1 The children of Israel moved on and encamped in the plains of Moab, across the Jordan from Jericho.
2 Balak son of Zippor had seen everything Israel had done to the Amorites,
3 and Moab was terrified of the people because there were so many of them; Moab was filled with dread at the children of Israel.
4 Moab said to the elders of Midian, "This mob will now lick up everything around us, the way an ox licks up the grass of the field." Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time,
5 and he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the River, in the land of his people's sons, to summon him with this message: "Look, a people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land, and they have settled right next to me.
6 So come now, please, and curse this people for me, since they are too powerful for me. Then I may be able to defeat them and drive them from the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed."
7 The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian set out with the fee for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and gave him Balak's message.
8 He said to them, "Spend the night here, and I will bring you back whatever answer the LORD gives me." So the officials of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9 God came to Balaam and asked, "Who are these men staying with you?"
10 Balaam said to God, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent me this message:
11 'A people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the land. Come now and curse them for me; then I may be able to fight them and drive them out.'"
12 But God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. You must not curse the people, because they are blessed."
13 In the morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's officials, "Go back to your own country, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you."
14 So the officials of Moab got up, went back to Balak, and said, "Balaam refused to come with us."
15 Balak sent officials again, more numerous and more distinguished than the first.
16 They came to Balaam and said to him, "This is what Balak son of Zippor says: 'Please do not let anything keep you from coming to me.
17 I will reward you very richly and do whatever you tell me. Only come and curse this people for me.'"
18 Balaam answered Balak's servants, "Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, small or great, that goes beyond the word of the LORD my God.
19 Now you too, please stay here tonight, so I may find out what else the LORD will tell me."
20 That night God came to Balaam and said to him, "If the men have come to summon you, get up and go with them. But you must do only what I tell you."
21 So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and set off with the officials of Moab.
22 But God's anger burned because he was going, and the angel of the LORD stationed himself in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into the field, and Balaam beat the donkey to get her back onto the road.
24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow lane between vineyards, with a wall on either side.
25 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she squeezed against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against it, so he beat her again.
26 The angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow spot where there was no room to turn either right or left.
27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam. Balaam's anger burned, and he beat the donkey with his staff.
28 Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?"
29 Balaam answered the donkey, "Because you have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!"
30 The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey, which you have ridden all your life up to this day? Have I ever been in the habit of treating you this way?" "No," he said.
31 Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. He bowed and fell face down.
32 The angel of the LORD said to him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? It is I who have come out to oppose you, because your way is reckless before me.
33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. Had she not turned away from me, I would surely have killed you by now and spared her."
34 Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned. I did not know you were standing in the road to meet me. Now, if this displeases you, I will turn back."
35 The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but say only what I tell you." So Balaam went along with Balak's officials.
36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at Ir-moab, on the Arnon border at the farthest point of his territory.
37 Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not send for you urgently? Why didn't you come to me? Am I really unable to reward you?"
38 Balaam answered Balak, "Well, I have come to you now. But can I say just anything? I must speak only the word God puts in my mouth."
39 Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.
40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep and sent to Balaam and to the officials who were with him.
41 The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth-baal, and from there he could see the outer edge of the people.