22Numbers 22

1Israel moved from there to the hills of Moab, where they camped across the Jordan River from the town of Jericho.Select Numbers 22:1

King Balak of Moab Hires Balaam To Curse Israel

3When King Balak of Moab and his people heard how many Israelites there were and what they had done to the Amorites, he and the Moabites were terrified and panicked.Select Numbers 22:3

4They said to the Midianite leaders, “That huge mob of Israelites will wipe out everything in sight, like a bull eating grass in a field.” So King BalakSelect Numbers 22:4

5sent a message to Balaam son of Beor who lived among his relatives in the town of Pethor near the Euphrates River. It said: I need your help. A large group of people has come here from Egypt and settled near my territory.Select Numbers 22:5

6They are too powerful for us to defeat, so would you come and place a curse on them? Maybe then we can run them off. I know that anyone you bless will be successful, but anyone you curse will fail.Select Numbers 22:6

7The leaders of Moab and Midian left and took along money to pay Balaam. When they got to his house, they gave him Balak's message.Select Numbers 22:7

8“Spend the night here,” Balaam replied, “and tomorrow I will tell you the Lord's answer.” So the officials stayed at his house.Select Numbers 22:8

9During the night, God asked Balaam, “Who are these people at your house?”Select Numbers 22:9

10“They are messengers from King Balak of Moab,” Balaam answered. “He sent themSelect Numbers 22:10

11to ask me to go to Moab and put a curse on the people who have come there from Egypt. They have settled everywhere around him, and he wants to run them off.”Select Numbers 22:11

12But God replied, “Don't go with Balak's messengers. I have blessed those people who have come from Egypt, so don't curse them.”Select Numbers 22:12

13The next morning, Balaam said to Balak's officials, “Go on back home. The Lord says I cannot go with you.”Select Numbers 22:13

14The officials left and told Balak that Balaam refused to come.Select Numbers 22:14

15Then Balak sent a larger group of officials, who were even more important than the first ones.Select Numbers 22:15

16They went to Balaam and told him that Balak had said, “Balaam, if you come to Moab,Select Numbers 22:16

17I'll pay you very well and do whatever you ask. Just come and place a curse on these people.”Select Numbers 22:17

18Balaam answered, “Even if Balak offered me a palace full of silver or gold, I wouldn't do anything to disobey the Lord my God.Select Numbers 22:18

19You are welcome to spend the night here, just as the others did. I will find out if the Lord has something else to say about this.”Select Numbers 22:19

20That night, God said, “Balaam, I'll let you go to Moab with Balak's messengers, but do only what I say.”Select Numbers 22:20

21So Balaam got up the next morning and saddled his donkey, then left with the Moabite officials.Select Numbers 22:21

Balaam and His Donkey Meet an Angel

22Balaam was riding his donkey to Moab, and two of his servants were with him. But God was angry that Balaam had gone, so one of the Lord's angels stood in the road to stop him.Select Numbers 22:22

23When Balaam's donkey saw the angel standing there with a sword, it walked off the road and into an open field. Balaam had to beat the donkey to get it back on the road.Select Numbers 22:23

24Then the angel stood between two vineyards, in a narrow path with a stone wall on each side.Select Numbers 22:24

25When the donkey saw the angel, it walked so close to one of the walls that Balaam's foot scraped against the wall. Balaam beat the donkey again.Select Numbers 22:25

26The angel moved once more and stood in a spot so narrow that there was no room for the donkey to go around.Select Numbers 22:26

27So it just lay down. Balaam lost his temper, then picked up a stick and whacked the donkey.Select Numbers 22:27

28When that happened, the Lord told the donkey to speak, and it asked Balaam, “What have I done that made you beat me three times?”Select Numbers 22:28

29“You made me look stupid!” Balaam answered. “If I had a sword, I'd kill you here and now!”Select Numbers 22:29

30“But you're my owner,” answered the donkey, “and you've ridden me many times. Have I ever done anything like this before?” “No,” Balaam admitted.Select Numbers 22:30

31Just then, the Lord let Balaam see the angel standing in the road, holding a sword, and Balaam bowed down.Select Numbers 22:31

32The angel said, “You had no right to treat your donkey like that! I was the one who blocked your way, because I don't think you should go to Moab.Select Numbers 22:32

33If your donkey had not seen me and stopped those three times, I would have killed you and let the donkey live.”Select Numbers 22:33

34Balaam replied, “I was wrong. I didn't know you were trying to stop me. If you don't think I should go, I'll return home at once.”Select Numbers 22:34

35“It's all right for you to go,” the Lord's angel answered. “But you must say only what I tell you.” So Balaam went on with Balak's officials.Select Numbers 22:35

King Balak Meets Balaam

36When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went to meet him at the town of Ir on the Arnon River, which is the northern border of Moab.Select Numbers 22:36

37Balak asked, “Why didn't you come when I invited you the first time? Did you think I wasn't going to pay you?”Select Numbers 22:37

38“I'm here now,” Balaam answered. “But I will say only what God tells me to say.”Select Numbers 22:38

39They left and went to the town of Kiriath-Huzoth,Select Numbers 22:39

40where Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep and gave some of the meat to Balaam and the officials who were with him.Select Numbers 22:40

41The next morning, Balak took Balaam to the town of Bamoth-Baal. From there, Balaam could see some of the Israelites.Select Numbers 22:41