| New International Version | English Standard Version |
| 1Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho. | 1Then the people of Israel set out and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho. |
| 2Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, | 2And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. |
| 3and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites. | 3And Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were many. Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel. |
| 4The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, "This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field." So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, | 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, |
| 5sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River, in his native land. Balak said: "A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. | 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. |
| 6Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed." | 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.” |
| 7The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said. | 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. |
| 8"Spend the night here," Balaam said to them, "and I will report back to you with the answer the LORD gives me." So the Moabite officials stayed with him. | 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. |
| 9God came to Balaam and asked, "Who are these men with you?" | 9And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” |
| 10Balaam said to God, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: | 10And Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, |
| 11A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.'" | 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.’” |
| 12But God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed." | 12God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” |
| 13The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's officials, "Go back to your own country, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you." | 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.” |
| 14So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, "Balaam refused to come with us." | 14So the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.” |
| 15Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. | 15Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than these. |
| 16They came to Balaam and said: "This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, | 16And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Let nothing hinder you from coming to me, |
| 17because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me." | 17for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Come, curse this people for me.’” |
| 18But Balaam answered them, "Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the LORD my God. | 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. |
| 19Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the LORD will tell me." | 19So you, too, please stay here tonight, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me.” |
| 20That night God came to Balaam and said, "Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you." | 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.” |
| 21Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. | 21So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. |
| 22But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. | 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. |
| 23When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road. | 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. |
| 24Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides. | 24Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. |
| 25When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam's foot against it. So he beat the donkey again. | 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. |
| 26Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. | 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. |
| 27When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff. | 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. |
| 28Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and it said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat 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 struck me these three times?” |
| 29Balaam answered the donkey, "You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now." | 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.” |
| 30The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?" "No," he said. | 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.” |
| 31Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown. | 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. |
| 32The angel of the LORD asked him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. | 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. |
| 33The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it." | 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.” |
| 34Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back." | 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.” |
| 35The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you." So Balaam went with Balak's officials. | 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. |
| 36When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory. | 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. |
| 37Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn't you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?" | 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?” |
| 38"Well, I have come to you now," Balaam replied. "But I can't say whatever I please. I must speak only what God puts in my mouth." | 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.” |
| 39Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth. | 39Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. |
| 40Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and gave some to Balaam and the officials who were with him. | 40And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent for Balaam and for the princes who were with him. |
| 41The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp. | 41And in the morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal, and from there he saw a fraction of the people. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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