17
For I will give you a place of very great honour, and whatever you say to me I will do; so come, in answer to my prayer, and put a curse on this people.
18
But Balaam, in answer; said to the servants of Balak, Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, it would not be possible for me to do anything more or less than the orders of the Lord my God.
19
So take your rest here this night, till I have knowledge what more the Lord has to say to me.
20
And that night God came to Balaam and said to him, If these men have come for you, go with them: but do only what I say to you.
21
So in the morning Balaam got up and, making his ass ready, went with the chiefs of Moab.
22
But God was moved to wrath because he went: and the angel of the Lord took up a position in the road to keep him from his purpose. Now he was seated on his ass, and his two servants were with him.
23
And the ass saw the angel of the Lord waiting in the road with his sword in his hand; and turning from the road, the ass went into the field; and Balaam gave the ass blows, to get her back on to the road.
24
Then the angel of the Lord took up his position in a narrow road through the vine-gardens, with a wall on this side and on that.
25
And the ass saw the angel of the Lord, and went near the wall, crushing Balaam's foot against the wall; and he gave her more blows.
26
Then the angel of the Lord went further, stopping in a narrow place where there was no room for turning to the right or to the left.
27
And the ass saw the angel of the Lord and went down on the earth under Balaam; and full of wrath, Balaam gave her hard blows with his stick.