And the children of Israel journeyed and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.

And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

And Moab was very afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

And  ¹Moab said to the elders of  ¹Midian, This multitude will now lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field. Now Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.

And he sent messengers to  ¹Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the  ²River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, There is a people here who have come out from Egypt; now they cover the surface of the land and have settled over against me.

Now, therefore, please come; curse this people for me, since they are mightier than I. Perhaps I may be able to strike them and drive them out of the land, for I know that whomever you bless is blessed and whomever you curse is cursed.

So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with fees for divination in their hand, and they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak.

And he said to them, Spend tonight here, and I will bring back word to you as  ¹Jehovah speaks to me. And the rulers of Moab stayed with Balaam.

And God came to Balaam and said, Who are these men with you?

And Balaam said to God, Balak the son of Zippor, the king of Moab, has sent word to me, saying,

There is a people who came out of Egypt, and they cover the surface of the land. Now come; curse them for me; perhaps I will be able to fight against them and drive them out.

And God said to Balaam, You shall not go with them; you shall not  ¹curse the people, for they are  ¹blessed.

So Balaam rose up in the morning and said to the rulers from Balak, Go to your land, for Jehovah has refused to let me go with you.

And the rulers of Moab rose up and went to Balak and said, Balaam refuses to come with us.

So Balak yet again sent rulers, more numerous and more honorable than these.

And they came to Balaam and said to him, Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me,

For I will indeed honor you greatly; and whatever you say to me I will do. Please come therefore; curse this people for me.

And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of Jehovah my God, to do less or more.

Now you therefore please stay here tonight also, so that I may know what more Jehovah might speak to me.

And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, Since the men have come to call you, rise up;  ¹go with them, but only what I speak to you shall you do.

And Balaam rose up in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the rulers of Moab.

And God's anger was kindled because he was going, and the  ¹Angel of Jehovah took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

And when the donkey saw the Angel of Jehovah standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back into the way.

Then the Angel of Jehovah stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side.

And when the donkey saw the Angel of Jehovah, she pressed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall. So he struck her again.

And the Angel of Jehovah went further and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left.

And when the donkey saw the Angel of Jehovah, she lay down under Balaam. Then Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

And Jehovah 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?

And Balaam said to the donkey, Because you have mocked me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now.

And the donkey said to Balaam, Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I ever been accustomed to do so to you? And he said, No.

Then Jehovah opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the Angel of Jehovah standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and he bowed his head and fell on his face.

And the Angel of Jehovah said to him, Why have you struck your donkey these three times? I am here, having come out as an adversary, because your way was unrestrained before Me.

And the donkey saw Me and turned aside before Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, I would surely have killed you just now and let her live.

And Balaam said to the Angel of Jehovah, I have sinned, for I did not know that You were standing in the way against me. Now then, if it displeases You, I will turn back.

And the Angel of Jehovah said to Balaam, Go with the men; but you shall speak only the word that I shall speak to you. So Balaam went with the rulers from Balak.

And when Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, at the farthest point of the border.

And Balak said to Balaam, Did I not send word urgently to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not indeed able to honor you?

And Balaam said to Balak, Here I am; I have come to you now. Am I able to speak anything at all? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak.

And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.

And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent them to Balaam and to the rulers who were with him.

And in the morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to  ¹Bamoth-baal, and he saw from there the edge of the people.

Then Balaam said to Balak, Build me seven altars here, and have seven bulls and seven rams ready for me here.

And Balak did just as Balaam had spoken. And Balak and Balaam  ¹offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.

And Balaam said to Balak, Stand near your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps Jehovah will come to meet me; and whatever He shows me I will tell you. And he went to a bare height.

And God met Balaam, and he said to Him, I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.

And Jehovah put a word in Balaam's mouth and said, Return to Balak, and you shall speak this.

When he returned to him, there he was, standing beside his burnt offering, he and all the rulers of Moab.

And he took up his  ¹parable and said,
From Aram Balak brought me,
The king of Moab from the mountains of the East.
Come, curse Jacob for me;
And come, denounce Israel!

How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?
And how can I denounce whom Jehovah has not denounced?

For from the top of the rocks I see him,
And from the hills I behold him.
Here is a people who live  ¹alone
And do not reckon themselves among the nations.

Who can count the  ¹dust of Jacob,
Or number the fourth part of Israel?
Let  ²me die the death of the upright,
And let my latter end be like theirs!

And Balak said to Balaam, What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, but now you have altogether blessed them.

