1And the children of Israel set forward , and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho . 2And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites . 3And Moab was sore afraid of the people , because they were many : and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel . 4And Moab said unto the elders of Midian , Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field . And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time . 5He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor , which is by the river of the land of the children of his people , to call him, saying , Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt : behold, they cover the face of the earth , and they abide over against me: 6Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people ; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail , that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land : for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed , and he whom thou cursest is cursed .
Balaam's Response to Balak's Messengers
7And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand ; and they came unto Balaam , and spake unto him the words of Balak . 8And he said unto them, Lodge here this night , and I will bring you word again , as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam . 9And God came unto Balaam , and said , What men are these with thee? 10And Balaam said unto God , Balak the son of Zippor , king of Moab , hath sent unto me, saying , 11Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt , which covereth the face of the earth : come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out . 12And God said unto Balaam , Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people : for they are blessed . 13And Balaam rose up in the morning , and said unto the princes of Balak , Get you into your land : for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you. 14And the princes of Moab rose up , and they went unto Balak , and said , Balaam refuseth to come with us.
Balak's Persistence
15And Balak sent yet again princes , more , and more honourable than they. 16And they came to Balaam , and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor , Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: 17For I will promote thee unto very great honour , and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people . 18And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak , If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold , I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God , to do less or more . 19Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night , that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more . 20And God came unto Balaam at night , and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up , and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do . 21And Balaam rose up in the morning , and saddled his ass , and went with the princes of Moab .
Balaam's Journey and God's Anger
22And God’s anger was kindled because he went : and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass , and his two servants were with him. 23And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way , and his sword drawn in his hand : and the ass turned aside out of the way , and went into the field : and Balaam smote the ass , to turn her into the way . 24But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards , a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. 25And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD , she thrust herself unto the wall , and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall : and he smote her again . 26And the angel of the LORD went further , and stood in a narrow place , where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left . 27And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD , she fell down under Balaam : and Balaam’s anger was kindled , and he smote the ass with a staff . 28And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass , and she said unto Balaam , What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times ? 29And Balaam said unto the ass , Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand , for now would I kill thee. 30And the ass said unto Balaam , Am not I thine ass , upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day ? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said , Nay. 31Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam , and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way , and his sword drawn in his hand : and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face . 32And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times ? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: 33And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times : unless she had turned from me , surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive . 34And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD , I have sinned ; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee , I will get me back again . 35And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam , Go with the men : but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak . So Balaam went with the princes of Balak .
Balaam's Prophecies
36And when Balak heard that Balaam was come , he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab , which is in the border of Arnon , which is in the utmost coast . 37And Balak said unto Balaam , Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour ? 38And Balaam said unto Balak , Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing ? the word that God putteth in my mouth , that shall I speak . 39And Balaam went with Balak , and they came unto Kirjath-huzoth . 40And Balak offered oxen and sheep , and sent to Balaam , and to the princes that were with him. 41And it came to pass on the morrow , that Balak took Balaam , and brought him up into the high places of Baal , that thence he might see the utmost part of the people .