Çölde Sayım 22

¹Ve göç eden İsrail oğulları, Moav'ın batı sınırlarında, Şeria Irmağı'nın kenarında, Eriha'nın karşısında konakladılar.

²Sippor oğlu Balak, İsrail'in Amorlulara yaptığı her şeyi gördü.

³Moav bu halktan çok korktu, çünkü çok kalabalıktılar; Moav, İsrail oğulları yüzünden derin bir tiksinti ve yılgınlığa kapıldı.

⁴Moav, Midyan ihtiyarlar meclisine, "Bir öküzün kırdaki yeşillikleri yalayıp yuttuğu gibi, bu topluluk da çevremizdeki her şeyi yalayıp yutacak" dedi. Sippor oğlu Balak o sırada Moav kralıydı.

⁵Beor oğlu Balam'ı çağırmak üzere, kendi halkının soydaşlarının topraklarındaki ırmak kenarında bulunan Fatura'ya elçiler gönderip şöyle dedi: "Bak, Mısır'dan bir halk çıktı; yeryüzünün yüzeyini kapladılar ve gelip yanı başıma yerleştiler.

⁶Şimdi gel, bu halkı benim için lanetle; çünkü onlar bizden daha güçlü. Belki onları vurabiliriz ve ben de onları bu topraklardan kovabilirim. Çünkü senin kutsadığın kişinin tamamen kutsanmış olduğunu, lanetlediğin kişinin ise tamamen lanetlenmiş olduğunu biliyorum."

⁷Moav ve Midyan ihtiyarlar meclisi, ellerinde kehanet araçlarıyla yola çıktılar. Balam'ın yanına varıp Balak'ın sözlerini ona ilettiler.

⁸Balam onlara, "Geceyi burada geçirin," dedi, "Rab bana ne söylerse size ona göre yanıt vereceğim." Böylece Moav önderleri Balam'ın yanında kaldılar.

⁹Tanrı Balam'a gelip, "Yanındaki bu adamlar kim?" diye sordu.

¹⁰Balam Tanrı'ya, "Moav Kralı Sippor oğlu Balak onları bana gönderip şöyle dedi," diye yanıt verdi:

¹¹'Bak, Mısır'dan bir halk çıktı ve yeryüzünün yüzeyini kapladı; gelip yanı başıma yerleşti. Şimdi gel, benim için onu lanetle; belki onu vurabilir ve topraktan kovabilirim.'

¹²Tanrı Balam'a, "Onlarla gitmeyeceksin," dedi, "Halkı da lanetlemeyeceksin, çünkü o kutsanmıştır."

¹³Balam sabahleyin kalkıp Balak'ın önderlerine, "Efendinizin yanına dönün," dedi, "Tanrı sizinle gitmeme izin vermiyor."

¹⁴Moav önderleri kalkıp Balak'ın yanına döndüler ve, "Balam bizimle gelmek istemiyor," dediler.

¹⁵Balak bu kez onlardan daha çok ve daha saygın başka önderler göndermeyi yineledi.

¹⁶Balam'ın yanına varıp ona şöyle dediler: "Sippor oğlu Balak şöyle diyor: 'Lütfen bana gelmekten çekinme.

¹⁷Çünkü seni büyük bir onurla onurlandıracağım ve bana ne söylersen yapacağım. Yeter ki gel, bu halkı benim için lanetle.'"

¹⁸Balam, Balak'ın önderlerine şu yanıtı verdi: "Balak bana sarayını gümüş ve altınla doldurup verse bile, zihnimde küçük ya da büyük bir şey yapmak için Tanrım olan Rab'bin sözünü çiğneyemem.

¹⁹Ama siz de bu gece burada kalın ki, Rab'bin bana konuşmaya başka ne ekleyeceğini öğreneyim."

²⁰Tanrı geceleyin Balam'a gelip şöyle dedi: "Eğer bu adamlar seni çağırmak için gelmişlerse, kalk, onlarla git; ancak sana söyleyeceğim sözden başka bir şey yapmayacaksın."

²¹Balam sabahleyin kalktı, dişi eşeğini eyerledi ve Moav önderleriyle birlikte yola çıktı.

²²Ancak o gittiği için Tanrı'nın öfkesi alevlendi. Tanrı'nın meleği, ona karşı durup yolunu kesmek üzere yolda bekledi. Balam dişi eşeğine binmişti, yanında da iki uşağı vardı.

