Numbers 22

Balak Seeks Balaam's Help Numbers 22:5–8

⁵Verse 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. ⁶Verse 6. Please come now therefore curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall prevail, that we may strike them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

⁷Verse 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. ⁸Verse 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.

God's First Response to Balaam Numbers 22:9–14

⁹Verse 9. God came to Balaam, and said, “Who are these men with you?” ¹⁰Verse 10. Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has said to me, ¹¹Verse 11. ‘Behold, the people that has come out of Egypt covers the surface of the earth. Now, come curse me them. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.’” ¹²Verse 12. God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people; for they are blessed.” ¹³Verse 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.”

¹⁴Verse 14. The princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

Balak's Persistence and Balaam's Consent Numbers 22:15–21

¹⁵Verse 15. Balak again sent princes, more, and more honorable than they. ¹⁶Verse 16. They came to Balaam, and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me, ¹⁷Verse 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.’” ¹⁸Verse 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. ¹⁹Verse 19. Now therefore please stay here tonight as well, that I may know what else Yahweh will speak to me.”

²⁰Verse 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.” ²¹Verse 21. Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

The Divine Encounter on the Journey Numbers 22:22–35

²²Verse 22. God’s anger burned because he went; and Yahweh’s angel placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. ²³Verse 23. The donkey 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. ²⁴Verse 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. ²⁵Verse 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.

²⁶Verse 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. ²⁷Verse 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. ²⁸Verse 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?” ²⁹Verse 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.”

³⁰Verse 30. The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long until today? Was I ever in the habit of doing so to you?” He said, “No.” ³¹Verse 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. ³²Verse 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. ³³Verse 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.”

³⁴Verse 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.” ³⁵Verse 35. Yahweh’s angel said to Balaam, “Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak to you, that you shall speak.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

Balaam Arrives in Moab Numbers 22:36–41

³⁶Verse 36. When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border. ³⁷Verse 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?” ³⁸Verse 38. Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you. Have I now any power at all to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.” ³⁹Verse 39. Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth.

⁴⁰Verse 40. Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him. ⁴¹Verse 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.