Numbers 22:29-41 ▼

29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have acted mockingly with me! Oh, I wish a sword were in my hand, for now I would kill you!”

30 And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden always until this day? Have I at all been accustomed to do to you, acting this way?” And he said, “No.”

31 And YHWH opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of YHWH standing in the way, and his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face.

32 And the angel of YHWH said to him, “On account of what have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before me.

33 And the donkey saw Me and turned aside before my face these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely by now I would also have killed you and let her live.”

34 And Balaam said to the angel of YHWH, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood against me in the road. And now, if it is evil in your eyes, I will turn back by myself.”

35 And the angel of YHWH said to Balaam, “Go with the men, and only the word that I speak to you shall you speak.” And Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

36 And Balak heard that Balaam was coming, and he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, which is on the border of Arnon, which is the boundary of the territory.

37 And Balak said to Balaam, “Was it not that I earnestly sent to you to call for you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not truly able to honor you?”

38 And Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you; now am I able at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak.”

39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.

40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and he sent some to Balaam and to the princes who were with him.

41 And it was the next day that Balak took Balaam and brought him up into Bamoth-baal, that he might observe from there the extremity of the people.