²³Dişi eşek, Tanrı'nın meleğinin elinde çekilmiş büyük kılıçla yolda karşı durduğunu görünce yoldan sapıp tarlaya yöneldi. Balam, dişi eşeği tekrar yola sokmak için değneğiyle vurdu.

²⁴Tanrı'nın meleği bu kez bağların arasındaki dar patikalarda durdu; iki yanda da duvar vardı.

²⁵Dişi eşek Tanrı'nın meleğini görünce kendini duvara sürtüp sıkıştırdı ve Balam'ın ayağını duvara ezdi. Balam ona bir kez daha vurdu.

²⁶Tanrı'nın meleği biraz daha ileri gidip sağa ya da sola sapmanın imkansız olduğu dar bir yerde durdu.

²⁷Dişi eşek Tanrı'nın meleğini görünce Balam'ın altında yere çöktü. Balam öfkelenerek dişi eşeğe değneğiyle vurdu.

²⁸Bunun üzerine Tanrı dişi eşeğin ağzını açtı. Dişi eşek Balam'a, "Sana ne yaptım ki beni bu üçüncü kez dövüyorsun?" dedi.

²⁹Balam dişi eşeğe, "Çünkü benimle alay ettin!" dedi, "Eğer elimde bir kılıç olsaydı, seni hemen orada delip geçer, öldürürdüm."

³⁰Dişi eşek Balam'a, "Gençliğinden bugüne dek üzerine bindiğin dişi eşeğin değil miyim? Sana hiç böyle ihmalkar ve küçümseyici davrandığım oldu mu?" dedi. Balam, "Hayır," diye yanıt verdi.

³¹O zaman Tanrı Balam'ın gözlerini açtı. Balam, Rab'bin meleğinin elinde çekilmiş kılıçla yolda karşı durduğunu gördü; eğilip yüzüstü yere kapandı.

³²Tanrı'nın meleği ona, "Dişi eşeğini neden bu üçüncü kez dövdün?" dedi, "İşte, ben sana karşı durmak için çıktım; çünkü gittiğin yol önümde doğru ve makbul değildir.

³³Dişi eşek beni gördü ve bu üçüncü kez benden saptı. Eğer benden sapmasaydı, seni kesinlikle öldürür, onu ise sağ bırakırdım."

³⁴Balam Rab'bin meleğine, "Günah işledim," dedi, "Yolda karşıma çıkıp önümde durduğunu bilmiyordum. Şimdi, eğer bu gidişim seni hoşnut etmiyorsa, geri döneceğim."

³⁵Tanrı'nın meleği Balam'a, "Adamlarla git," dedi, "Ancak sadece sana söyleyeceğim sözü konuşmaya dikkat et." Böylece Balam, Balak'ın önderleriyle birlikte gitti.

³⁶Balak, Balam'ın geldiğini duyunca, onu karşılamak için Arnon sınırındaki Moav kentine, yani sınırın en uç noktasına gitti.

³⁷Balak Balam'a, "Seni çağırmak için sana elçiler göndermedim mi?" dedi, "Neden bana gelmedin? Seni gerçekten onurlandırmaya gücüm yetmez mi sanıyorsun?"

³⁸Balam Balak'a, "İşte, yanına geldim," dedi, "Ama şimdi kendiliğimden bir şey söylemeye gücüm yeter mi? Tanrı ağzıma hangi sözü koyarsa, ancak onu söyleyebilirim."

³⁹Balam Balak'la birlikte gitti ve ağılların kentlerine vardılar.

⁴⁰Balak koyunlar ve buzağılar kurban etti; Balam'a ve yanındaki önderlere bunlardan gönderdi.

⁴¹Sabah olunca Balak Balam'ı alıp Baal'ın dikilitaşına çıkardı; Balam oradan halkın bir kısmını gördü.

¹ΚΑΙ ἀπάραντες οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ παρενέβαλον ἐπὶ δυσμῶν Μωὰβ παρὰ τὸν ᾿Ιορδάνην κατὰ ῾Ιεριχώ.

