The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Numbers 22
1 The children of Israel traveled, and
encamped in the plains of Moab beyond
the Jordan at Jericho.
2 Balak the son of Zippor saw all that
Israel had done to the Amorites.
3 Moab was very afraid of the people,
because they were many. Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
4 Moab said to the elders ofMidian, “Now
this multitude will lick up allthatis around
us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.”
Balak the sonof Zippor was king of Moab
at that time.
5 He sent messengers to Balaam the son
of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River,
to the land of the children of his people, to
call him, saying, “Behold, there is a people
who came out of Egypt. Behold, they cover
the surface of the earth, and they are staying opposite me.
6 Please come now therefore, and curse
this people for me; for they are too mighty
for me. Perhaps I shall prevail, that we
may strike them, and thatI may drive them
out of the land; for I know that he whom
you bless is blessed, and he whom you
curse is cursed.”
7 The elders of Moab and the elders of
Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand. They
came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.
8 He said to them, “Lodge here this night,
and I will bring you word again, as Yahweh
shall speak to me.” The princes of Moab
stayed with Balaam.
9 God came to Balaam, and said, “Who
are these men with you?”
10 Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of
Zippor, king of Moab, has said to me,
11 ‘Behold, the people that has come out
of Egypt covers the surface of the earth.
Now, come curse them for me. Perhaps
I shall be able to fight against them, and
shall drive them out.’ ”
12 God said to Balaam, “You shall not go
with them. You shall not curse the people,
for they are blessed.”
13 Balaam rose up in the morning, and
said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your
land; for Yahweh refuses to permit me to
go with you.”
14 The princes of Moab rose up, and they
wentto Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to
come with us.”
15 Balak again sent princes, more, and
more honorable than they.
16 They came to Balaam, and said to him,
“Balak the son of Zippor says, ‘Please let
nothing hinder you from coming to me,
17 for I will promote you to very great
honor, and whatever you say to me I will
do. Please come therefore, and curse this
people for me.’ ”
18 Balaam answered the servants of
Balak, “If Balak would give me his house
full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond
the word of Yahweh my God, to do less or
more.
19 Now therefore please stay here
tonight as well, that I may know what else
Yahweh will speak to me.”
20 God came to Balaam at night, and said
to him, “If the men have come to call you,
rise up, go with them; but only the word
which I speak to you, that you shall do.”
21 Balaam rose up in the morning, and
saddled his donkey, and went with the
princes of Moab.
22 God’s anger burned because he went;
and Yahweh’s angel placed himself in the
way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two
servants were with him.
23 Thedonkey saw Yahweh’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in
his hand; and the donkey turned out of
the path, and went into the field. Balaam
struck the donkey, to turn her into the
path.
24 Then Yahweh’s angel stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall
being on this side, and a wall on that side.
25 The donkey saw Yahweh’s angel, and
she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed
Balaam’s foot against the wall. He struck
her again.
26 Yahweh’s angel went further, and
stood in a narrow place, where there was
no way to turn either to the right hand or
to the left.
27 The donkey saw Yahweh’s angel, and
she lay down under Balaam. Balaam’s
anger burned, and he struck the donkey
with his staff.
28 Yahweh 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?”
29 Balaam said to the donkey, “Because
you have mocked me, I wish there were a
sword in my hand, for now I would have
killed you.”
30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not
your donkey, on which you have ridden all
your life long untiltoday? Was I ever in the
habit of doing so to you?”
He said, “No.”
31 Then Yahweh opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw Yahweh’s angel standing
in the way, with his sword drawn in his
hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on
his face.
32 Yahweh’s angel said to him, “Why
have you struck your donkey these three
times? Behold, I have come out as an
adversary, because your way is perverse
before me.
33 The donkey saw me, and turned away
before me these three times. Unless she
had turned away from me, surely now
I would have killed you, and saved her
alive.”
34 Balaam said to Yahweh’s angel, “I have
sinned; for I didn’t know that you stood in
the way against me. Now therefore, if it
displeases you, I will go back again.”
35 Yahweh’s angel said to Balaam, “Go
with the men; but you shall only speak the
word that I shall speak to you.”
So Balaam went with the princes of
Balak.
36 When Balak heard that Balaam had
come, he went outtomeethimto theCity of
Moab, which is on the border ofthe Arnon,
which is in the utmost part of the border.
37 Balak said to Balaam, “Didn’t I
earnestly send for you to summon you?
Why didn’t you come to me? Am I not able
indeed to promote you to honor?”
38 Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have
come to you. Have I now any power at all
to speak anything? I will speak the word
that God puts in my mouth.”
39 Balaam went with Balak, and they
came to Kiriath Huzoth.
40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and
sent to Balaam, and to the princes who
were with him.
41 In the morning, Balak took Balaam,
and brought him up into the high places
of Baal; and he saw from there part of the
people.