| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho. | 1The Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan across from Jericho. |
| 2And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. | 2Now Balak 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. | 3Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous, and Moab dreaded the Israelites. |
| 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. | 4So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, "This horde will devour everything around us like an ox eats up the green plants in the field." Since Balak son of Zippor was Moab's king 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: | 5he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people. Balak said to him: "Look, a people has come out of Egypt; they cover the surface of the land and are living right across from 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. | 6Please come and put a curse on these people for me because they are more powerful than I am. I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that those you bless are blessed and those you curse are cursed." |
| 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. | 7The elders of Moab and Midian departed with fees for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and reported Balak's words to him. |
| 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. | 8He said to them, "Spend the night here, and I will give you the answer the LORD tells me." So the officials of Moab stayed with Balaam. |
| 9And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee? | 9Then God came to Balaam and asked, "Who are these men with you?" |
| 10And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying, | 10Balaam replied to God, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent this message to me: |
| 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. | 11Look, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the surface of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. I may be able to fight against them and drive them away.'" |
| 12And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed. | 12Then God said to Balaam, "You are not to go with them. You are not to curse this 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. | 13So Balaam got up the next morning and said to Balak's officials, "Go back to your land, because the LORD has refused to let me go with you." |
| 14And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us. | 14The officials of Moab arose, returned to Balak, and reported, "Balaam refused to come with us." |
| 15And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they. | 15Balak sent officials again who were more numerous and higher in rank than the others. |
| 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: | 16They came to Balaam and said to him, "This is what Balak son of Zippor says: 'Let nothing keep you from coming to 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. | 17for I will greatly honor you and do whatever you ask me. So please come and put a curse on these people for me!'" |
| 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. | 18But Balaam responded to the servants of Balak, "If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go against the command of the LORD my God to do anything small or great. |
| 19Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more. | 19Please stay here overnight as the others did, so that I may find out what else the LORD has to tell me." |
| 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. | 20God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you." |
| 21And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. | 21When he got up in the morning, Balaam saddled his donkey and went with the officials 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 ass, and his two servants were with him. | 22But God was incensed that Balaam was going, and the Angel of the LORD took His stand on the path to oppose him. Balaam was riding his donkey, 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. | 23When the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD standing on the path with a drawn sword in His hand, she turned off the path and went into the field. So Balaam hit her to return her to the path. |
| 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. | 24Then the Angel of the LORD stood in a narrow passage between the vineyards, with a stone wall on either 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. | 25The donkey saw the Angel of the LORD and pressed herself against the wall, squeezing Balaam's foot against it. So he hit her once 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. | 26The Angel of the LORD went ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn to the right or 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. | 27When the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she crouched down under Balaam. So he became furious and beat the donkey with his stick. |
| 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? | 28Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she asked Balaam, "What have I done to you that you have beaten 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. | 29Balaam answered the donkey, "You made me look like a fool. If I had a sword in my hand, I'd kill you now!" |
| 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. | 30But the donkey said, "Am I not the donkey you've ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?"" No," he replied. |
| 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. | 31Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the path with a drawn sword in His hand. Balaam knelt and bowed with his face to the ground. |
| 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: | 32The Angel of the LORD asked him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you, because what you are doing is evil in My sight. |
| 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. | 33The donkey saw Me and turned away from Me these three times. If she had not turned away from Me, I would have killed you by now and let her live." |
| 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. | 34Balaam said to the Angel of the LORD, "I have sinned, for I did not know that You were standing in the path to confront me. And now, if it is evil in Your sight, I will go back." |
| 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. | 35Then the Angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but you are to say only what I tell you." So Balaam went with Balak's officials. |
| 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. | 36When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite city on the Arnon border at the edge of his territory. |
| 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? | 37Balak asked Balaam, "Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn't you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?" |
| 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. | 38Balaam said to him, "Look, I have come to you, but can I say anything I want? I must speak only the message God puts in my mouth." |
| 39And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth. | 39So 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. | 40Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent for Balaam and the officials who 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. | 41In the morning, Balak took Balaam and brought him to Bamoth-baal. From there he saw the outskirts of the people's camp. |
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