²καὶ ἰδὼν Βαλὰκ υἱὸς Σεπφὼρ πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησεν ᾿Ισραὴλ τῷ ᾿Αμορραίῳ,

³καὶ ἐφοβήθη Μωὰβ τὸν λαὸν σφόδρα ὅτι πολλοὶ ἦσαν, καὶ προσώχθισε Μωὰβ ἀπὸ προσώπου υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ.

⁴καὶ εἶπε Μωὰβ τῇ γερουσίᾳ Μαδιάμ· νῦν ἐκλείξει ἡ συναγωγὴ αὕτη πάντας τοὺς κύκλῳ ὑμῶν, ὡσεὶ ἐκλείξαι ὁ μόσχος τὰ χλωρὰ ἐκ τοῦ πεδίου. καὶ Βαλὰκ υἱὸς Σεπφὼρ βασιλεὺς Μωὰβ ἦν κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν ἐκεῖνον.

⁵καὶ ἀπέστειλε πρέσβεις πρὸς Βαλαὰμ υἱὸν Βεὼρ Φαθουρά, ὅ ἐστιν ἐπὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ γῆς υἱῶν λαοῦ αὐτοῦ, καλέσαι αὐτὸν λέγων· ἰδοὺ λαὸς ἐξελήλυθεν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἰδοὺ κατεκάλυψε τὴν ὄψιν τῆς γῆς καὶ οὗτος ἐγκάθηται ἐχόμενός μου·

⁶καὶ νῦν δεῦρο ἄρασαί μοι τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον, ὅτι ἰσχύει οὗτος ἢ ὑμεῖς· ἐὰν δυνώμεθα πατάξαι ἐξ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐκβαλῶ αὐτοὺς ἐκ τῆς γῆς· ὅτι οἶδα οὓς ἐὰν εὐλογήσῃς σύ, εὐλόγηνται, καὶ οὓς ἐὰν καταράσῃ σύ, κεκατήρανται.

⁷καὶ ἐπορεύθη ἡ γερουσία Μωὰβ καὶ ἡ γερουσία Μαδιάμ, καὶ τὰ μαντεῖα ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἦλθον πρὸς Βαλαὰμ καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ τὰ ῥήματα Βαλάκ.

⁸καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς· καταλύσατε αὐτοῦ τὴν νύκτα, καὶ ἀποκριθήσομαι ὑμῖν πράγματα, ἃ ἂν λαλήσῃ Κύριος πρός με· καὶ κατέμειναν οἱ ἄρχοντες Μωὰβ παρὰ Βαλαάμ.

⁹καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς Βαλαὰμ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· τί οἱ ἄνθρωποι οὗτοι παρὰ σοι;

¹⁰καὶ εἶπε Βαλαὰμ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν· Βαλὰκ υἱὸς Σεπφώρ, βασιλεὺς Μωάβ, ἀπέστειλεν αὐτοὺς πρός με λέγων·

¹¹ἰδοὺ λαὸς ἐξελήλυθεν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου καὶ κεκάλυφε τὴν ὄψιν τῆς γῆς καὶ οὗτος ἐγκάθηται ἐχόμενός μου· καὶ νῦν δεῦρο ἄρασαί μοι αὐτόν, εἰ ἄρα δυνήσομαι πατάξαι αὐτὸν καὶ ἐκβαλῶ αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς.

¹²καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς Βαλαάμ· οὐ πορεύσῃ μετ’ αὐτῶν, οὐδὲ καταράσῃ τὸν λαόν· ἔστι γὰρ εὐλογημένος.

¹³καὶ ἀναστὰς Βαλαὰμ τὸ πρωΐ εἶπε τοῖς ἄρχουσι Βαλάκ· ἀποτρέχετε πρὸς τὸν κύριον ὑμῶν· οὐκ ἀφίησί με ὁ Θεὸς πορεύεσθαι μεθ’ ὑμῶν.

¹⁴καὶ ἀναστάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες Μωὰβ ἦλθον πρὸς Βαλὰκ καὶ εἶπαν· οὐ θέλει Βαλαὰμ πορευθῆναι μεθ’ ἡμῶν.

¹⁵Καὶ προσέθετο Βαλὰκ ἔτι ἀποστεῖλαι ἄρχοντας πλείους καὶ ἐντιμοτέρους τούτων.

