Balaam

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

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

NoteThe Amorites were a people who lived nearby. Israel had just fought them and won.

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

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

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.

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.

NoteMidian was another group of people living near Moab. Their leaders were the older men everyone listened to.

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."

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:

NotePethor was a town far away, next to a big river. Balaam was known for saying blessings and curses. People believed his words came true.

6"Please come and curse these people for me. 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."

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.

NoteTo bless someone means to ask for good things to happen to them. Back then people believed a blessing or a curse had real power. To curse someone means to ask for bad things to happen to them.

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.

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.

NotePeople paid men like Balaam to ask the gods what would happen. The money was his pay for doing that work.

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

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.

NoteThe LORD in big letters is God's own name. The Bible prints it that way to show it is a name.

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

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

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

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

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.'"

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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"'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.'"

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.

NoteHonor here means being treated as important. Balak promised Balaam money and a big place at his side.

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."

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

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

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."

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.

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

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

NoteA donkey is a small animal a bit like a horse. People rode donkeys on long trips.

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

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 were with him.

NoteAn angel is a messenger sent by God.

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.

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.

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

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.

NoteFarmers built stone walls around their grape fields. The path between two walls was too narrow to turn around in.

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.

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.

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

And 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.

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

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.

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

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?

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

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

NoteLying face down on the ground was a way to show great respect.

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."

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 thy way is perverse before me:

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."

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

And 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.

NoteThe Arnon was a river. It marked the edge of Balak's land.

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?"

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?

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."

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.

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

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

NoteKirjathhuzoth is the name of a town in Moab.

40Balak killed cattle and sheep as a sacrifice. He sent some of the meat to Balaam and to the leaders with him.

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

NoteKilling an animal as a gift to a god was called a sacrifice. Afterward the people shared the meat at a big meal. A sacrifice means killing an animal as a gift to a god. Afterward the people shared the meat at a big meal.

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.

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 part of the people.

NoteBaal was a god the people of Moab worshiped. High places were spots on hills where people went to worship their gods.

1He said to Balak, the king of Moab, "Build me seven altars here. Also bring seven bulls and seven rams."

And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.

NoteAn altar is a table built of stones. People burned gifts to God on top of it. A ram is a grown male sheep. Moab was a country close to where Israel camped, and Balak was its king. Seven was a special number. It stood for something whole and complete.

2Balak did what Balaam asked. On each altar the two men offered a bull and a ram. The animals were killed and burned as gifts to God.

And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.

NoteA farm animal was a costly gift. It was one of the most valuable things a family owned.

3Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here beside your offering. I am going away for a while. Maybe the LORD will come and meet me. Whatever he shows me, I will tell you." Then Balaam went up to a bare hilltop.

And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place.

NoteThe LORD, in big letters, is God's own special name. In those days people often climbed a hill to pray and to meet God.

4God met Balaam there. Balaam said to him, "I have set up seven altars. On each one I offered a bull and a ram."

And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.

5The LORD gave Balaam the words to say. He told him, "Go back to Balak and speak these words."

And the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.

6So Balaam went back to him. Balak was standing beside his burning gift. All the leaders of Moab stood there too.

And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.

7Then Balaam spoke his message out loud, like a poem: "Balak brought me here from Aram, from the mountains in the east. He said, 'Come and curse Jacob's family for me. Come and speak against Israel.'

And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.

NoteTo curse someone means to ask for bad things to happen to them. People believed a curse had real power. Aram was a land far away to the north. Balaam walked many days to get here. Jacob's family is another name for the people of Israel. Jacob was their father long ago, and Israel was his other name.

8"But how can I curse people God has not cursed? How can I speak against people the LORD has not spoken against?

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?

9"I see them from the top of the rocks. I watch them from the hills. They are a people who live on their own. They are not counted with the other nations.

For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

NoteA nation is a large group of people with their own land and their own ruler.

10"Jacob's people are like dust on the ground. Who could ever count them? Who could count even one fourth of Israel? I wish I could die the way good people die. I wish my end could be like theirs."

Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!

11Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies. Instead you have only blessed them!"

And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

NoteTo bless someone means to ask God to give that person good things.

12Balaam answered, "I must be careful to say only what the LORD gives me to say."

And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?

13Balak said to him, "Please come with me to a different place. From there you will see only the edge of their camp. You will not see all of them. Curse them for me from there."

And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.

14So Balak took him to the field of Zophim, on top of Mount Pisgah. There he built seven altars. He offered a bull and a ram on each one.

And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.

NotePisgah was a tall mountain in Moab. From the top you could see far across the land.

15Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here beside your burning gift. I will go over there to meet the LORD."

And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.

16The LORD met Balaam and gave him words to say. He told him, "Go back to Balak and speak these words."

And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.

17Balaam came back to him. Balak was standing beside his burning gift, with the leaders of Moab. Balak asked him, "What did the LORD say?"

And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken?

18Then Balaam spoke his message out loud: "Stand up, Balak, and listen. Hear what I say, son of Zippor.

And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

NoteZippor was Balak's father. Back then people often named a man by telling whose son he was.

19"God is not a person, so he does not lie. He is not a human, so he does not change his mind. When he says something, does he not do it? When he promises, does he not keep it?

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

20"I was told to bless these people. God has blessed them. I cannot turn that around.

Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

21"He has not seen wrong in Jacob's people. He has not seen trouble in Israel. The LORD their God is with them. They shout out loud for their king.

He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.

NoteWhen a king came near, his people cheered out loud. The shout showed everyone that their king was with them.

22"God brought them out of Egypt. They are as strong as a wild ox.

God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.

NoteThe people of Israel had once been slaves in Egypt. God brought them out and made them free. The King James Bible says "unicorn" here. It does not mean a horse with one horn. The old word meant a huge wild ox, an animal much stronger than a farm cow.

23"No magic spell can work against Jacob. No fortune telling can harm Israel. Now people will say about Jacob and Israel, 'Look what God has done!'

Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!

NoteA spell was special words people said to try to make something happen. Fortune telling means trying to learn the future using magic.

24"Look, these people get up like a great lion. They rise up like a young lion. They will not lie down until they have eaten what they hunted. They drink the blood of the ones they killed."

Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.

NoteBalaam does not mean these people are really lions. He means they are strong and brave like a lion.

25Balak said to Balaam, "Then do not curse them at all. But do not bless them either!"

And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

26Balaam answered Balak, "I already told you. I must do whatever the LORD says."

But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?

27Balak said to Balaam, "Please come with me. I will take you to another place. Maybe God will be willing to let you curse them from there."

And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.

28So Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor. From there they could look out over the empty desert.

And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.

29Balaam said to Balak, "Build me seven altars here. Get seven bulls and seven rams ready for me."

And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

30Balak did what Balaam said. He offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.

1Balaam saw that the LORD wanted to bless Israel. So this time he did not go looking for magic signs. He turned and looked out toward the dry, empty land.

And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

NoteBalaam was a man people paid to bless or curse others. A king named Balak had paid him to curse Israel. Magic signs were things people looked at to guess the future.

2Balaam looked up and saw Israel camped below. Each family group had its own place. Then the Spirit of God came on him.

And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.

NoteIsrael was made of twelve big family groups called tribes. Each tribe camped in its own spot. God's Spirit came on Balaam so he would say God's words, not his own.

3He began to speak the message God gave him. He said, "This is what Balaam son of Beor says. This is what the man with open eyes says."

And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:

NoteThe King James calls this a "parable". Here it means a message from God, spoken out loud like a poem. "Open eyes" means Balaam could see what God showed him.

4"He heard the words of God. He saw a picture that God Most Powerful showed him. He bowed low, and his eyes were wide open."

He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

Note"The Almighty" is a name for God. It means God can do anything. The picture Balaam saw came into his mind while he was awake.

5"Jacob, your tents look so good. Israel, your homes are lovely." Jacob and Israel are both names for these people.

How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!

NoteJacob was a man who lived long before this. God gave him a second name, Israel. His family grew into all these people, so both names mean the same group.

6"They spread out like green valleys. They are like gardens beside a stream. They are like sweet-smelling aloe trees the LORD planted. They are like tall cedar trees by the water."

As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.

NoteAloe trees have wood that smells sweet and nice. Cedar trees grow very tall and strong. Both were trees people loved.

7"Water will pour out of his buckets. His children will have plenty of water. His king will be greater than King Agag. His kingdom will be lifted high."

He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.

NoteThat land was dry, so water was precious. Buckets full of water meant a family would have plenty. Agag was the name of a strong king who lived nearby.

8"God brought them out of Egypt. They are strong like a wild ox. They will win against the nations who fight them. They will break their bones and shoot them with arrows."

God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.

NoteThe King James says "an unicorn" here. Long ago that word meant a wild ox. It was a big, strong animal with horns.

9"He crouches down. He lies down like a lion. He is like a mother lion. Who would dare wake him up? Anyone who blesses you will be blessed. Anyone who curses you will be cursed."

He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.

NoteTo bless someone means to ask God to do good things for them. To curse someone means to ask for bad things instead.