And Moabsaidunto the elders of Midian, Now shallthiscompanylick up all that are roundabout us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at thattime.
He sentmessengersthereforeuntoBalaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a peoplecome out fromEgypt: behold, theycover the face of the earth, and theyabideoveragainst me:
Come now therefore, I praythee, curse me thispeople; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shallprevail, that we may smitethem, and that I may drivethem out of the land: for I wot that he whomthoublessest is blessed, and he whomthoucursest is cursed.
And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midiandepartedwith the rewards of divination in theirhand; and theycameuntoBalaam, and spakeunto him the words of Balak.
Behold, there is a peoplecome out of Egypt, whichcovereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcomethem, and drivethem out.
And Balaamanswered and saidunto the servants of Balak, If Balakwouldgive me his housefull of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.
And God cameuntoBalaam at night, and saidunto him, If the men come to callthee, rise up, and go withthem; but yet the wordwhich I shall say untothee, thatshaltthou do.
And God’sanger was kindledbecause he went: and the angel of the LORDstood in the way for an adversaryagainst him. Now he was ridingupon his ass, and his two servantswerewith him.
And the ass saw the angel of the LORDstanding in the way, and his sworddrawn in his hand: and the ass turnedaside out of the way, and wentinto the field: and Balaamsmote the ass, to turn her into the way.
And the ass saiduntoBalaam, Am not I thine ass, uponwhichthouhastriddeneversince I was thineuntothis day? was I everwont to do so untothee? And he said, Nay.
Then the LORDopened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORDstanding in the way, and his sworddrawn in his hand: and he boweddown his head, and fellflat on his face.
And the angel of the LORDsaidunto him, Whereforehastthousmittenthine ass thesethreetimes? behold, I went out to withstandthee, because thy way is perversebefore me:
And Balaamsaidunto the angel of the LORD, I havesinned; for I knew not thatthoustoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displeasethee, I will get me backagain.
And the angel of the LORDsaiduntoBalaam, Go with the men: but only the wordthat I shallspeakuntothee, thatthoushaltspeak. So Balaamwentwith the princes of Balak.
And it came to pass on the morrow, thatBalaktookBalaam, and brought him up into the highplaces of Baal, thatthence he might see the utmostpart of the people.