Numbers 22

And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.

1The people of Israel traveled on. They camped on the flat land of Moab. This was near the Jordan River, across from the city of Jericho.

2And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

2Balak was the son of Zippor. He saw everything Israel had done to the Amorites.

3And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

3Moab was very afraid of these people, because there were so many. The people of Moab were full of worry about Israel.

4And 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.

4Moab said to the leaders of Midian, "This big crowd will eat up everything around us. They will be like an ox eating grass in a field." Balak son of Zippor was the king of Moab then.

5He 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:

5So Balak sent messengers to a man named Balaam son of Beor. Balaam lived in Pethor, by the great river, in his own homeland. Balak said, "A people has come out of Egypt. They cover the whole land. They are camped right next to me."

6Come 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.

6"Please come and curse these people for me. To curse means to ask for bad things to happen to them. They are too strong for me. Maybe then I can beat them and push them out of the land. I know that people you bless do well. People you curse do badly."

7And 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.

7The leaders of Moab and Midian left with money in their hands. It was payment for Balaam's work. They came to Balaam and told him what Balak had said.

Note"The rewards of divination" means money paid to a man for trying to find out hidden things and speak words of blessing or cursing.

8And 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.

8Balaam said, "Stay here tonight. I will tell you what the LORD says to me." So the leaders of Moab stayed with Balaam.

9And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?

9Then God came to Balaam. God asked, "Who are these men with you?"

10And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,

10Balaam said to God, "Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, sent them to me. He sent this message:"

11Behold, 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.

11"'A people has come out of Egypt. They cover the whole land. Come and curse them for me. Maybe then I can fight them and push them away.'"

12And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.

12God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. Do not curse those people. I have blessed them."

13And 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.

13Balaam got up the next morning. He said to Balak's leaders, "Go back home. The LORD will not let me go with you."

14And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.

14So the leaders of Moab got up and went back to Balak. They said, "Balaam would not come with us."

15And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.

15Then Balak sent more leaders. This group was bigger and more important than the first.

16And 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:

16They came to Balaam and said, "Balak son of Zippor says this: 'Please do not let anything stop you from coming to me.'"

17For 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.

17"'I will pay you very well and give you great honor. I will do whatever you tell me. So please come and curse these people for me.'"

18And 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.

18Balaam answered Balak's servants, "Balak could fill his house with silver and gold for me. Even then I could not go against what the LORD my God says. I cannot change it in any way, big or small."

19Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.

19"But please stay here tonight too. Then I can find out what more the LORD will say to me."

20And 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.

20That night God came to Balaam. God said, "These men came to get you. So get up and go with them. But you must do only what I tell you."

21And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

21In the morning Balaam got up. He put a saddle on his donkey. Then he went with the leaders of Moab.

NoteThe King James Bible uses the old word "ass." It means a donkey.

22And 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 were with him.

22God was angry that Balaam went. So the angel of the LORD stood in the road to block him. An angel is a messenger sent by God. Balaam was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

23And 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.

23The donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road. The angel was holding a sword, ready to use it. The donkey turned off the road and went into a field. Balaam hit the donkey to make her go back.

24But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.

24Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between two grape gardens. There was a wall on each side.

25And 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.

25The donkey saw the angel of the LORD. She pushed herself against the wall. This squeezed Balaam's foot against the wall. So he hit her again.

26And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

26The angel of the LORD moved ahead. He stood in a tight spot. There was no room to turn left or right.

27And 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.

27The donkey saw the angel of the LORD. She lay down under Balaam. Balaam got very angry and hit her with his stick.

28And 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?

28Then the LORD let the donkey speak. She said to Balaam, "What did I do to you? Why have you hit me three times?"

29And 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.

29Balaam said to the donkey, "You made me look silly. If I had a sword, I would kill you right now."

30And 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.

30The donkey said to Balaam, "I am your own donkey. You have ridden me all your life until today. Have I ever acted like this before?" Balaam said, "No."

31Then 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.

31Then the LORD let Balaam see. He saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road, holding a sword. Balaam bowed low and lay face down on the ground.

32And 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 thy way is perverse before me:

32The angel of the LORD said to him, "Why did you hit your donkey three times? I came out to stand against you. The path you are taking is wrong to me."

33And 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.

33"The donkey saw me and turned away three times. If she had not turned away, I would have killed you by now. I would have let her live."

34And 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.

34Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have done wrong. I did not know you were standing in the road against me. If this trip is wrong, I will go back home."

35And 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.

35The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men. But say only what I tell you to say." So Balaam went on with Balak's leaders.

36And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.

36Balak heard that Balaam was coming. He went out to meet him at a Moabite town. The town was on the Arnon border, at the far edge of his land.

37And 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?

37Balak said to Balaam, "I sent for you again and again. Why did you not come? Did you think I could not pay you well?"

38And 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.

38Balaam said to Balak, "Look, I have come to you. But I cannot say whatever I want. I must speak only the words God puts in my mouth."

39And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth.

39So Balaam went with Balak. They came to a place called Kirjathhuzoth.

40And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.

40Balak killed cattle and sheep as gifts to his gods. He sent some of the meat to Balaam and to the leaders with him.

41And 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 part of the people.

41The next morning Balak took Balaam up to the high places of Baal. From there Balaam could see the edge of the camp of Israel.

Note"The high places of Baal" were hilltop spots where people worshiped a god called Baal. They were high up, so you could see far.