Numbers 22 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Balak Sends for Balaam

1 Then the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 journeyed ^H5265 on ^H5265, and camped ^H2583 in the plains ^H6160 of Moab ^H4124 beyond ^H4480 H5676 the Jordan ^H3383 opposite Jericho ^H3405.

2 Now Balak ^H1111 the son ^H1121 of Zippor ^H6834 saw ^H7200 all ^H3605 that Israel ^H3478 had done ^H6213 to the Amorites ^H567.

3 So Moab ^H4124 was in great ^H3966 fear ^H1481 because ^H4480 H6440 of the people ^H5971, for they were numerous ^H7227; and Moab ^H4124 was in ^H6973 dread ^H6973 of the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478. 4 Moab ^H4124 said ^H559 to the elders ^H2205 of Midian ^H4080, “Now ^H6258 this [fn]horde ^H6951 will eat ^H3897 up ^H3897 all ^H3605 that is around ^H5439 us, as the ox ^H7794 eats ^H3897 up ^H3897 the grass ^H3418 of the field ^H7704!” And Balak ^H1111 the son ^H1121 of Zippor ^H6834 was king ^H4428 of Moab ^H4124 at that time ^H6256. 5 So he sent ^H7971 messengers ^H4397 to Balaam ^H1109 the son ^H1121 of Beor ^H1160, at Pethor ^H6604, which ^H834 is near ^H5921 the Euphrates River ^H5104, in the land ^H776 of the sons ^H1121 of his people ^H5971, to call ^H7121 for him, saying ^H559, “Behold ^H2009, a people ^H5971 came ^H3318 out ^H3318 of Egypt ^H4714; behold ^H2009, they have covered ^H3680 the surface ^H5869 of the land ^H776, and they are living ^H3427 opposite ^H4480 H4136 me. 6 Now ^H6258, therefore, please ^H4994 come ^H1980, curse ^H779 this ^H2088 people ^H5971 for me since ^H3588 they are too ^H4480 [fn]mighty ^H6099 for me; perhaps ^H194 I will be ^H3201 able ^H3201 to [fn]defeat ^H5221 them and drive ^H1644 them out ^H1644 of the land ^H776. For I know ^H3045 that he whom ^H834 you bless ^H1288 is blessed ^H1288, and he whom ^H834 you curse ^H779 is cursed ^H779.”

7 So the elders ^H2205 of Moab ^H4124 and the elders ^H2205 of Midian ^H4080 left ^H1980 with the fees for divination ^H7081 in their hands ^H3027; and they came ^H935 to Balaam ^H1109 and [fn]repeated ^H1696 Balak’s ^H1111 words ^H1697 to him. 8 And he said ^H559 to them, “Spend ^H3885 the night ^H3915 here ^H6311, and I will bring ^H7725 word ^H1697 back ^H7725 to you just ^H834 as ^H834 the LORD ^H3068 may speak ^H1696 to me.” And the leaders ^H8269 of Moab ^H4124 stayed ^H3427 with Balaam ^H1109. 9 Then God ^H430 came ^H935 to Balaam ^H1109 and said ^H559, “Who ^H4310 are these ^H428 men ^H376 with you?” 10 Balaam ^H1109 said ^H559 to God ^H430, “Balak ^H1111 the son ^H1121 of Zippor ^H6834, king ^H4428 of Moab ^H4124, sent ^H7971 word to me: 11 ‘Behold ^H2009, there is a people ^H5971 who came ^H3318 out ^H3318 of Egypt ^H4714, and they cover ^H3680 the surface ^H5869 of the land ^H776; now ^H6258 come ^H1980, curse ^H6895 them for me; perhaps ^H194 I will be ^H3201 able ^H3201 to fight ^H3898 against them and drive ^H1644 them out ^H1644.’” 12 But God ^H430 said ^H559 to Balaam ^H1109, “Do not go ^H1980 with them; you shall not curse ^H779 the people ^H5971, for they are blessed ^H1288.” 13 So Balaam ^H1109 got ^H6965 up ^H6965 in the morning ^H1242 and said ^H559 to Balak’s ^H1111 representatives ^H8269, “Go ^H1980 back to your land ^H776, for the LORD ^H3068 has refused ^H3985 to let ^H5414 me go ^H1980 with you.” 14 And the representatives ^H8269 from Moab ^H4124 got ^H6965 up ^H6965 and went ^H1980 to Balak ^H1111, and said ^H559, “Balaam ^H1109 refused ^H3985 to come ^H1980 with us.”

