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 to the elders of Midian, “Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field”. And Balak, the son of Zippor, was king of the Moabites at that time. 5He sent messengers therefore to Balaam, the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to summon him, saying, “Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: and they cover the face of the earth, and they abide opposite me: 6Come now therefore, I pray you, curse this people for me; for they are too mighty for me: perhaps I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.” 7And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak. 8And he said to them, “Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak to me”: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam. 9And God came unto Balaam, and said, “What men are these with you?” 10And Balaam said to God, “Balak, the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, 11“Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, who covers the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; perhaps I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out”. 12And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people: for they are blessed.” 13And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Get you into your land: for the LORD refuses to give me leave to go with you”. 14And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us”.

15And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they. 16And they came to Balaam, and said to him, “Thus says Balak, the son of Zippor, “Let nothing, I pray you, hinder you from coming to me: 17For I will promote you to very great honor, and I will do whatever you say to me: come therefore, I pray you, curse me this people”. 18And Balaam answered and said to 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 also here this night, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me”. 20And God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say to you, that shall you do.” 21And Balaam arose in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

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 donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23And the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way, and His sword drawn in His hand; and the donkey turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the donkey, 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 donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, crushing 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 donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he hit the donkey with a staff. 28And the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have smitten me these three times?” 29And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have mocked me, I would there were a sword in my hand, for now would I kill you”. 30And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am not I your donkey, upon which you have ridden ever since I was yours until this day? Was I ever accustomed to do so to you?” 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 to him, “Why have you smitten your donkey these three times? Behold, I went out to withstand you, because your way is perverse before Me; 33And the donkey saw Me, and turned from Me these three times: unless she had turned from Me, surely now also I had slain you, and saved her alive”. 34And Balaam said to the Angel of the LORD, “I have sinned; for I knew not that You stood in the way against me: now therefore, if it displeases You, I will return again”. 35And the Angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak to you, that you shall speak”. And so Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

36And when Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost boundary. 37And Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not earnestly send to you to call you? Why came you not to me? Am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?” 38And Balaam said to Balak, “Lo, I am come to you: have I now any power at all to say anything? the word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak”. 39And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-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 next day, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that from there he might see the utmost part of the people.