¹⁶καὶ ἦλθον πρὸς Βαλαὰμ καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· τάδε λέγει Βαλὰκ ὁ τοῦ Σεπφώρ· ἀξιῶ σε, μὴ ὀκνήσῃς ἐλθεῖν πρός με·

¹⁷ἐντίμως γὰρ τιμήσω σε, καὶ ὅσα ἐὰν εἴπῃς, ποιήσω σοι· καὶ δεῦρο ἐπικατάρασαί μοι τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον.

¹⁸καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Βαλαὰμ καὶ εἶπε τοῖς ἄρχουσι Βαλάκ· ἐὰν δῷ μοι Βαλὰκ πλήρη τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἀργυρίου καὶ χρυσίου, οὐ δυνήσομαι παραβῆναι τὸ ρῆμα Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ, ποιῆσαι αὐτὸ μικρὸν ἢ μέγα ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ μου·

¹⁹καὶ νῦν ὑπομείνατε αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑμεῖς τὴν νύκτα ταύτην, καὶ γνώσομαι τί προσθήσει Κύριος λαλῆσαι πρός με.

²⁰καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς Βαλαὰμ νυκτὸς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· εἰ καλέσαι σε πάρεισιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι οὗτοι, ἀναστὰς ἀκολούθησον αὐτοῖς· ἀλλὰ τὸ ρῆμα, ὃ ἐὰν λαλήσω πρὸς σε, τοῦτο ποιήσεις.

²¹καὶ ἀναστὰς Βαλαὰμ τὸ πρωΐ ἐπέσαξε τὴν ὄνον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπορεύθη μετὰ τῶν ἀρχόντων Μωάβ.

²²καὶ ὠργίσθη θυμῷ ὁ Θεός, ὅτι ἐπορεύθη αὐτός, καὶ ἀνέστη ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ διαβαλεῖν αὐτόν, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπιβεβήκει ἐπὶ τῆς ὄνου αὐτοῦ, καὶ δύο παῖδες αὐτοῦ μετ’ αὐτοῦ.

²³καὶ ἰδοῦσα ἡ ὄνος τὸν ἄγγελον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀνθεστηκότα ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ καὶ τὴν ρομφαίαν ἐσπασμένην ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐξέκλινεν ἡ ὄνος ἐκ τῆς ὁδοῦ καὶ ἐπορεύετο εἰς τὸ πεδίον· καὶ ἐπάταξε τὴν ὄνον ἐν τῇ ράβδῳ αὐτοῦ τοῦ εὐθῦναι αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ.

²⁴καὶ ἔστη ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ταῖς αὔλαξι τῶν ἀμπέλων, φραγμὸς ἐντεῦθεν καὶ φραγμὸς ἐντεῦθεν·

²⁵καὶ ἰδοῦσα ἡ ὄνος τὸν ἄγγελον τοῦ Θεοῦ προσέθλιψεν ἑαυτὴν πρὸς τὸν τοῖχον καὶ ἀπέθλιψε τὸν πόδα Βαλαὰμ πρὸς τὸν τοῖχον· καὶ προσέθετο ἔτι μαστίξαι αὐτήν.

²⁶καὶ προσέθετο ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἀπελθὼν ὑπέστη ἐν τόπῳ στενῷ, εἰς ὃν οὐκ ἦν ἐκκλῖναι δεξιὰν ἢ ἀριστεράν.

²⁷καὶ ἰδοῦσα ἡ ὄνος τὸν ἄγγελον τοῦ Θεοῦ συνεκάθισεν ὑποκάτω Βαλαάμ· καὶ ἐθυμώθη Βαλαὰμ καὶ ἔτυπτε τὴν ὄνον τῇ ράβδῳ.

²⁸καὶ ἤνοιξεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ στόμα τῆς ὄνου, καὶ λέγει τῷ Βαλαάμ· τί ἐποίησά σοι ὅτι πέπαικάς με τρίτον τοῦτο;

²⁹καὶ εἶπε Βαλαὰμ τῇ ὄνῳ· ὅτι ἐμπέπαιχάς μοι· καὶ εἰ εἶχον μάχαιραν ἐν τῇ χειρί, ἤδη ἂν ἐξεκέντησά σε.

³⁰καὶ λέγει ἡ ὄνος τῷ Βαλαάμ· οὐκ ἐγὼ ἡ ὄνος σου, ἐφ’ ἧς ἐπέβαινες ἀπὸ νεότητός σου ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας; μὴ ὑπεροράσει ὑπεριδοῦσα ἐποίησά σοι οὕτως; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· οὐχί.

³¹ἀπεκάλυψε δὲ ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς Βαλαάμ, καὶ ὁρᾷ τὸν ἄγγελον Κυρίου ἀνθεστηκότα ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ καὶ τὴν μάχαιραν ἐσπασμένην ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ κύψας προσεκύνησε τῷ προσώπῳ αὐτοῦ.

³²καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ· διατί ἐπάταξας τὴν ὄνον σου τοῦτο τρίτον; καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐξῆλθον εἰς διαβολήν σου, ὅτι οὐκ ἀστεία ἡ ὁδός σου ἐναντίον μου,

³³καὶ ἰδοῦσά με ἡ ὄνος ἐξέκλινεν ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ τρίτον τοῦτο· καὶ εἰ μὴ ἐξέκλινεν, νῦν οὖν σὲ μὲν ἀπέκτεινα, ἐκείνην δ’ ἂν περιεποιησάμην.

³⁴καὶ εἶπε Βαλαὰμ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ Κυρίου· ἡμάρτηκα, οὐ γὰρ ἠπιστάμην ὅτι σύ μοι ἀνθέστηκας ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ εἰς συνάντησιν· καὶ νῦν εἰ μή σοι ἀρκέσει, ἀποστραφήσομαι.

³⁵καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ πρὸς Βαλαάμ· συμπορεύθητι μετὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων· πλὴν τὸ ρῆμα, ὃ ἐὰν εἴπω πρὸς σε, τοῦτο φυλάξῃ λαλῆσαι. καὶ ἐπορεύθη Βαλαὰμ μετὰ τῶν ἀρχόντων Βαλάκ.

³⁶Καὶ ἀκούσας Βαλὰκ ὅτι ἥκει Βαλαάμ, ἐξῆλθεν εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτῷ, εἰς πόλιν Μωάβ, ἥ ἐστιν ἐπὶ τῶν ὁρίων ᾿Αρνῶν, ὅ ἐστιν ἐκ μέρους τῶν ὁρίων.

³⁷καὶ εἶπε Βαλὰκ πρὸς Βαλαάμ· οὐχὶ ἀπέστειλα πρὸς σὲ καλέσαι σε; διατί οὐκ ἤρχου πρός με; ὄντως οὐ δυνήσομαι τιμῆσαί σε;

³⁸καὶ εἶπε Βαλαὰμ πρὸς Βαλάκ· ἰδοὺ ἥκω πρὸς σὲ νῦν· δυνατὸς ἔσομαι λαλῆσαί τι; τὸ ρῆμα, ὃ ἐὰν ἐμβάλῃ ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τὸ στόμα μου, τοῦτο λαλήσω.

³⁹καὶ ἐπορεύθη Βαλαὰμ μετὰ Βαλάκ, καὶ ἦλθον εἰς πόλεις ἐπαύλεων.

⁴⁰καὶ ἔθυσε Βαλὰκ πρόβατα καὶ μόσχους καὶ ἀπέστειλε τῷ Βαλαὰμ καὶ τοῖς ἄρχουσι τοῖς μετ’ αὐτοῦ.

⁴¹καὶ ἐγενήθη πρωΐ καὶ παραλαβὼν Βαλὰκ τὸν Βαλαὰμ ἀνεβίβασεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν στήλην τοῦ Βαὰλ καὶ ἔδειξεν αὐτῷ ἐκεῖθεν μέρος τι τοῦ λαοῦ.

¹And the children of Israel departed, and encamped on the west of Moab by Jordan toward Jericho.

²And when Balac son of Sepphor saw all that Israel did to the Amorite,

³then Moab feared the people exceedingly because they were many; and Moab was grieved before the face of the children of Israel.

⁴And Moab said to the elders of Madiam, Now shall this assembly lick up all that are round about us, as a calf would lick up the green [herbs] of the field:-- and Balac son of Sepphor was king of Moab at that time.

⁵And he sent ambassadors to Balaam the son of Beor, to Phathura, which is on a river of the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, a people is come out of Egypt, and behold it has covered the face of the earth, and it has encamped close to me.

⁶And now come, curse me this people, for it is stronger than we; if we may be able to smite some of them, and I will cast them out of the land: for I know that whomsoever thou dost bless, they are blessed, and whomsoever thou dost curse, they are cursed.

⁷And the elders of Moab went, and the elders of Madiam, and their divining [instruments were] in their hands; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balac.

⁸And he said to them, Tarry here the night, and I will answer you the things which the Lord shall say to me; and the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

⁹And God came to Balaam, and said to him, Who are these men with thee?

¹⁰And Balaam said to God, Balac son of Sepphor, king of Moab, sent them to me, saying,

¹¹Behold, a people has come forth out of Egypt, and has covered the face of the land, and it has encamped near to me; and now come, curse it for me, if indeed I shall be able to smite it, and cast it out of the land.

¹²And God said to Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them, neither shalt thou curse the people; for they are blessed.

¹³And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balac, Depart quickly to your lord; God does not permit me to go with you.

¹⁴And the princes of Moab rose, and came to Balac, and said, Balaam will not come with us.

¹⁵And Balac yet again sent more princes and more honourable than they.

¹⁶And they came to Balaam, and they say to him, Thus says Balac the son of Sepphor: I beseech thee, delay not to come to me.

¹⁷For I will greatly honour thee, and will do for thee whatsoever thou shalt say; come then, curse me this people.

¹⁸And Balaam answered and said to the princes of Balac, If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord God, to make it little or great in my mind.

¹⁹And now do ye also tarry here this night, and I shall know what the Lord will yet say to me.

²⁰And God came to Balaam by night, and said to him, If these men are come to call thee, rise and follow them; nevertheless the word which I shall speak to thee, it shalt thou do.

²¹And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

²²And God was very angry because he went; and the angel of the Lord rose up to withstand him. Now he had mounted his ass, and his two servants were with him.

²³And when the ass saw the angel of God standing opposite in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, then the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field; and [Balaam] smote the ass with his staff to direct her in the way.

²⁴And the angel of the Lord stood in the avenues of the vines, a fence [being] on this side and a fence on that.

²⁵And when the ass saw the angel of God, she thrust herself against the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall, and he smote her again.

²⁶And the angel of the Lord went farther, and came and stood in a narrow place where it was impossible to turn to the right or the left.

²⁷And when the ass saw the angel of God, she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam was angry, and struck the ass with his staff.

²⁸And God opened the mouth of the ass, and she says to Balaam, What have I done to thee, that thou hast smitten me this third time?

²⁹And Balaam said to the ass, Because thou hast mocked me; and if I [had] had a sword in my hand, I would now have killed thee.

³⁰And the ass says to Balaam, [Am] not I thine ass on which thou hast ridden since thy youth till this day? did I ever do thus to thee, utterly disregarding [thee]? and he said, No.

³¹And God opened the eyes of Balaam, and he sees the angel of the Lord withstanding [him] in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, and he stooped down and worshiped on his face.

³²And the angel of God said to him, Why hast thou smitten thine ass this third time? and, behold, I came out to withstand thee, for thy way was not seemly before me; and when the ass saw me, she turned away from me this third time.

³³And if she had not turned out of the way, surely now, I should have slain thee, and should have saved her alive.

³⁴And Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, I have sinned, for I did not know that thou wert standing opposite in the way to meet [me]; and now if it shall not be pleasing to thee [for me to go on], I will return.

³⁵And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, Go with the men: nevertheless the word which I shall speak to thee, that thou shalt take heed to speak. And Balaam went with the princes of Balac.

³⁶And when Balac heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him, to a city of Moab, which is on the borders of Arnon, which is on the [extreme] part of the borders.

³⁷And Balac said to Balaam, Did I not send to thee to call thee? why hast thou not come to me? shall I not indeed be able to honour thee?

³⁸And Balaam said to Balac, Behold, I am now come to thee: shall I be able to say anything? the word which God shall put into my mouth, that I shall speak.

³⁹And Balaam went with Balac, and they came to the cities of streets.

⁴⁰And Balac offered sheep and calves, and sent to Balaam and to his princes who were with him.

⁴¹And it was morning; and Balac took Balaam, and brought him up to the pillar of Baal, and shewed him thence a part of the people.