MLV(i)
1 And the sons of Israel journeyed and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.
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 distressed because of the sons of Israel.
4 And Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now will this multitude lick up all that is all around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was King of Moab at that time.
5 And he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, a people came out from Egypt. Behold, they cover the face of the earth and they abide opposite me. 6 Therefore, I beseech you, come now, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I will prevail, that we may kill* 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.
7 And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand and they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak. 8 And he said to them, Lodge here this night and I will bring you* word again, as Jehovah will speak to me. And the rulers of Moab abode with Balaam.
9 And God came to Balaam and said, What men are these with you? 10 And Balaam said to God, Balak the son of Zippor, King of Moab, has sent to me, saying, 11 Behold, the people came out of Egypt, it covers the face of the earth. Now, come curse them for me. Perhaps I will be able to fight against them and will drive them out. 12 And God said to Balaam, You will not go with them. You will not curse the people, for they are blessed.
13 And Balaam rose up in the morning and said to the rulers of Balak, Get into your* land, for Jehovah refuses to give me leave to go with you*. 14 And the rulers of Moab rose up and they went to Balak and said, Balaam refuses to come with us.
15 And Balak sent yet again rulers, more and more honorable than they. 16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, I beseech you, 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. Therefore, I beseech you, come curse this people for me.
18 And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah my God, to do less or more. 19 Now therefore, I beseech you*, abide also here this night, that I may know what Jehovah will speak to me more.
20 And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, If the men come to call you, rise up, go with them, but only the word which I speak to you, that will you do. 21 And Balaam rose up in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the rulers of Moab.
22 And God's anger was kindled because he went and the messenger of Jehovah placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his donkey and his two servants were with him. 23 And the donkey saw the messenger of Jehovah standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. And Balaam killed* the donkey, to turn her into the way.
24 Then the messenger of Jehovah stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side and a wall on that side. 25 And the donkey saw the messenger of Jehovah and she thrust herself to the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall. And he killed* her again.
26 And the messenger of Jehovah 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 the donkey saw the messenger of Jehovah and she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam's anger was kindled and he killed* the donkey with his staff.
28 And Jehovah 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 And Balaam said to the donkey, Because you have mocked me. I would there were a sword in my hand, for now I would have killed you. 30 And the donkey said to Balaam, Am not I your donkey, upon which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Was I ever accustomed to do so to you? And he said, No.
31 Then Jehovah opened the eyes of Balaam and he saw the messenger of Jehovah standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand. And he bowed his head and fell on his face.
32 And the messenger of Jehovah 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 And the donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. Unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I would have even slain you and saved her alive.
34 And Balaam said to the messenger of Jehovah, I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displease you, I will get back again.
35 And the messenger of Jehovah said to Balaam, Go with the men, but only the word that I will speak to you, that you will speak. So Balaam went with the rulers of Balak.
36 And when Balak heard that Balaam came, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the outmost part of the border. 37 And Balak said to Balaam, Did I not earnestly send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able indeed to promote you to honor? 38 And 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.
39 And Balaam went with Balak and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. 40 And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep and sent to Balaam and to the rulers that were with him. 41 And it happened in the morning, that Balak took Balaam and brought him up into the high places of Baal and he saw from there the outmost part of the people.
4 And Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now will this multitude lick up all that is all around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was King of Moab at that time.
5 And he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, a people came out from Egypt. Behold, they cover the face of the earth and they abide opposite me. 6 Therefore, I beseech you, come now, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I will prevail, that we may kill* 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.
7 And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand and they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak. 8 And he said to them, Lodge here this night and I will bring you* word again, as Jehovah will speak to me. And the rulers of Moab abode with Balaam.
9 And God came to Balaam and said, What men are these with you? 10 And Balaam said to God, Balak the son of Zippor, King of Moab, has sent to me, saying, 11 Behold, the people came out of Egypt, it covers the face of the earth. Now, come curse them for me. Perhaps I will be able to fight against them and will drive them out. 12 And God said to Balaam, You will not go with them. You will not curse the people, for they are blessed.
13 And Balaam rose up in the morning and said to the rulers of Balak, Get into your* land, for Jehovah refuses to give me leave to go with you*. 14 And the rulers of Moab rose up and they went to Balak and said, Balaam refuses to come with us.
15 And Balak sent yet again rulers, more and more honorable than they. 16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, I beseech you, 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. Therefore, I beseech you, come curse this people for me.
18 And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah my God, to do less or more. 19 Now therefore, I beseech you*, abide also here this night, that I may know what Jehovah will speak to me more.
20 And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, If the men come to call you, rise up, go with them, but only the word which I speak to you, that will you do. 21 And Balaam rose up in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the rulers of Moab.
22 And God's anger was kindled because he went and the messenger of Jehovah placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his donkey and his two servants were with him. 23 And the donkey saw the messenger of Jehovah standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. And Balaam killed* the donkey, to turn her into the way.
24 Then the messenger of Jehovah stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side and a wall on that side. 25 And the donkey saw the messenger of Jehovah and she thrust herself to the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall. And he killed* her again.
26 And the messenger of Jehovah 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 the donkey saw the messenger of Jehovah and she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam's anger was kindled and he killed* the donkey with his staff.
28 And Jehovah 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 And Balaam said to the donkey, Because you have mocked me. I would there were a sword in my hand, for now I would have killed you. 30 And the donkey said to Balaam, Am not I your donkey, upon which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Was I ever accustomed to do so to you? And he said, No.
31 Then Jehovah opened the eyes of Balaam and he saw the messenger of Jehovah standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand. And he bowed his head and fell on his face.
32 And the messenger of Jehovah 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 And the donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. Unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I would have even slain you and saved her alive.
34 And Balaam said to the messenger of Jehovah, I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displease you, I will get back again.
35 And the messenger of Jehovah said to Balaam, Go with the men, but only the word that I will speak to you, that you will speak. So Balaam went with the rulers of Balak.
36 And when Balak heard that Balaam came, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the outmost part of the border. 37 And Balak said to Balaam, Did I not earnestly send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able indeed to promote you to honor? 38 And 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.
39 And Balaam went with Balak and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. 40 And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep and sent to Balaam and to the rulers that were with him. 41 And it happened in the morning, that Balak took Balaam and brought him up into the high places of Baal and he saw from there the outmost part of the people.