Numbers 22; Numbers 23; Numbers 24; Numbers 25:1-9

1 The children of Yisra'el journeyed, and encamped in the plains of Mo'av beyond the Yarden at Yericho.

2 Balak the son of Tzippor saw all that Yisra'el had done to the Amori.

3 Mo'av was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Mo'av was distressed because of the children of Yisra'el.

4 Mo'av said to the Zakenim of Midyan, Now will this multitude lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field. Balak the son of Tzippor was king of Mo'av at that time.

5 He sent messengers to Bil`am the son of Be'or, to Petor, which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Mitzrayim: behold, they cover the surface of the eretz, and they abide over against me.

6 Please come now therefore curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may strike 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.

7 The Zakenim of Mo'av and the Zakenim of Midyan departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came to Bil`am, and spoke to him the words of Balak.

8 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 Mo'av abode with Bil`am.

9 God came to Bil`am, and said, What men are these with you?

10 Bil`am said to God, Balak the son of Tzippor, king of Mo'av, has sent to me, [saying],

11 Behold, the people that is come out of Mitzrayim, it covers the surface of the eretz: now, come curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.

12 God said to Bil`am, You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people; for they are blessed.

13 Bil`am 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.

14 The princes of Mo'av rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, Bil`am refuses to come with us.

15 Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they.

16 They came to Bil`am, and said to him, Thus says Balak the son of Tzippor, Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me:

17 for I will promote you to very great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Please come therefore, and curse this people for me.

18 Bil`am answered the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can't go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.

19 Now therefore, please wait also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will speak to me more.

20 God came to Bil`am at night, and said to him, If the men are come to call you, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak to you, that shall you do.

21 Bil`am rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Mo'av.

22 God's anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of the LORD placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

23 The donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Bil`am struck the donkey, to turn her into the way.

24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.

25 The donkey saw the angel of the LORD, and she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Bil`am's foot against the wall: and he struck her again.

26 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.

27 The donkey saw the angel of the LORD, and she lay down under Bil`am: and Bil`am's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

28 The LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Bil`am, What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?

29 Bil`am said to the donkey, Because you have mocked me, I would there were a sword in my hand, for now I had killed you.

30 The donkey said to Bil`am, Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? was I ever wont to do so to you? and he said, No.

31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Bil`am, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.

32 The angel of the LORD said to him, Why have you struck your donkey these three times? behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because your way is perverse before me:

33 and the donkey saw me, and turned aside before me these three times: unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I had even slain you, and saved her alive.

34 Bil`am said to the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I didn't know that you stood in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease you, I will get me back again.

35 The angel of the LORD said to Bil`am, Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak to you, that you shall speak. So Bil`am went with the princes of Balak.

36 When Balak heard that Bil`am was come, he went out to meet him to the City of Mo'av, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.

37 Balak said to Bil`am, Didn't I earnestly send to you to call you? why didn't you come to me? am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?

38 Bil`am said to Balak, Behold, I have come to you: have I now any power at all to speak anything? the word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.

39 Bil`am went with Balak, and they came to Kiryat-Hutzot.

40 Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent to Bil`am, and to the princes who were with him.

41 It happened in the morning, that Balak took Bil`am, and brought him up into the high places of Ba`al; and he saw from there the utmost part of the people.

1 Bil`am said to Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bulls and seven rams.

2 Balak did as Bil`am had spoken; and Balak and Bil`am offered on every altar a bull and a ram.

3 Bil`am said to Balak, Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go: perhaps the LORD will come to meet me; and whatever he shows me I will tell you. He went to a bare height.

4 God met Bil`am: and he said to him, I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on every altar

5 The LORD put a word in Bil`am's mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.

6 He returned to him, and, behold, he was standing by his burnt- offering, he, and all the princes of Mo'av.

7 He took up his parable, and said, From Aram has Balak brought me, The king of Mo'av from the mountains of the East: Come, curse me Ya`akov, Come, defy Yisra'el.

8 How shall I curse, whom God has not cursed? How shall I defy, whom the LORD has not defied?

9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, From the hills I see him: behold, it is a people that dwells alone, And shall not be reckoned among the nations.

10 Who can count the dust of Ya`akov, Or number the fourth part of Yisra'el? Let me die the death of the righteous, Let my last end be like his!

11 Balak said to Bil`am, What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have blessed them altogether.

12 He answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD puts in my mouth?

13 Balak said to him, Please come with me to another place, from whence you may see them; you shall see but the utmost part of them, and shall not see them all: and curse me them from there.

14 He took him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered up a bull and a ram on every altar

15 He said to Balak, Stand here by your burnt offering, while I meet [the LORD] yonder.

16 The LORD met Bil`am, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus shall you speak.

17 He came to him, and, behold, he was standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Mo'av with him. Balak said to him, What has the LORD spoken?

