The Wilderness Years

and he sendeth messengers unto Balaam son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River of the land of the sons of his people, to call for him, saying, `Lo, a people hath come out of Egypt; lo, it hath covered the eye of the land, and it is abiding over-against me;

and now, come, I pray thee, curse for me this people, for it is mightier than I; it may be I prevail--we smite it--and I cast it out from the land; for I have known--that which thou blessest is blessed, and that which thou cursest is cursed.'

And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian go, and divinations in their hand, and they come in unto Balaam, and speak unto him the words of Balak,

and he saith unto them, `Lodge here to-night, and I have brought you back word, as Jehovah speaketh unto me;' and the princes of Moab abide with Balaam.

And God cometh in unto Balaam, and saith, `Who are these men with thee?'

And Balaam saith unto God, `Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me:

Lo, the people that is coming out from Egypt and covereth the eye of the land, --now come, pierce it for me; it may be I am able to fight against it, and have cast it out;'

and God saith unto Balaam, `Thou dost not go with them; thou dost not curse the people; for it is blessed.'

And Balaam riseth in the morning, and saith unto the princes of Balak, `Go unto your land, for Jehovah is refusing to suffer me to go with you;'

and the princes of Moab rise, and come in unto Balak, and say, `Balaam is refusing to come with us.'

And Balak addeth yet to send princes, more numerous and honoured than these,

and they come in unto Balaam, and say to him, `Thus said Balak son of Zippor, Be not, I pray thee, withheld from coming unto me,

for very greatly I honour thee, and all that thou sayest unto me I do; and come, I pray thee, pierce for me this people.'

And Balaam answereth and saith unto the servants of Balak, `If Balak doth give to me the fulness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of Jehovah my God, to do a little or a great thing;

and, now, abide, I pray you, in this place , you also, to-night; and I know what Jehovah is adding to speak with me.'

And God cometh in unto Balaam, by night, and saith to him, `If to call for thee the men have come, rise, go with them, and only the thing which I speak unto thee--it thou dost do.'

And Balaam riseth in the morning, and saddleth his ass, and goeth with the princes of Moab,

and the anger of God burneth because he is going, and a messenger of Jehovah stationeth himself in the way for an adversary to him, and he is riding on his ass, and two of his servants are with him,

and the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah standing in the way, and his drawn sword in his hand, and the ass turneth aside out of the way, and goeth into a field, and Balaam smiteth the ass to turn it aside into the way.

And the messenger of Jehovah standeth in a narrow path of the vineyards--a wall on this side and a wall on that--

and the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah, and is pressed unto the wall, and presseth Balaam's foot unto the wall, and he addeth to smite her;

and the messenger of Jehovah addeth to pass over, and standeth in a strait place where there is no way to turn aside--right or left--

and the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah, and croucheth under Balaam, and the anger of Balaam burneth, and he smiteth the ass with a staff.

And Jehovah openeth the mouth of the ass, and she saith to Balaam, `What have I done to thee that thou hast smitten me these three times?'

and Balaam saith to the ass, `Because thou hast rolled thyself against me; oh that there were a sword in my hand, for now I had slain thee;'