Balak Summons Balaam

22 Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab^(A) and camped along the Jordan^(B) across from Jericho.^(C)

² Now Balak son of Zippor^(D) saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, ³ and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread^(E) because of the Israelites.

⁴ The Moabites^(F) said to the elders of Midian,^(G) “This horde is going to lick up everything^(H) around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.^(I)”

So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, ⁵ sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor,^(J) who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River,^(K) in his native land. Balak said:

⁷ The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination.^(O) When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.

⁸ “Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I will report back to you with the answer the Lord gives me.^(P)” So the Moabite officials stayed with him.

⁹ God came to Balaam^(Q) and asked,^(R) “Who are these men with you?”

¹⁰ Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: ¹¹ ‘A 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.’”

¹² But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.^(S)”

¹³ The 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.”

¹⁴ So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

¹⁵ Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. ¹⁶ They came to Balaam and said:

¹⁸ But 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.^{(V) 19} Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the Lord will tell me.^(W)”

²⁰ That night God came to Balaam^(X) and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”^(Y)

Balaam’s Donkey

²¹ Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. ²² But God was very angry^(Z) when he went, and the angel of the Lord^(AA) stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. ²³ When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword^(AB) in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it^(AC) to get it back on the road.

²⁴ Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides. ²⁵ When 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.

²⁶ Then 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. ²⁷ When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry^(AD) and beat it with his staff. ²⁸ Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth,^(AE) and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?^(AF)”

²⁹ Balaam 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.^(AG)”

³⁰ The 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.

³¹ Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes,^(AH) and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.

³² The 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.^{[a] 33} The 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,^(AI) but I would have spared it.”

³⁴ Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned.^(AJ) I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.”

³⁵ The 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.

³⁶ When Balak^(AK) heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon^(AL) border, at the edge of his territory. ³⁷ Balak 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?”

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.”^(AM)

³⁹ Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth. ⁴⁰ Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep,^(AN) and gave some to Balaam and the officials who were with him. ⁴¹ The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal,^(AO) and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp.^(AP)

Balaam’s First Message

23 Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams^(AQ) for me.” ² Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.^(AR)

³ Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet with me.^(AS) Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you.” Then he went off to a barren height.

⁴ God met with him,^(AT) and Balaam said, “I have prepared seven altars, and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”

⁵ The Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth^(AU) and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”^(AV)

⁶ So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the Moabite officials.^{(AW) 7} Then Balaam^(AX) spoke his message:^(AY)

¹¹ Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies,^(BJ) but you have done nothing but bless them!”^(BK)

¹² He answered, “Must I not speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?”^(BL)

Balaam’s Second Message

¹³ Then Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place^(BM) where you can see them; you will not see them all but only the outskirts of their camp.^(BN) And from there, curse them for me.^(BO)” ¹⁴ So he took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah,^(BP) and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.^(BQ)

¹⁵ Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering while I meet with him over there.”

¹⁶ The Lord met with Balaam and put a word in his mouth^(BR) and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”

¹⁷ So he went to him and found him standing beside his offering, with the Moabite officials.^(BS) Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?”

¹⁸ Then he spoke his message:^(BT)

²⁵ Then Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!”

²⁶ Balaam answered, “Did I not tell you I must do whatever the Lord says?”^(CM)

Balaam’s Third Message

²⁷ Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come, let me take you to another place.^(CN) Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me^(CO) from there.” ²⁸ And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor,^(CP) overlooking the wasteland.

²⁹ Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” ³⁰ Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.^(CQ)

Psalm 80^[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” Of Asaph. A psalm.

The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers

²² Then the apostles and elders,^(A) with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch^(B) with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas,^(C) men who were leaders among the believers. ²³ With them they sent the following letter:

³⁰ So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. ³¹ The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. ³² Judas and Silas,^(M) who themselves were prophets,^(N) said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. ³³ After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace^(O) to return to those who had sent them. ^{[34] [a] 35} But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached^(P) the word of the Lord.^(Q)

Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas

³⁶ Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns^(R) where we preached the word of the Lord^(S) and see how they are doing.” ³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark,^(T) with them, ³⁸ but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them^(U) in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. ³⁹ They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas^(V) and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord.^{(W) 41} He went through Syria^(X) and Cilicia,^(Y) strengthening the churches.^(Z)