15 Then Balak ^H1111 sent ^H7971 representatives ^H8269 once ^H5750 again ^H3254, more ^H4480 numerous ^H7227 and more ^H4480 distinguished ^H3513 than ^H4480 [fn]the previous ^H428. 16 They came ^H935 to Balaam ^H1109 and said ^H559 to him, “This ^H3541 is ^H3541 what ^H3541 Balak ^H1111 the son ^H1121 of Zippor ^H6834 says ^H559: ‘I beg ^H4994 you, let nothing ^H408 keep ^H4513 you from ^H4513 H4480 coming ^H1980 to me; 17 for I will indeed ^H3513 honor ^H3513 you richly ^H3966, and I will do ^H6213 whatever ^H3605 H834 you tell ^H559 me. Please ^H4994 come ^H1980 then, curse ^H6895 this ^H2088 people ^H5971 for me.’” 18 But Balaam ^H1109 replied ^H6030 to the servants ^H5650 of Balak ^H1111, “Even if ^H518 Balak ^H1111 were to give ^H5414 me his house ^H1004 full ^H4393 of silver ^H3701 and gold ^H2091, I could ^H3201 not do ^H6213 anything, either small ^H6996 or ^H176 great ^H1419, contrary ^H5674 to the [fn]command ^H6310 of the LORD ^H3068 my God ^H430. 19 Now ^H6258 please ^H4994, you also ^H1571 stay ^H3427 here ^H2088 tonight ^H3915, and I will find ^H3045 out what ^H4100 else ^H3254 the LORD ^H3068 will say ^H1696 to me.” 20 And God ^H430 came ^H935 to Balaam ^H1109 at night ^H3915 and said ^H559 to him, “If ^H518 the men ^H376 have come ^H935 to call ^H7121 you, rise ^H6965 and go ^H1980 with them; but you shall do ^H6213 only ^H389 the thing ^H1697 that I tell ^H1696 you.”

21 So Balaam ^H1109 arose ^H6965 in the morning ^H1242, saddled ^H2280 his donkey ^H860, and went ^H1980 with the leaders ^H8269 of Moab ^H4124.

The Angel and Balaam

22 But God ^H430 was ^H2734 angry ^H639 H2734 that he was going ^H1980, and the angel ^H4397 of the LORD ^H3068 took ^H3320 his stand ^H3320 in the road ^H1870 as an adversary ^H7854 against him. Now he was riding ^H7392 on his donkey ^H860, and his two ^H8147 servants ^H5288 were with him. 23 When the donkey ^H860 saw ^H7200 the angel ^H4397 of the LORD ^H3068 standing ^H5324 in the road ^H1870 with his sword ^H2719 drawn ^H8025 in his hand ^H3027, the donkey ^H860 turned ^H5186 off ^H5186 from the road ^H1870 and went ^H1980 into the field ^H7704; and Balaam ^H1109 struck ^H5221 the donkey ^H860 to guide ^H5186 her back ^H5186 onto the road ^H1870. 24 Then the angel ^H4397 of the LORD ^H3068 stood ^H5975 in a narrow ^H4934 path ^H4934 of the vineyards ^H3754, with a stone ^H1447 wall ^H1447 on this ^H2088 side ^H2088 and on that side ^H2088. 25 When the donkey ^H860 saw ^H7200 the angel ^H4397 of the LORD ^H3068, she pressed ^H3905 herself against ^H413 the wall ^H7023 and pressed ^H3905 Balaam’s ^H1109 foot ^H7272 against ^H413 the wall ^H7023, so he struck ^H5221 her again ^H3254. 26 Then the angel ^H4397 of the LORD ^H3068 went ^H5674 farther ^H3254, and stood ^H5975 in a narrow ^H6862 place ^H4725 where ^H834 there ^H369 was ^H369 no ^H369 way ^H1870 to turn ^H5186 to the right ^H3225 or to the left ^H8040. 27 When the donkey ^H860 saw ^H7200 the angel ^H4397 of the LORD ^H3068, she lay ^H7257 down ^H7257 under ^H8478 Balaam ^H1109; so Balaam ^H1109 was ^H2734 angry ^H639 H2734 and struck ^H5221 the donkey ^H860 with his staff ^H4731. 28 Then the LORD ^H3068 opened ^H6605 the mouth ^H6310 of the donkey ^H860, and she said ^H559 to Balaam ^H1109, “What ^H4100 have I done ^H6213 to you, that you have struck ^H5221 me these ^H2088 three ^H7969 times ^H7272?” 29 And Balaam ^H1109 said ^H559 to the donkey ^H860, “It is because ^H3588 you have made ^H5953 a ^H5953 mockery ^H5953 of me! If ^H3863 only ^H3863 there ^H3426 had ^H3426 been ^H3426 a sword ^H2719 in my hand ^H3027! For I would have killed ^H2026 you by now ^H6258!” 30 But the donkey ^H860 said ^H559 to Balaam ^H1109, “Am I not your donkey ^H860 on which ^H834 you have ridden ^H7392 all ^H4480 H5750 your life ^H5750 to this ^H2088 day ^H3117? Have I ever ^H5532 been ^H5532 in ^H5532 the ^H5532 habit ^H5532 of ^H5532 doing ^H6213 such ^H3541 a ^H3541 thing ^H3541 to you?” And he said ^H559, “No ^H3808.”

