Numbers 22:30–41

³⁰and the ass saith unto Balaam, ‘Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden since I was thine unto this day? have I at all been accustomed to do to thee thus?’ and he saith, ‘No.’ ³¹And Jehovah uncovereth the eyes of Balaam, and he seeth the messenger of Jehovah standing in the way, and his drawn sword in his hand, and he boweth and doth obeisance, to his face; ³²and the messenger of Jehovah saith unto him, ‘Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? lo, I—I have come out for an adversary, for thy way hath been perverse before me, ³³and the ass seeth me, and turneth aside at my presence these three times; unless she had turned aside from my presence, surely now also, thee I had slain, and her kept alive.’ ³⁴And Balaam saith unto the messenger of Jehovah, ‘I have sinned, for I did not know that thou art standing to meet me in the way; and now, if evil in thine eyes—I turn back by myself.’ ³⁵And the messenger of Jehovah saith unto Balaam, ‘Go with the men; and only the word which I speak unto thee—it thou dost speak;’ and Balaam goeth with the princes of Balak.

³⁶And Balak heareth that Balaam hath come, and goeth out to meet him, unto a city of Moab, which is on the border of Arnon, which is in the extremity of the border; ³⁷and Balak saith unto Balaam, ‘Did I not diligently sent unto thee to call for thee? why didst thou not come unto me? am I not truly able to honour thee?’ ³⁸And Balaam saith unto Balak, ‘Lo, I have come unto thee; now—am I at all able to speak anything? the word which God setteth in my mouth—it I do speak.’ ³⁹And Balaam goeth with Balak, and they come to Kirjath-Huzoth, ⁴⁰and Balak sacrificeth oxen and sheep, and sendeth to Balaam, and to the princes who are with him; ⁴¹and it cometh to pass in the morning, that Balak taketh Balaam, and causeth him to go up the high places of Baal, and he seeth from thence the extremity of the people.

Chapter 23