Parallel Bible results for "Numbers 22"

Numbers 22

Lexham English Bible LEB

1 The {Israelites} set out, and they encamped on the desert-plateau of Moab, across from Jericho beyond [the] Jordan.

2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel did to the Amorites,

3 and Moab was very terrified in the presence of the people because {they} [were] numerous; and Moab dreaded the presence of the {Israelites}.

4 And Moab said to the elders of Midian, "Now the crowd will lick up all around us, like a bull devours the grass of the field." And Balak son of Zippor [was] king of Moab at that time.

5 He sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor [at] Pethor, which [is] by the river, in the land of the children of his people, to summon him, saying, "Look! A people went out from Egypt. Look! They cover {the surface of the land}; they [are about] to dwell opposite me.

6 Now, please go, curse this people for me because they [are] stronger than me; perhaps I will be able to strike them and drive them out from the land because I know whoever you bless [is] blessed, and whoever you cursed is cursed."

7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went [with] a fee for divination in their hand; they came to Balaam and spoke the words of Balak to him.

8 He said to them, "Spend the night here, and I will return, and I will return word to you, just as Yahweh speaks to me." So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

9 And God came to Balaam and said, "Who [are] these men with you?"

10 And Balaam said to God, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent [word] to me,

11 'Look! A people went out from Egypt. Look! They cover {the surface of the land}. Now, go, curse them for me. Perhaps I will be able to attack them and drive them out."

12 God said to Balaam, "You will not go with them; you will not curse the people, because they [are] blessed."

13 Balaam got up in the morning, and he said to the princes of Balak, "Go to your land, because Yahweh refused to allow me to go with you."

14 The princes of Moab got up and went to Balak, and they said, "Balaam refused to come with us."

15 Balak again sent many princes, [who were more] honored {than the former}.

16 They came to Balaam and said to him, "Thus says Balak son of Zippor, 'Please, let nothing keep you from coming to me

17 because I will surely honor you greatly, and all that you say to me I will do. Please, come; curse this people for me.'"

18 Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, "Even though Balak gives to me his house full of silver and gold, I am not able to go beyond {the command of Yahweh} my God to do a little or a lot.

19 And now please, {you also stay here} the night, and {let me find out} again what Yahweh will say with me."

20 And God came to Balaam [at] night, and he said to him, "If the men have come to call you, get up [and] go with them; but only the word that I will speak to you, you will do."

21 So Balaam got up in the morning and saddled his donkey, and he went with the princes of Moab.

22 But {God became angry} because he was going, and the angel of Yahweh stood in the road as an adversary to him; he [was] riding on his donkey, and two servants were with him.

23 The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, and the donkey turned aside from the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back [to] the road.

24 The angel of Yahweh stood in the narrow path of the vineyards, [with] {a wall on either side}.

25 When the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, she pressed herself into the wall, and she pressed the foot of Balaam into the wall, so he struck her again.

26 Then the angel of Yahweh went further ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was not a way to turn aside [to the] right or left.

27 When the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, she lay down under Balaam, so {Balaam became angry}, and he struck the donkey with [his] staff.

28 Yahweh opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, "What did I do to you that you struck me these three times?"

29 Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you made a mockery of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!"

30 The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life until this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?" He said, "No."

31 Then Yahweh exposed the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, and he bowed down and worshiped to his face.

32 The angel of Yahweh said to him, "Why have you struck this donkey three times? Look, I have come out as an adversary because your conduct is perverse before me.

33 The donkey saw me and turned aside from me these three times. If she had not turned aside from my face, then I would have killed you and kept her alive."

34 Balaam said to the angel of Yahweh, "I have sinned because I did not know that you [were] standing to meet me in the road. Now, {if it is displeasing to you}, I will turn back."

35 The angel of Yahweh said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but speak only the word that I will speak to you." So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him by the city of Moab, which [was] on the boundary of Aaron at the end of the territory.

37 And Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not urgently send to meet with you? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not able to honor you?"

38 Balaam said to Balak, "Look, I came to you now. Am I really able to speak anything at all? I speak the word that God puts in my mouth."

39 Balaam went with Balak, and they came [to] Kiriath-Huzoth.

40 And Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he sent [them] to Balaam and to the princes who [were] with him.

41 And it happened, in the morning Balak took Balaam and took him up to Bamoth-Baal, and he saw from there the end of the nation.

New International Version NIV

1 Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.

2 Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,

3 and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites.

4 The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time,

5 sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River, in his native land. Balak said: “A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me.

6 Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”

7 The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.

8 “Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I will report back to you with the answer the LORD gives me.” So the Moabite officials stayed with him.

9 God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”

10 Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:

11 ‘A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.’ ”

12 But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.”

13 The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your own country, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you.”

14 So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

15 Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first.

16 They came to Balaam and said: “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me,

17 because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me.”

18 But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the LORD my God.

19 Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the LORD will tell me.”

20 That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”

21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials.

22 But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road.

24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides.

25 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again.

26 Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left.

27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff.

28 Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”

29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”

30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?” “No,” he said.

31 Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.

32 The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.

33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it.”

34 Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.”

35 The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.

36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.

37 Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?”

38 “Well, I have come to you now,” Balaam replied. “But I can’t say whatever I please. I must speak only what God puts in my mouth.”

39 Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth.

40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and gave some to Balaam and the officials who were with him.

41 The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp.