Numbers 22 Parallel Bible

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	CPDV Catholic Public Domain Version	ESV English Standard Version	NIV New International Version
1	And they set out and made camp in the plains of Moab, across the Jordan, where Jericho is situated.	Then the people of Israel set out and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.	Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.
2	Then Balak, the son of Zippor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorite,	And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.	Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,
3	and that the Moabites had great fear of him, and that they were not able to bear his assault,	And Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were many. Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel.	and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites.
4	said to those greater by birth of Midian: “So will this people wipe away all those who are dwelling within our borders, in the same way that the ox is accustomed to tear out grass, all the way to the roots.” At that time, he was king of Moab.	And Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time,	The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time,
5	Therefore, he sent messengers to Balaam, the son of Beor, a seer who lived above the river of the land of the sons of Ammon, to call him, and to say: “Behold, a people has gone forth from Egypt, which has covered the face of the earth. They are encamped opposite me.	sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the people of Amaw, to call him, saying, “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me.	sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River, in his native land. Balak said: “A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me.
6	Therefore, come and curse this people, for they are stronger than I am. If only, in some way, I might be able to strike them and to drive them from my land. For I know that he whom you bless shall be blessed, and he whom you curse shall be cursed.”	Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”	Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”
7	And the elders of Moab, and those greater by birth of Midian, continued on, holding the price of divination in their hands. And when they had come to Balaam, and had explained to him all the words of Balak,	So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand. And they came to Balaam and gave him Balak’s message.	The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.
8	he responded, “Remain for this night, and I will answer with whatever the Lord will say to me.” And while they stayed with Balaam, God came and said to him,	And he said to them, “Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the LORD speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.	“Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I will report back to you with the answer the LORD gives me.” So the Moabite officials stayed with him.
9	“What do these men want with you?”	And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”	God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
10	He responded, “Balak, the son of Zippor, the king of the Moabites has sent to me,	And Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,	Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:
11	saying: ‘Behold, a people, which has gone forth from Egypt, has covered the face of the earth. Come and curse them, so that, in some way, I may be able to fight them and drive them away.’ ”	‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Now come, curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them and drive them out.’”	A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.’”
12	And God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them, and do not curse the people, for they are blessed.”	God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”	But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.”
13	And he, rising up in the morning, said to the leaders, “Go into your own land, for the Lord has prohibited me from going with you.”	So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your own land, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you.”	The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your own country, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you.”
14	Returning, the leaders said to Balak, “Balaam was not willing to come with us.”	So the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”	So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
15	Again, he sent many more persons, and these were more noble than those he had sent before.	Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than these.	Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first.
16	And when these had come to Balaam, they said: “So says Balak, the son of Zippor. Do not hesitate to come to me.	And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Let nothing hinder you from coming to me,	They came to Balaam and said: “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me,
17	For I am ready to honor you, and whatever you would want, I shall give to you. Come and curse this people.”	for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Come, curse this people for me.’”	because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me.”
18	Balaam responded: “Even if Balak were to give to me his own house, filled with silver and gold, I still would not be able to change the word of the Lord my God, neither to say more, nor to say less.	But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the LORD my God to do less or more.	But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the LORD my God.
19	I beg you to remain for this night also, so that I may know what the Lord will answer me again.”	So you, too, please stay here tonight, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me.”	Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the LORD will tell me.”
20	Therefore, God came to Balaam in the night, and said to him: “If these men have arrived to call you, then rise up and go with them; yet only in so far as you shall do what I will command you.”	And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you.”	That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”
21	Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddling his donkey, he set out with them.	So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.	Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials.
22	And God was angry. And an Angel of the Lord stood in the way opposite Balaam, who was sitting on the donkey, and he had two servants with him.	But God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him.	But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
23	The donkey, discerning that the Angel was standing in the way with a drawn sword, turned herself from the road and went through a field. And when Balaam beat her and intended to return her to the path,	And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road.	When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road.
24	the Angel stood in a narrow place between the two walls, with which the vineyards were enclosed.	Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side.	Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides.
25	And the donkey, seeing this, drew herself close to the wall and scraped the foot of the rider. So he beat her again.	And when the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So he struck her again.	When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again.
26	And, nevertheless, the Angel passing on to a narrow place, where one would not be able to deviate either to the right or to the left, stood to meet him.	Then the angel of the LORD went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left.	Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left.
27	And when the donkey had seen the Angel standing there, she fell under the feet of the rider, who, being angry, struck her sides more vehemently with a club.	When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.	When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff.
28	And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said: “What have I done to you? Why do strike you me, behold now, for the third time?”	Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”	Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”
29	Balaam responded, “Because you have deserved it, and you have mistreated me. If only I had a sword, so that I might pierce you.”	And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.”	Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”
30	The donkey said: “Am not I your animal, on which you have always been accustomed to sit, even until this present day? Tell me, when did I ever do the same thing to you.” But he said, “Never.”	And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.”	The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?” “No,” he said.
31	Immediately, the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the Angel standing in the way with a drawn sword, and he reverenced him prone on the ground.	Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face.	Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.
32	And the Angel said to him: “Why did you beat your donkey three times? I have come to be an adversary to you, because your way is perverse and contrary to me.	And the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me.	The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.
33	And unless the donkey had turned aside from the way, allowing a place for my opposition, I would have killed you, and she would have lived.”	The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.”	The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it.”
34	Balaam said: “I have sinned, not knowing that you stood against me. And now, if it displeases you for me to continue on, I will return.”	Then Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.”	Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.”
35	The Angel said, “Go with them, but be careful not to speak anything other than what I shall instruct you.” And so, he went with the leaders.	And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.” So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.	The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.
36	And when Balak had heard it, he went out to meet him in a town of the Moabites, which is situated at the furthest borders of Arnon.	When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, on the border formed by the Arnon, at the extremity of the border.	When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.
37	And he said to Balaam: “I sent messengers to call you. Why did you not come to me immediately? Was it because I am not able to pay the cost for your arrival?”	And Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?”	Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?”
38	He answered him: “Behold, here I am. Am I able to speak anything other than what God will put into my mouth?”	Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you! Have I now any power of my own to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak.”	“Well, I have come to you now,” Balaam replied. “But I can’t say whatever I please. I must speak only what God puts in my mouth.”
39	Therefore, they continued on together, and they arrived at a city, which was at the furthest borders of his kingdom.	Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.	Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth.
40	And after Balak had killed oxen and sheep, he sent the gifts to Balaam, and to the leaders who were with him.	And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent for Balaam and for the princes who were with him.	Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and gave some to Balaam and the officials who were with him.
41	Then, when morning arrived, he led him to the heights of Baal, and he gazed upon the most distant portions of the population.	And in the morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal, and from there he saw a fraction of the people.	The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp.
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Numbers 22 Parallel Bible Translations