Geneva Study Bible And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho. And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on {a} this side Jordan by Jericho.
(a) Being at Jericho, it was beyond the Jordan, but where the Israelites were, it was on this side. And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 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 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. And Moab said unto the {b} 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.
(b) Who were the heads and governors. 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: He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the {c} 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:
(c) That is, Euphrates, upon which stood this city Pethor. 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. 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 the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with {d} the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.
(d) Thinking to bribe him with gifts to curse the Israelites. 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. And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and {e} the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
(e) Whom before he called elders: meaning the governors, and later calls them servants: that is, subjects to their king. And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee? 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, 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. 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 God {f} said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.
(f) He warned him by a dream, that he should not consent to the kings wicked request. 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. 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 {g} me leave to go with you.
(g) Or else he would have been willing, covetousness had so blinded his heart. And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us. 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 Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable 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: And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, {h} Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:
(h) The wicked seek by all means to further their naughty enterprises, though they know that God is against them. 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. For I will promote thee unto very great honor, 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 LORD my God, to do less or more. 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.
Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more. Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me {i} more.
(i) Because he tempted God to require him contrary to his commandment, his petition was granted, but it turned to his own condemnation. 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 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 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 LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. And God's anger was kindled because he {k} 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.
(k) Moved rather with covetousness than to obey God. 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. 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.
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. {l} 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.
(l) The second time. 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. 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.
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. 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.
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. 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.
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? And the LORD {m} 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?
(m) Gave her power to speak. 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 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. And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever {n} since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.
(n) Since you have been my master. 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. Then the LORD {o} 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.
(o) For if the Lord does not open your eyes, you can see neither his anger or his love. 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: 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 {p} way is perverse before me:
(p) Both your heart is corrupt and your enterprise wicked. 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. 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.
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. 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.
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. And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the {q} word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
(q) Because his heart was evil, his charge was renewed, that he should not pretend ignorance. 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. And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the {r} border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.
(r) Near the place where the Israelites camped. 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? 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 honor?
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. And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say {s} any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.
(s) On my own I can say nothing, I will only speak what God reveals, whether it is good or bad. And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth. And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth.
And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him. And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
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. And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of {t} Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people. (t) Where the idol Baal was worshipped. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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