Numbers 22 Parallel Bible Translations

Numbers 22 ▼
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1 The Israelis continued their travels, eventually encamping on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River opposite Jericho. 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 Zippor's son Balak saw everything that Israel had done to the Amorites. 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 As a result, Moab greatly feared the people, because they were so numerous. Because a sense of impending doom was afflicting the Moabites as they faced the Israelis, 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 the Moabites told the elders of Midian, |This horde of people is about to lick up everything around us, like an ox licks up the green ground.| At that time, Zippor's son Balak was the 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 He sent messengers to Beor's son Balaam in Pethor, near the Euphrates River, the land where the descendants of his people originated, to summon his aid. He said, |Look! A group of people have escaped from Egypt. They cover the surface of the whole earth, and are sitting here right in front of 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 So come right now and curse this people for me, because there are too many of them for me to handle. Perhaps I'll be able to strike them down and drive them out of the land, since I know that whomever you bless is blessed and whomever you curse is 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 So the elders of Moab and Midian left to visit Balaam, bringing an honorarium with them, and communicated Balak's concerns to him. 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 In answer, Balaam told them, |Stay here for the night and I'll bring back a message to you, depending on what the LORD says to me.| So the officers of Moab stayed with Balaam overnight. 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 God visited Balaam and asked him, |Who are these men 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 Then Balaam told God, |Zippor's son Balak, king of Moab, sent them to me and said, 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 Look! A group of people have escaped from Egypt. They cover the surface of the whole earth! So come right now and curse them for me. Perhaps I'll be able to fight against them and drive them out.'| ‘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 But God told Balaam, |Don't go with them. Don't curse the people, because they're 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 So Balaam got up the next morning and told Balak's officials, |Go back to your homeland, because the LORD has refused me permission to go 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 So Balak's officials got up, returned to Balak and reported, |Balaam refused 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 In response, Balak sent more officers—higher ranking ones, at that!— 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 who approached Balaam with this message: |This is what Zippor's son Balak says: 'Don't let anything get in the way of your coming 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 I'm determined to reward you generously, and I'll do everything you tell me to do. So come right away and curse this people for me.'| 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 to Balak's entourage by saying, |Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I won't double-cross the command of the LORD my God in even the slightest way. 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 Meanwhile, stay here overnight so I may learn what the LORD might say to me.| 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 God came to visit Balaam that same night and told him, |If the men come to call on you, get up and go with them, but be sure to do only what I tell you to do.| 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 The next morning, Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started to leave, accompanied by the Moabite officials. 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 At this, the anger of the LORD flared up against Balaam, because he was leaving. So the angel of the LORD stood in the way to oppose him. As Balaam was riding his donkey, accompanied by two of his servants, 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 all of a sudden the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with an unsheathed sword in his hand! The donkey turned off the road and went into an open field. Balaam started beating the donkey in order to turn her back to the road, 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 but the angel of the LORD stood on a narrow path that crossed the vineyards. It had walls on both sides of the path. 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 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she squeezed herself so close to the wall that Balaam's foot was pressed to the wall. 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 Then the angel of the LORD went along a little further and stood in a much narrower space, where it was impossible to turn either right or left. 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 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she crouched down under Balaam. As a result, Balaam got so angry that he started to whip the donkey with his staff. 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 That's when the LORD enabled the donkey to speak. She asked Balaam, |What did I do to you that you would beat me in the space of only three footsteps?| 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 |Because you're playing a dirty trick on me,| Balaam answered the donkey. |If only I had a sword in my hand! I'd kill you right now!| 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 But in response, the donkey asked Balaam, |I'm your donkey that you've ridden on in the past without incident, am I not, and I'm the same donkey you're riding on right now, am I not? Am I in the habit of treating you like this?| |No,| he admitted. 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 Then the LORD enabled Balaam to see, so he observed the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with an unsheathed sword in his hand. So he bowed down and prostrated himself on his face. 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 Then the angel of the LORD asked him, |Why did you beat your donkey in the space of only three footsteps? I've come to oppose you, because I say that what you're doing is perverted. 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 The donkey saw me and turned in front of me in the space of those three footsteps. 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 If she hadn't turned away from me, I would have killed you by now and left her alive!| At this, Balaam replied to the angel of the LORD, |I've sinned! I didn't know that you were standing to meet me on the road. So now, since it displeases you, let me go back.| 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 But the angel of the LORD told Balaam, |Go with the men, but deliver only the message that I'm going to give you.| So Balaam went with Balak's officials. 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 When Balak heard that Balaam had arrived, he went out to meet him in the city of Moab on the border of Arnon at the extreme end of his territory. 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 Balak asked Balaam, |Didn't I repeatedly send for you to summon you? Why didn't you come to me? I can pay you well, can't I?| 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 Balaam answered Balak, |Well, I'm here now. I've come to you, but I can't just say anything, can I? I'll speak only what God puts in my mouth to say.| 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 So accompanied by Balaam and Balak's officials, Balak traveled to Kiriath-huzoth, Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth.
40 where he sacrificed oxen and sheep. 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 The next day, Balak brought Balaam up to Bamoth-baal, where he could see part of the community of Israel. 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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