Zippor, ‘Please do not be deterred from coming to me.

¹⁷ “‘For I will promote you to great honor and will do whatever you say to me. Please come, therefore, and curse this people for me.’”

¹⁸ And Balaam answered, and said to the servants of Balak, “Even 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 “But now, please stay here tonight, so that I may know what more the LORD will say to me.”

²⁰ And God came to Balaam by night, and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise up. Go with them. But you shall only do that thing which I shall say to you.”

²¹ So Balaam rose up early and saddled his donkey and went with the Princes of Moab.

²² And the wrath of God was kindled, because he went and the Angel of the LORD stood against him in the way as he rode upon his donkey. And his two servants were with him.

²³ And when the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD stand in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, the donkey turned off the road and went into the field. But Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back on the road.

²⁴ Again, the Angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall on one side and a wall on the other.

²⁵ And when the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she thrust herself into the wall and hit Balaam’s foot against the wall. Therefore, he struck her again.

²⁶ Then the Angel of the LORD went further and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn, to the right or the left.

²⁷ And when the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam. Therefore, Balaam was very angry and struck the donkey with a staff.

²⁸ Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me now three times?”

²⁹ And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have mocked me! I wish there were a sword in my hand, for would I kill you now!”

³⁰ And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey which you have ridden upon since your first time to this day? Have I ever done this to you?” Who said, “No.”

³¹ And 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. Then he bowed himself and fell flat on his face.

³² And the Angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you now struck your donkey three times? Behold, I came out to oppose you because your way is not straight before me.

³³ “But the donkey saw me and has turned from me now three times. Otherwise, if she had not turned from me, I would surely have killed you already and saved her life.”

³⁴ Then Balaam said to the Angel of the LORD, “I have sinned. For I wish that you did not stand in the way against me. Now, therefore, if it displeases you, I will turn home again.”

³⁵ But the Angel said to Balaam, “Go with the men. But what I say to you, that shall you speak.” So, Balaam went with the Princes of Balak.

³⁶ And when Balak heard that Balaam came, he went out to meet him, to a city of Moab which is on the border of Arnon, on the outermost coast.

³⁷ Then Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send for you to call you? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I not indeed able to promote you to honor?”

³⁸ And Balaam answered Balak, “Lo, I have come to you. And can I now say anything? The Word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.”

³⁹ So Balaam went with Balak. And they came to the city of Huzoth.

⁴⁰ Then Balak offered bullocks and sheep and sent some of them to Balaam and to the Princes who were with him.

⁴¹ And the next day, Balak took Balaam and brought him up into the high places of Baal, so that from there he might see the furthermost part of the people.