New King James Version

King James Bible

Balak Sends for Balaam

Then the children of Israel moved, and camped in the plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan across from Jericho.

1

Balak Summons Balaam

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

2

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

2

And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

3

And Moab was exceedingly afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was sick with dread because of the children of Israel.

3

And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

4

So Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this company will [a]lick up everything 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.

4

And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about 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.

5

Then he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near [b]the River in the land of [c]the sons of his people, to call him, saying: “Look, a people has come from Egypt. See, they cover the face of the earth, and are settling next to me!

5

He sent messengers therefore unto 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 is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:

6

Therefore please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

6

Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.

7

So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the diviner’s fee in their hand, and they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak.

7

And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.

8

And he said to them, “Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

8

And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.

9

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

9

And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?

10

So Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,

10

And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,

11

‘Look, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come now, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to overpower them and drive them out.’ ”

11

Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.

12

And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”

12

And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.

13

So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go back to your land, for the Lord has refused to give me permission to go with you.”

13

And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.

14

And the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

14

And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.

15

Then Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more [d]honorable than they.

15

And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.

16

And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me;

16

And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:

17

for I will certainly honor you greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Therefore please come, curse this people for me.’ ”

17

For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.

18

Then Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to 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.

18

And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, 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

Now therefore, please, you also stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.”

19

Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.

20

And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you — that you shall do.”

20

And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.

21

So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

21

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

22

Balaam, the Donkey, and the Angel

Then God’s anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the Lord took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

22

The Angel and Balaam's Donkey

And 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.

23

Now the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road.

23

And 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.

24

Then the Angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side.

24

But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.

25

And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall; so he struck her again.

25

And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.

26

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

26

And 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.

27

And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam’s anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

27

And 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.

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 these three times?”

28

And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

29

And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have [e]abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!”

29

And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.

30

So the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever [f]disposed to do this to you?”
And he said, “No.”

30

And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.

31

Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face.

31

Then 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.

32

And the Angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out [g]to stand against you, because your way is perverse[h] before Me.

32

And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:

33

The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live.”

33

And 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.

34

And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it [i]displeases You, I will turn back.”

34

And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.

35

Then the Angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but only the word that I speak to you, that you shall speak.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

35

And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

36

Now when Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, which is on the border at the Arnon, the boundary of the territory.

36

And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.

37

Then Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not earnestly send to you, calling for you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?”

37

And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?

38

And Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you! Now, have I any power at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak.”

38

And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.

39

So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kirjath Huzoth.

39

And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth.

40

Then Balak offered oxen and sheep, and he sent some to Balaam and to the princes who were with him.

40

And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.

41

Balaam’s First Prophecy

So it was, the next day, that Balak took Balaam and brought him up to the high places of Baal, that from there he might observe [j]the extent of the people.

41

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

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Numbers 22

Numbers 22