¶ And the children¹ of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side² Jordan by Jericho.

³And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

⁴And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

And Moab said unto the elders⁵ of Midian, Now shall⁶ this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak⁷ the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.

He sent⁸ messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor¹⁰, 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 cover¹¹ the face¹² of the earth, and they abide over against me:

Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me¹³ 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 wot¹⁴ that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.

And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination¹⁵ in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.

¹⁶And 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.

And God¹⁷ came unto Balaam, and said, What men¹⁸ are these with thee?

¶¹⁹And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,

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,²⁰ and drive them out.

And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt²¹ not go with them; thou shalt not curse²² the people: for they²³ are blessed.

And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD²⁴ refuseth to give me leave to go with you.

And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth²⁵ to come with us.

¶ And Balak sent yet again princes²⁶, more, and more honourable than they.

And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing,²⁷ I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:

For I will promote²⁸ thee unto very great honour, and I will do²⁹ whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come³⁰ therefore, I pray thee, curse me³¹ this people.

And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak³² would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot³³ go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.

³⁴Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.

¶ And God³⁵ came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men³⁶ come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet³⁷ the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.

³⁸And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

¶ And God's³⁹ anger was kindled because he went: and the angel⁴⁰ of the LORD stood⁴² in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.

And the ass saw⁴³ the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned⁴⁴ aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.

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.

And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's⁴⁵ foot against the wall: and he smote her again.

And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way⁴⁶ to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger⁴⁷ was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.

And the LORD opened⁴⁸ the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I⁴⁹ done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would⁵⁰ I kill thee.

¶ And the ass said⁵¹ unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden⁵² ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.

Then the LORD opened⁵³ 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 down⁵⁴ his head, and fell flat on his face⁵⁵.

And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore⁵⁶ hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee,⁵⁷ because thy way⁵⁸ is perverse before me⁵⁹:

And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely⁶⁰ now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.

And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned⁶¹; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee⁶², I will get⁶³ me back again.

And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go⁶⁴ with the men: but only the word that I shall speak⁶⁵ unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

¶ And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went⁶⁶ out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border⁶⁷ of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.

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?

And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I⁶⁹ now any power at all to say any thing? the word⁷⁰ that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.

And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth⁷¹.

¶⁷²And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.

And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places⁷³ of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost⁷⁴ part of the people.