18 He took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; Listen to me, you son of Tzippor:

19 God is not a man, that he should lie, Neither the son of man, that he should repent: Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it good

20 Behold, I have received [mitzvah] to bless: He has blessed, and I can't reverse it.

21 He has not saw iniquity in Ya`akov; Neither has he seen perverseness in Yisra'el: The LORD his God is with him, The shout of a king is among them

22 God brings them forth out of Mitzrayim; He has as it were the strength of the wild-ox.

23 Surely there is no enchantment with Ya`akov; Neither is there any divination with Yisra'el: Now shall it be said of Ya`akov and of Yisra'el, What has God done!

24 Behold, the people rises up as a lioness, As a lion does he lift himself up: He shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, Drink the blood of the slain.

25 Balak said to Bil`am, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

26 But Bil`am answered Balak, Didn't I tell you, saying, All that the LORD speaks, that I must do?

27 Balak said to Bil`am, Come now, I will take you to another place; peradventure it will please God that you may curse me them from there.

28 Balak took Bil`am to the top of Pe`or, that looks down on the desert.

29 Bil`am said to Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bulls and seven rams.

30 Balak did as Bil`am had said, and offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.

1 When Bil`am saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Yisra'el, he didn't go, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

2 Bil`am lifted up his eyes, and he saw Yisra'el dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came on him.

3 He took up his parable, and said, Bil`am the son of Be'or says, The man whose eye was closed says;

4 He says, who hears the words of God, Who sees the vision of Shaddai, Falling down, and having his eyes open:

5 How goodly are your tents, Ya`akov, Your tents, Yisra'el!

6 As valleys are they spread forth, As gardens by the river-side, As lign-aloes which the LORD has planted, As cedar trees beside the waters.

7 Water shall flow from his buckets, His seed shall be in many waters, His king shall be higher than Agag, His kingdom shall be exalted.

8 God brings him forth out of Mitzrayim; He has as it were the strength of the wild-ox: He shall eat up the nations his adversaries, Shall break their bones in pieces, Smite [them] through with his arrows.

9 He couched, he lay down as a lion, As a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Blessed be everyone who blesses you, Cursed be everyone who curses you.

10 Balak's anger was kindled against Bil`am, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Bil`am, I called you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have altogether blessed them these three times.

11 Therefore now flee you to your place: I thought to promote you to great honor; but, behold, the LORD has kept you back from honor.

12 Bil`am said to Balak, Didn't I also tell your messengers who you sent to me, saying,

13 If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can't go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own mind; what the LORD speaks, that will I speak?

14 Now, behold, I go to my people: come, [and] I will advertise you what this people shall do to your people in the latter days.

15 He took up his parable, and said, Bil`am the son of Be'or says, The man whose eye was closed says;

16 He says, who hears the words of God, Knows the knowledge of Ha`Elyon, Who sees the vision of Shaddai, Falling down, and having his eyes open:

17 I see him, but not now; I see him, but not near: There shall come forth a star out of Ya`akov, A scepter shall rise out of Yisra'el, Shall strike through the corners of Mo'av, Break down all the sons of tumult.

18 Edom shall be a possession, Se`ir also shall be a possession, [who were] his enemies; While Yisra'el does valiantly.

19 Out of Ya`akov shall one have dominion, Shall destroy the remnant from the city.

20 He looked at `Amalek, and took up his parable, and said, `Amalek was the first of the nations; But his latter end shall come to destruction.

21 He looked at the Keni, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is your dwelling-place, Your nest is set in the rock.

22 Nevertheless Kayin shall be wasted, Until Ashshur shall carry you away captive.

23 He took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God does this?

24 But ships [shall come] from the coast of Kittim, They shall afflict Ashshur, and shall afflict `Ever; He also shall come to destruction.

25 Bil`am rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.

1 Yisra'el abode in Shittim; and the people began to play the prostitute with the daughters of Mo'av:

2 for they called the people to the sacrifices of their gods; and the people ate, and bowed down to their gods.

3 Yisra'el joined himself to Ba`al-Pe`or: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Yisra'el.

4 The LORD said to Moshe, Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up to the LORD before the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Yisra'el.

5 Moshe said to the judges of Yisra'el, Kill you everyone his men who have joined themselves to Ba`al-Pe`or.

6 Behold, one of the children of Yisra'el came and brought to his brothers a Midyanite woman in the sight of Moshe, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Yisra'el, while they were weeping at the door of the tent of meeting.

7 When Pinechas, the son of El`azar, the son of Aharon the Kohen, saw it, he rose up from the midst of the congregation, and took a spear in his hand;

8 and he went after the man of Yisra'el into the pavilion, and thrust both of them through, the man of Yisra'el, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stayed from the children of Yisra'el.

9 Those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.