The Message Bible MSG
The Latin Vulgate VUL
1 The People of Israel marched on and camped on the Plains of Moab at Jordan-Jericho.
1
profectique castrametati sunt in campestribus Moab ubi trans Iordanem Hierichus sita est
2 Balak son of Zippor learned of all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
2
videns autem Balac filius Sepphor omnia quae fecerat Israhel Amorreo
3 The people of Moab were in a total panic because of Israel. There were so many of them! They were terrorized.
3
et quod pertimuissent eum Moabitae et impetum eius ferre non possent
4 Moab spoke to the leaders of Midian: "Look, this mob is going to clean us out - a bunch of crows picking a carcass clean."
4
dixit ad maiores natu Madian ita delebit hic populus omnes qui in nostris finibus commorantur quomodo solet bos herbas usque ad radices carpere ipse erat eo tempore rex in Moab
5 sent emissaries to get Balaam son of Beor, who lived at Pethor on the banks of the Euphrates River, his homeland.
5
misit ergo nuntios ad Balaam filium Beor ariolum qui habitabat super flumen terrae filiorum Ammon ut vocarent eum et dicerent ecce egressus est populus ex Aegypto qui operuit superficiem terrae sedens contra me
6 Come and curse them for me - they're too much for me. Maybe then I can beat them; we'll attack and drive them out of the country. You have a reputation: Those you bless stay blessed; those you curse stay cursed."
6
veni igitur et maledic populo huic quia fortior me est si quo modo possim percutere et eicere eum de terra mea novi enim quod benedictus sit cui benedixeris et maledictus in quem maledicta congesseris
7 The leaders of Moab and Midian were soon on their way, with the fee for the cursing tucked safely in their wallets. When they got to Balaam, they gave him Balak's message.
7
perrexerunt seniores Moab et maiores natu Madian habentes divinationis pretium in manibus cumque venissent ad Balaam et narrassent ei omnia verba Balac
8 "Stay here for the night," Balaam said. "In the morning I'll deliver the answer that God gives me." The Moabite nobles stayed with him.
8
ille respondit manete hic nocte et respondebo quicquid mihi dixerit Dominus manentibus illis apud Balaam venit Deus et ait ad eum
9 Then God came to Balaam. He asked, "So who are these men here with you?"
9
quid sibi volunt homines isti apud te
10 Balaam answered, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent them with a message:
10
respondit Balac filius Sepphor rex Moabitarum misit ad me
11 'Look, the people that came up out of Egypt are all over the place! Come and curse them for me. Maybe then I'll be able to attack and drive them out of the country.'"
11
dicens ecce populus qui egressus est de Aegypto operuit superficiem terrae veni et maledic ei si quo modo possim pugnans abicere eum
12 God said to Balaam, "Don't go with them. And don't curse the others - they are a blessed people."
12
dixitque Deus ad Balaam noli ire cum eis neque maledicas populo quia benedictus est
13 The next morning Balaam got up and told Balak's nobles, "Go back home; God refuses to give me permission to go with you."
13
qui mane consurgens dixit ad principes ite in terram vestram quia prohibuit me Deus venire vobiscum
14 So the Moabite nobles left, came back to Balak, and said, "Balaam wouldn't come with us."
14
reversi principes dixerunt ad Balac noluit Balaam venire nobiscum
15 Balak sent another group of nobles, higher ranking and more distinguished.
15
rursum ille multo plures et nobiliores quam ante miserat misit
16 They came to Balaam and said, "Balak son of Zippor says, 'Please, don't refuse to come to me.
16
qui cum venissent ad Balaam dixerunt sic dicit Balac filius Sepphor ne cuncteris venire ad me
17 I will honor and reward you lavishly - anything you tell me to do, I'll do; I'll pay anything - only come and curse this people.'"
17
paratum honorare te et quicquid volueris dare veni et maledic populo isti
18 Balaam answered Balak's servants: "Even if Balak gave me his house stuffed with silver and gold, I wouldn't be able to defy the orders of my God to do anything, whether big or little.
18
respondit Balaam si dederit mihi Balac plenam domum suam argenti et auri non potero inmutare verbum Domini Dei mei ut vel plus vel minus loquar
19 But come along and stay with me tonight as the others did; I'll see what God will say to me this time."
19
obsecro ut hic maneatis etiam hac nocte et scire queam quid mihi rursum respondeat Dominus
20 God came to Balaam that night and said, "Since these men have come all this way to see you, go ahead and go with them. But make sure you do absolutely nothing other than what I tell you."
20
venit ergo Deus ad Balaam nocte et ait ei si vocare te venerunt homines isti surge et vade cum eis ita dumtaxat ut quod tibi praecepero facias
21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went off with the noblemen from Moab.
