2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites 3 And Moab was sore afraid of the people because they were many and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel 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 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 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 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 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 And God came unto Balaam and said What men are these with thee 10 And Balaam said unto God Balak the son of Zippor king of Moab hath sent unto me saying 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 unto Balaam Thou shalt not go with them thou shalt not curse the people for they are blessed 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 up and they went unto Balak and said Balaam refuseth to come with us
15 And Balak sent yet again princes more and more honourable than they 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 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 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 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 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 And Balaam rose up in the morning and saddled his ass and went with the princes of Moab
22 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 unto the ass Because thou hast mocked me I would there were a sword in mine hand for now would I kill thee 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 And Balaam went with Balak and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth __ 40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep and sent to Balaam and to the princes that were with him
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