And he answered and said, Shall I not take care to speak what Jehovah puts in my mouth?

And Balak said to him, Come now with me to another place from which you may see them. You will see only the outside edge of them and not see them all; then curse them for me from there.

So he took him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars and offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.

And he said to Balak, Stand here near your burnt offering while I meet Jehovah there.

And Jehovah met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, Return to Balak, and you shall speak this.

When he came to him, there he was, standing beside his burnt offering, and the rulers of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, What has Jehovah spoken?

And he took up his parable and said,
Arise, O Balak, and hear;
Listen to me, O son of Zippor:

God is not a man, that He should  ¹lie,
Nor a son of man, that He should repent.
Has He said, and will He not do it?
Or has He spoken, and will He not establish it?

Now I have received a word to bless;
Since He has blessed, then I cannot reverse it.

He has not beheld  ¹iniquity in Jacob,
Nor has He seen trouble in Israel;
Jehovah their God is with them,
And the shout of a  ²king is among them.

God is the One who brought them forth out of Egypt;  ¹He has as it were the  ²horns of the wild ox.

Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob,
Nor is there any divination against Israel.
Now it shall be said of Jacob
And of Israel, What has God wrought!

See, a people rises up like a lioness,
And like a lion they lift themselves up.
They shall not lie down until they eat the prey
And drink the blood of the slain.

And Balak said to Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

But Balaam answered and said to Balak, Did I not tell you, saying, All that Jehovah speaks, that I must do?

And Balak said to Balaam, Come now, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.

And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which looks down upon the desert.

And Balaam said to Balak, Build me seven altars here, and have seven bulls and seven rams ready for me here.

And Balak did just as Balaam had said, and he offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.

And when Balaam saw that it pleased Jehovah to bless Israel, he did not go as at the other times to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes, and the Spirit of God came upon him.

And he took up his parable and said,
Balaam the son of Beor declares,
And the man whose eye is  ¹opened declares;

He declares, he who hears the words of God,
Who sees the vision of the All-sufficient One,
Falling down, but having his eyes uncovered:

How  ¹fair are your tents, O Jacob,
Your tabernacles, O Israel!

Like  ¹valleys they are spread forth,
Like gardens beside a river,
Like  ²aloes which Jehovah has planted,
Like cedars beside water.

Water shall flow from his buckets,
And his seed shall be in many waters,
And his  ¹king shall be higher than Agag,
And his kingdom shall be exalted.

God is the One who brought him forth out of Egypt;
He has as it were the  ¹horns of the wild ox.
He shall eat up the nations, his adversaries,
And shall break their bones in pieces,
And shatter them with his arrows.

He couches; he lies down like a lion
And like a lioness; who will rouse him up?
 ¹Blessed is everyone who blesses you, And cursed is everyone who curses you.

Then Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, I called you to curse my enemies, but now you have altogether blessed them these three times.

Therefore now flee to your place! I said I would greatly honor you, but now Jehovah has kept you away from honor.

And Balaam said to Balak, Did I not also speak to your messengers whom you sent to me, saying,

Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of Jehovah, to do either good or bad from my own heart? What Jehovah speaks, that I will speak.

And now therefore, I am going to my people. Come, let me give you counsel as to what this people will do to your people in the last days.

And he took up his parable and said,
Balaam the son of Beor declares,
And the man whose eye is opened declares;

He declares, he who hears the words of God
And obtains the knowledge of the Most High,
Who sees the vision of the All-sufficient One,
Falling down, but having his eyes uncovered:

I see Him, but not now;
I behold Him, but not near.
There shall  ¹come forth a  ²Star out of Jacob,
And a  ²Scepter shall rise out of Israel,
And He shall crush the corners of Moab
And break down all the sons of Sheth.

And Edom shall be dispossessed —
Seir, His  ¹enemies, shall also be dispossessed —
While Israel does valiantly.

And One from Jacob shall have dominion
And destroy the remnant from  ¹the city.

And he looked on  ¹Amalek and took up his parable and said,
Amalek was the first of the nations,
But his latter end shall come to destruction.

And he looked on the Kenites and took up his parable and said,
Strong is your dwelling place,
And your nest is set in the rock.

Nevertheless Kain shall be burned
Until Asshur carry you away captive.

And he took up his parable and said,
Alas, who shall live when God does this?

But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim,
And they shall afflict Asshur and shall afflict Eber;
And he also shall come to destruction.

And Balaam rose up and went back to his place, and Balak also went his way.