Numbers, starting at chapter 22
{22:1} The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in the plains
of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho. {22:2} Balak the son of Zippor
saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. {22:3} Moab was sore
afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed
because of the children of Israel. {22:4} Moab said to the elders of
Midian, Now will this multitude lick up all that is round about us, as
the ox licks up the grass of the field. Balak the son of Zippor was
king of Moab at that time. {22:5} He sent messengers to Balaam the son
of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to 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 surface of the earth, and they
abide over against me. {22:6} Please come now therefore curse me this
people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail,
that we may strike them, and that I may drive them out of the land;
for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is
cursed. {22:7} The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed
with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam,
and spoke to him the words of Balak. {22:8} He said to them, Lodge
here this night, and I will bring you word again, as Yahweh shall
speak to me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam. {22:9} God
came to Balaam, and said, What men are these with you? {22:10} Balaam
said to God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me,
[saying], {22:11} Behold, the people that is come out of Egypt, it
covers the surface of the earth: now, come curse me them; peradventure
I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.
{22:12} God said to Balaam, You shall not go with them; you shall not
curse the people; for they are blessed. {22:13} Balaam rose up in the
morning, and said to the princes of Balak, Get you into your land; for
Yahweh refuses to give me leave to go with you. {22:14} The princes of
Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, Balaam refuses to come
with us. {22:15} Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more
honorable than they. {22:16} They came to Balaam, and said to him,
Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, Please let nothing hinder you from
coming to me: {22:17} for I will promote you to very great honor, and
whatever you say to me I will do. Please come therefore, and curse
this people for me. {22:18} Balaam answered the servants of Balak, If
Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can't go
beyond the word of Yahweh my God, to do less or more. {22:19} Now
therefore, please wait also here this night, that I may know what
Yahweh will speak to me more. {22:20} God came to Balaam at night, and
said to him, If the men are come to call you, rise up, go with them;
but only the word which I speak to you, that shall you do. {22:21}
Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with
the princes of Moab. {22:22} God's anger was kindled because he went;
and the angel of Yahweh placed himself in the way for an adversary
against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants
were with him. {22:23} The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in
the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned aside
out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam struck the donkey,
to turn her into the way. {22:24} Then the angel of Yahweh stood in a
narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a
wall on that side. {22:25} The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, and she
thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the
wall: and he struck her again. {22:26} The angel of Yahweh went
further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either
to the right hand or to the left. {22:27} The donkey saw the angel of
Yahweh, and she lay down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled,
and he struck the donkey with his staff. {22:28} Yahweh opened the
mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, What have I done to you,
that you have struck me these three times? {22:29} Balaam said to the
donkey, Because you have mocked me, I would there were a sword in my
hand, for now I had killed you. {22:30} The donkey said to Balaam, Am
I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this
day? was I ever wont to do so to you? and he said, No. {22:31} Then
Yahweh opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of Yahweh
standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed
his head, and fell on his face. {22:32} The angel of Yahweh said to
him, Why have you struck your donkey these three times? behold, I am
come forth for an adversary, because your way is perverse before me:
{22:33} and the donkey saw me, and turned aside before me these three
times: unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I had even
slain you, and saved her alive. {22:34} Balaam said to the angel of
Yahweh, I have sinned; for I didn't know that you stood in the way
against me: now therefore, if it displease you, I will get me back
again. {22:35} The angel of Yahweh said to Balaam, Go with the men;
but only the word that I shall speak to you, that you shall speak. So
Balaam went with the princes of Balak. {22:36} When Balak heard that
Balaam was come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is
on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.
{22:37} Balak said to Balaam, Didn't I earnestly send to you to call
you? why didn't you come to me? am I not able indeed to promote you to
honor? {22:38} Balaam said to Balak, Behold, I have come to you: have
I now any power at all to speak anything? the word that God puts in my
mouth, that shall I speak. {22:39} Balaam went with Balak, and they
came to Kiriath Huzoth. {22:40} Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and
sent to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him. {22:41} It
happened in the morning, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up
into the high places of Baal; and he saw from there the utmost part of
the people.
{23:1} Balaam said to Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare
me here seven bulls and seven rams. {23:2} Balak did as Balaam had
spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bull and a ram.
{23:3} Balaam said to Balak, Stand by your burnt offering, and I will
go: perhaps Yahweh will come to meet me; and whatever he shows me I
will tell you. He went to a bare height. {23:4} God met Balaam: and he
said to him, I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a
bull and a ram on every altar. {23:5} Yahweh put a word in Balaam's
mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak. {23:6} He
returned to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt offering,
he, and all the princes of Moab. {23:7} He took up his parable, and
said, From Aram has Balak brought me, The king of Moab from the
mountains of the East: Come, curse me Jacob, Come, defy Israel. {23:8}
How shall I curse, whom God has not cursed? How shall I defy, whom
Yahweh has not defied? {23:9} For from the top of the rocks I see him,
From the hills I see him: behold, it is a people that dwells alone,
And shall not be reckoned among the nations. {23:10} Who can count the
dust of Jacob, Or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the
death of the righteous, Let my last end be like his! {23:11} Balak
said to Balaam, What have you done to me? I took you to curse my
enemies, and behold, you have blessed them altogether. {23:12} He
answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Yahweh
puts in my mouth? {23:13} Balak said to him, Please come with me to
another place, from whence you may see them; you shall see but the
utmost part of them, and shall not see them all: and curse me them
from there. {23:14} He took him into the field of Zophim, to the top
of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered up a bull and a ram on
every altar. {23:15} He said to Balak, Stand here by your burnt
offering, while I meet [Yahweh] yonder. {23:16} Yahweh met Balaam, and
put a word in his mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus shall you
speak. {23:17} He came to him, and behold, he was standing by his
burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. Balak said to him,
What has Yahweh spoken? {23:18} He took up his parable, and said,
Rise up, Balak, and hear!
Listen to me, you son of Zippor.
{23:19} God is not a man, that he should lie,
nor the son of man, that he should repent.
Has he said, and will he not do it?
Or has he spoken, and will he not make it good?
{23:20} Behold, I have received a command to bless.
He has blessed, and I can't reverse it.
{23:21} He has not seen iniquity in Jacob.
Neither has he seen perverseness in Israel.
Yahweh his God is with him.
The shout of a king is among them.
{23:22} God brings them out of Egypt.
He has as it were the strength of the wild ox.
{23:23} Surely there is no enchantment with Jacob;
Neither is there any divination with Israel.
Now it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel,
What has God done!
{23:24} Behold, the people rises up as a lioness,
As a lion he lifts himself up.
He shall not lie down until he eat of the prey,
and drinks the blood of the slain.
{23:25} Balak said to Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless
them at all. {23:26} But Balaam answered Balak, Didn't I tell you,
saying, All that Yahweh speaks, that I must do? {23:27} Balak said to
Balaam, Come now, I will take you to another place; peradventure it
will please God that you may curse me them from there. {23:28} Balak
took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks down on the desert. {23:29}
Balaam said to Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here
seven bulls and seven rams. {23:30} Balak did as Balaam had said, and
offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.
{24:1} When Balaam saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel, he
didn't go, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he
set his face toward the wilderness. {24:2} Balaam lifted up his eyes,
and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit
of God came on him. {24:3} He took up his parable, and said,
Balaam the son of Beor says,
the man whose eye was closed says;
{24:4} he says, who hears the words of God,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
falling down, and having his eyes open:
{24:5} How goodly are your tents, Jacob,
and your tents, Israel!
{24:6} As valleys they are spread forth,
as gardens by the riverside,
as aloes which Yahweh has planted,
as cedar trees beside the waters.
{24:7} Water shall flow from his buckets.
His seed shall be in many waters.
His king shall be higher than Agag.
His kingdom shall be exalted.
{24:8} God brings him out of Egypt.
He has as it were the strength of the wild ox.
He shall eat up the nations his adversaries,
shall break their bones in pieces,
and pierce them with his arrows.
{24:9} He couched, he lay down as a lion,
as a lioness; who shall rouse him up?
Everyone who blesses you is blessed.
Everyone who curses you is cursed.
{24:10} Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his
hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, I called you to curse my
enemies, and, behold, you have altogether blessed them these three
times. {24:11} Therefore now flee you to your place: I thought to
promote you to great honor; but, behold, Yahweh has kept you back from
honor. {24:12} Balaam said to Balak, Didn't I also tell your
messengers who you sent to me, saying, {24:13} If Balak would give me
his house full of silver and gold, I can't go beyond the word of
Yahweh, to do either good or bad of my own mind; what Yahweh speaks,
that will I speak? {24:14} Now, behold, I go to my people: come, [and]
I will advertise you what this people shall do to your people in the
latter days. {24:15} He took up his parable, and said,
Balaam the son of Beor says,
the man whose eye was closed says;
{24:16} he says, who hears the words of God,
knows the knowledge of the Most High,
and who sees the vision of the Almighty,
Falling down, and having his eyes open:
{24:17} I see him, but not now.
I see him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob.
A scepter will rise out of Israel,
and shall strike through the corners of Moab,
and break down all the sons of Sheth.
{24:18} Edom shall be a possession.
Seir, his enemies, also shall be a possession,
while Israel does valiantly.
{24:19} Out of Jacob shall one have dominion,
and shall destroy the remnant from the city.
{24:20} He looked at Amalek, and took up his parable, and said,
Amalek was the first of the nations,
But his latter end shall come to destruction.
{24:21} He looked at the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said,
Your dwelling place is strong.
Your nest is set in the rock.
{24:22} Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted,
until Asshur carries you away captive.
{24:23} He took up his parable, and said,
Alas, who shall live when God does this?
{24:24} But ships [shall come] from the coast of Kittim.
They shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber.
He also shall come to destruction.
{24:25} Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and
Balak also went his way.
___
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