1The people of Israel traveled and set up camp in the plains of Moab, across the Jordan River from Jericho.
2Balak, the son of Zippor, saw everything Israel had done to the Amorites.
3Moab was terrified of the people because there were so many of them. Moab was greatly distressed because of the people of Israel.
4Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This crowd will now consume everything around us, just as an ox eats up grass in a field.” Balak, the son of Zippor, was king of Moab at that time.
5He sent messengers to Balaam, son of Beor, in Pethor, a town near the Euphrates River in the land of his people. He called him, saying, “Look, a nation has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are camped right across from me.
6Please come now and put a curse on these people for me, because they are too powerful for me. Maybe then I can defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”
7The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian left, carrying money for divination. They came to Balaam and told him what Balak had said.
8He told them, “Stay here overnight, and I will bring you back an answer, whatever Yahweh tells me.” So the officials of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
10Balaam told God, “Balak, the son of Zippor and king of Moab, sent me a message:
11‘Look, the people who came out of Egypt cover the whole land. Come now, put a curse on them for me. Maybe then I can fight them and drive them out.’”
12God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them or curse these people, because I have blessed them.”
13The next morning, Balaam got up and told Balak’s officials, “Go back to your land, because Yahweh has refused to let me go with you.”
14So the Moabite officials left and went back to Balak, and reported, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”
15Balak then sent other officials, more numerous and more important than the first ones.
16They came to Balaam and told him, “Balak, son of Zippor, says this: ‘Please don’t let anything stop you from coming to me,
17because I will give you great honor, and I will do whatever you ask me. Please come and curse these people for me.’”
18Balaam answered Balak’s servants, “Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go against the command of Yahweh my God to do anything, whether small or great.”
19“However, please stay here tonight as well, so I can find out what else Yahweh might tell me.”
20That night, God came to Balaam and said to him, “If these men have come to call you, get up and go with them. But you must only do what I tell you.”
21Balaam got up the next morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the officials of Moab.
22God became angry when he went. So the angel of Yahweh stood in the road to block his way. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
23When the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into the field. Balaam hit the donkey to get her back on the road.
24Then the angel of Yahweh stood in a narrow path between two vineyards, with a wall on each side.
25When the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, she pressed herself against the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. He hit her again.
26The angel of Yahweh moved further ahead and stood in such a narrow place that there was no room to turn either right or left.
27When the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, she lay down under Balaam. Balaam became furious and hit the donkey with his staff.
28Then Yahweh made the donkey speak, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have hit me these three times?”
29Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”
30The donkey asked Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, the one you’ve ridden your whole life until today? Have I ever done this to you before?” Balaam answered, “No.”
31Then Yahweh opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw Yahweh’s angel standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell to the ground.
32Yahweh’s angel asked him, “Why have you hit your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you, because your path is reckless in my sight.
33The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she hadn't turned away, I would have certainly killed you by now, but I would have kept her alive.”
34Balaam said to Yahweh’s angel, “I have sinned, because I didn’t know you were standing in the road to stop me. Now, if you are displeased, I will go back.”
35Yahweh’s angel told Balaam, “Go with the men, but only say what I tell you to say.” So Balaam went with Balak's officials.
36When Balak heard that Balaam had arrived, he went out to meet him in the city of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon River, at the very edge of the territory.
37Balak asked Balaam, “Didn't I urgently send for you? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really not able to honor you?”
38Balaam replied to Balak, “Look, I have come to you. But now, do I have any power to say anything? I can only speak the message that God puts in my mouth.”
39Balaam went with Balak, and they arrived at Kiriath Huzoth.
40Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep and sent some to Balaam and to the officials who were with him.
41The next morning, Balak took Balaam and led him up to the high places of Baal, and from there Balaam could see a portion of the people.