Numbers - Chapter 22 | King James Version (KJV)

  • 1. And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan {cf15I by} Jericho.
  • 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 {cf15I 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 {cf15I that are} round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor {cf15I was} king of the Moabites at that time.
  • 5. He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which {cf15I 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 {cf15I are} too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, {cf15I that} we may smite them, and {cf15I that} I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest {cf15I 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 {cf15I are} these with thee?
  • 10. And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, {cf15I saying},
  • 11. Behold, {cf15I 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 {cf15I 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, {cf15I 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 {cf15I 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 {cf15I 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 {cf15I 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, {cf15I Am} not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since {cf15I 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 {cf15I 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 {cf15I is} in the border of Arnon, which {cf15I 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 {cf15I 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 {cf15I part} of the people.
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