21
surrexit Balaam mane et strata asina profectus est cum eis
22 As he was going, though, God's anger flared. The angel of God stood in the road to block his way. Balaam was riding his donkey, accompanied by his two servants.
22
et iratus est Deus stetitque angelus Domini in via contra Balaam qui sedebat asinae et duos pueros habebat secum
23 When the donkey saw the angel blocking the road and brandishing a sword, she veered off the road into the ditch. Balaam beat the donkey and got her back on the road.
23
cernens asina angelum stantem in via evaginato gladio avertit se de itinere et ibat per agrum quam cum verberaret Balaam et vellet ad semitam reducere
24 But as they were going through a vineyard, with a fence on either side,
24
stetit angelus in angustiis duarum maceriarum quibus vineae cingebantur
25 the donkey again saw God's angel blocking the way and veered into the fence, crushing Balaam's foot against the fence. Balaam hit her again.
25
quem videns asina iunxit se parieti et adtrivit sedentis pedem at ille iterum verberabat
26 God's angel blocked the way yet again - a very narrow passage this time; there was no getting through on the right or left.
26
et nihilominus angelus ad locum angustum transiens ubi nec ad dextram nec ad sinistram poterat deviari obvius stetit
27 Seeing the angel, Balaam's donkey sat down under him. Balaam lost his temper; he beat the donkey with his stick.
27
cumque vidisset asina stantem angelum concidit sub pedibus sedentis qui iratus vehementius caedebat fuste latera
28 Then God gave speech to the donkey. She said to Balaam: "What have I ever done to you that you have beat me these three times?"
28
aperuitque Dominus os asinae et locuta est quid feci tibi cur percutis me ecce iam tertio
29 Balaam said, "Because you've been playing games with me! If I had a sword I would have killed you by now."
29
respondit Balaam quia commeruisti et inlusisti mihi utinam haberem gladium ut te percuterem
30 The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your trusty donkey on whom you've ridden for years right up until now? Have I ever done anything like this to you before? Have I?" He said, "No."
30
dixit asina nonne animal tuum sum cui semper sedere consuesti usque in praesentem diem dic quid simile umquam fecerim tibi at ille ait numquam
31 Then God helped Balaam see what was going on: He saw God's angel blocking the way, brandishing a sword. Balaam fell to the ground, his face in the dirt.
31
protinus aperuit Dominus oculos Balaam et vidit angelum stantem in via evaginato gladio adoravitque eum pronus in terram
32 God's angel said to him: "Why have you beaten your poor donkey these three times? I have come here to block your way because you're getting way ahead of yourself.
32
cui angelus cur inquit tertio verberas asinam tuam ego veni ut adversarer tibi quia perversa est via tua mihique contraria
33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she hadn't, I would have killed you by this time, but not the donkey. I would have let her off."
33
et nisi asina declinasset de via dans locum resistenti te occidissem et illa viveret
34 Balaam said to God's angel, "I have sinned. I had no idea you were standing in the road blocking my way. If you don't like what I'm doing, I'll head back."
34
dixit Balaam peccavi nesciens quod tu stares contra me et nunc si displicet tibi ut vadam revertar
35 But God's angel said to Balaam, "Go ahead and go with them. But only say what I tell you to say - absolutely no other word." And so Balaam continued to go with Balak's nobles.
35
ait angelus vade cum istis et cave ne aliud quam praecepero tibi loquaris ivit igitur cum principibus
36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him in the Moabite town that was on the banks of the Arnon, right on the boundary of his land.
36
quod cum audisset Balac egressus est in occursum eius in oppido Moabitarum quod situm est in extremis finibus Arnon
37 Balak said to Balaam, "Didn't I send an urgent message for help? Why didn't you come when I called? Do you think I can't pay you enough?"
37
dixitque ad Balaam misi nuntios ut vocarent te cur non statim venisti ad me an quia mercedem adventui tuo reddere nequeo
38 Balaam said to Balak, "Well, I'm here now. But I can't tell you just anything. I can speak only words that God gives me - no others."
38
cui ille respondit ecce adsum numquid loqui potero aliud nisi quod Deus posuerit in ore meo
39 Balaam then accompanied Balak to Kiriath Huzoth (Street-Town).
39
perrexerunt ergo simul et venerunt in urbem quae in extremis regni eius finibus erat
40 Balak slaughtered cattle and sheep for sacrifices and presented them to Balaam and the nobles who were with him.
40
cumque occidisset Balac boves et oves misit ad Balaam et principes qui cum eo erant munera
41 At daybreak Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal (The Heights of Baal) so that he could get a good view of some of the people.
41
mane autem facto duxit eum ad excelsa Baal et intuitus est extremam partem populi