And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by* Jericho.
¶ And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
And 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 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.
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:
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.
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.
And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w** shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are* these with thee?
And 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, and drive them out.
And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are* blessed.
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w** refuseth to give me leave to go with you.
And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.
¶ And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.
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:
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.
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 \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w** my God, to do less or more.
Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w** will say unto me more.
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.
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
¶ And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w** stood 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 saw the angel of the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w** 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.
But the angel of the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w** 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 \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w**, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again.
And the angel of the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w** went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was* no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
And when the ass saw the angel of the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w**, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
And the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w** 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?
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.
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.