31 Then the LORD ^H3068 opened ^H1540 Balaam’s ^H1109 eyes ^H5869, and he saw ^H7200 the angel ^H4397 of the LORD ^H3068 standing ^H5324 in the way ^H1870 with his sword ^H2719 drawn ^H8025 in his hand ^H3027; and he bowed ^H6915 [fn]all the way ^H1870 to the ground ^H639. 32 Then the angel ^H4397 of the LORD ^H3068 said ^H559 to him, “Why ^H5921 H4100 have you struck ^H5221 your donkey ^H860 these ^H2088 three ^H7969 times ^H7272? Behold ^H2009, I have come ^H3318 out ^H3318 as an adversary ^H7854, because ^H3588 your way ^H1870 was reckless ^H3399 and contrary ^H5048 to me. 33 But the donkey ^H860 saw ^H7200 me and turned ^H5186 away ^H5186 from me these ^H2088 three ^H7969 times ^H7272. If ^H194 she had not turned ^H5186 away ^H5186 from me, I certainly ^H3588 would have killed ^H2026 you just now ^H6258, and let her live ^H2421.” 34 So Balaam ^H1109 said ^H559 to the angel ^H4397 of the LORD ^H3068, “I have sinned ^H2398, for I did not know ^H3045 that you were standing ^H5324 in the way ^H1870 against ^H7122 me. Now ^H6258 then, if ^H518 it is displeasing ^H7451 H5869 to you, I will turn ^H7725 back ^H7725.” 35 But the angel ^H4397 of the LORD ^H3068 said ^H559 to Balaam ^H1109, “Go ^H1980 with the men ^H376, but you shall speak ^H1696 only ^H657 the word ^H1697 that I [fn]tell ^H1696 you.” So Balaam ^H1109 went ^H1980 along with the representatives ^H8269 of Balak ^H1111.

36 When Balak ^H1111 heard ^H8085 that Balaam ^H1109 was coming ^H935, he went ^H3318 out ^H3318 to meet ^H7122 him at the city ^H5892 of Moab ^H4124, which ^H834 is on the Arnon ^H769 border ^H1366, [fn]at the extreme ^H7097 end ^H7097 of the border ^H1366. 37 Then Balak ^H1111 said ^H559 to Balaam ^H1109, “Did I not urgently ^H7971 send ^H7971 word to you to call ^H7121 for you? Why ^H4100 did you not come ^H1980 to me? Am ^H3201 I really ^H552 unable ^H3808 H3201 to honor ^H3513 you?” 38 So Balaam ^H1109 said ^H559 to Balak ^H1111, “Behold ^H2009, I have come ^H935 to you now ^H6258! Am ^H3201 I really ^H3201 able ^H3201 to speak ^H1696 anything ^H3972? The word ^H1697 that God ^H430 puts ^H7760 in my mouth ^H6310, that only shall I speak ^H1696.” 39 And Balaam ^H1109 went ^H1980 with Balak ^H1111, and they came ^H935 to Kiriath-huzoth ^H7155. 40 Balak ^H1111 sacrificed ^H2076 oxen ^H1241 and sheep ^H6629, and sent ^H7971 some to Balaam ^H1109 and the leaders ^H8269 who ^H834 were with him.

41 Then it came ^H1961 about ^H1961 in the morning ^H1242 that Balak ^H1111 took ^H3947 Balaam ^H1109 and brought ^H5927 him up ^H5927 to [fn]the high ^H1116 places ^H1116 of Baal ^H1168, and he saw ^H7200 from there ^H8033 [fn]a portion ^H7097 of the people ^H5971.