have I done to thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
29 And Balaam said to the donkey, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in my hand, for now would I kill thee.
30 And the donkey said to Balaam, Am not I thy donkey, upon which thou hast rid ever since I was thine to this day? was I ever accustomed to do so to thee? And he said, Nay. [1] [2]
31 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. [3]
32 And the angel of the LORD said to him, Why hast thou smitten thy donkey these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: [4]
33 And the donkey 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.
34 And Balaam said to 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 return again. [5]
35 And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak to thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
36 And when Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost border.
37 And Balak said to Balaam, Did I not earnestly send to thee to call thee? why camest thou not to me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?
38 And Balaam said to Balak, Lo, I have come to thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.
39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kirjathhuzoth. [6]
40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
41 And it came to pass on the next morning, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up to the high places of Baal, that from there he might see the utmost part of the people.
CHAP. 23.
1 And Balaam said to Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.
2 And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bull and a ram.
3 And Balaam said to Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: perhaps the LORD will come to meet me: and whatever he showeth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place. [7]
4 And God met Balaam: and he said to him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bull and a ram.
5 And the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.
6 And he returned to him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.
7 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 Jacob for me, and come, defy Israel.
8 How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?
9 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.
10 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! [8]
11 And Balak said to Balaam, What hast thou done to me? I took thee to curse my enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.
12 And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?
13 And Balak said to him, Come, I pray thee, with me to another place, from which thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and from there curse them for me.
14 And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on every altar. [9]
15 And he said to Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.
16 And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again to Balak, and say thus.
17 And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, What hath the LORD spoken?
18 And he took up his parable, and said, Rise, Balak, and hear; hearken to me, thou son of Zippor:
19 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 Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.
21 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.
22 God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.
23 Surely there is no enchantment
- ↑ upon...: Heb. who hast ridden upon me
- ↑ ever since...: or, ever since thou wast, etc
- ↑ fell...: or, bowed himself
- ↑ to...: Heb. to be an adversary unto thee
- ↑ displease...: Heb. be evil in thine eyes
- ↑ Kirjathhuzoth: or, a city of streets
- ↑ to an...: or, solitary
- ↑ me: Heb. my soul, or, my life
- ↑ Pisgah: or, the hill
