| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Then the people of Israel set out and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho. | 1The Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan River across from Jericho. |
| 2And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. | 2Balak son of Zippor saw all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites. |
| 3And Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were many. Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel. | 3And the Moabites were greatly afraid of the people, because they were so numerous. The Moabites were sick with fear because of the Israelites. |
| 4And Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, | 4So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, "Now this mass of people will lick up everything around us, as the bull devours the grass of the field. Now Balak son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at this time. |
| 5sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the people of Amaw, to call him, saying, “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me. | 5And he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates River in the land of Amaw, to summon him, saying, "Look, a nation has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are settling next to me. |
| 6Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.” | 6So now, please come and curse this nation for me, for they are too powerful for me. Perhaps I will prevail so that we may conquer them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed." |
| 7So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand. And they came to Balaam and gave him Balak’s message. | 7So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fee for divination in their hand. They came to Balaam and reported to him the words of Balak. |
| 8And he said to them, “Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the LORD speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. | 8He replied to them, "Stay here tonight, and I will bring back to you whatever word the LORD may speak to me." So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. |
| 9And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” | 9And God came to Balaam and said, "Who are these men with you?" |
| 10And Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, | 10Balaam said to God, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent a message to me, saying, |
| 11‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Now come, curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them and drive them out.’” | 11"Look, a nation has come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Come now and put a curse on them for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them and drive them out." |
| 12God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” | 12But God said to Balaam, "You must not go with them; you must not curse the people, for they are blessed." |
| 13So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your own land, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you.” | 13So Balaam got up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, "Go to your land, for the LORD has refused to permit me to go with you." |
| 14So the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.” | 14So the princes of Moab departed and went back to Balak and said, "Balaam refused to come with us." |
| 15Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than these. | 15Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. |
| 16And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Let nothing hinder you from coming to me, | 16And they came to Balaam and said to him, "Thus says Balak son of Zippor: 'Please do not let anything hinder you from coming to me. |
| 17for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Come, curse this people for me.’” | 17For I will honor you greatly, and whatever you tell me I will do. So come, put a curse on this nation for me.'" |
| 18But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the LORD my God to do less or more. | 18Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, "Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the commandment of the LORD my God to do less or more. |
| 19So you, too, please stay here tonight, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me.” | 19Now therefore, please stay the night here also, that I may know what more the LORD might say to me." |
| 20And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you.” | 20God came to Balaam that night, and said to him, "If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them; but the word that I will say to you, that you must do." |
| 21So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. | 21So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. |
| 22But God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him. | 22Then God's anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him. |
| 23And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road. | 23And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, so the donkey turned aside from the road and went into the field. But Balaam beat the donkey, to make her turn back to the road. |
| 24Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. | 24Then the angel of the LORD stood in a path among the vineyards, where there was a wall on either side. |
| 25And when the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So he struck her again. | 25And when the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed herself into the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall. So he beat her again. |
| 26Then the angel of the LORD went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. | 26Then the angel of the LORD went farther, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. |
| 27When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. | 27When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she crouched down under Balaam. Then Balaam was angry, and he beat his donkey with a staff. |
| 28Then the LORD 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?” | 28Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?" |
| 29And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.” | 29And Balaam said to the donkey, "You have made me look stupid; I wish there were a sword in my hand, for I would kill you right now." |
| 30And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.” | 30The donkey said to Balaam, "Am not I your donkey that you have ridden ever since I was yours until this day? Have I ever attempted to treat you this way?" And he said, "No." |
| 31Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. | 31Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with his sword drawn in his hand; so he bowed his head and threw himself down with his face to the ground. |
| 32And the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me. | 32The angel of the LORD said to him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you because what you are doing is perverse before me. |
| 33The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.” | 33The donkey saw me and turned from me these three times. If she had not turned from me, I would have killed you but saved her alive." |
| 34Then Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.” | 34Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood against me in the road. So now, if it is evil in your sight, I will go back home." |
| 35And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.” So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak. | 35But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but you may only speak the word that I will speak to you." So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. |
| 36When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, on the border formed by the Arnon, at the extremity of the border. | 36When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at a city of Moab which was on the border of the Arnon at the boundary of his territory. |
| 37And Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?” | 37Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not send again and again to you to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?" |
| 38Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you! Have I now any power of my own to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak.” | 38Balaam said to Balak, "Look, I have come to you. Now, am I able to speak just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth." |
| 39Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. | 39So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. |
| 40And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent for Balaam and for the princes who were with him. | 40And Balak sacrificed bulls and sheep, and sent some to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him. |
| 41And in the morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal, and from there he saw a fraction of the people. | 41Then on the next morning Balak took Balaam, and brought him up to Bamoth Baal. From there he saw the extent of the nation. |
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