1 وارتحل بنو اسرائيل ونزلوا في عربات موآب من عبر اردن اريحا2 ولما رأى بالاق بن صفّور جميع ما فعل اسرائيل بالاموريين3 فزع موآب من الشعب جدا لانه كثير وضجر موآب من قبل بني اسرائيل.4 فقال موآب لشيوخ مديان الآن يلحس الجمهور كل ما حولنا كما يلحس الثور خضرة الحقل. وكان بالاق بن صفّور ملكا لموآب في ذلك الزمان.5 فارسل رسلا الى بلعام بن بعور الى فتور التي على النهر في ارض بني شعبه ليدعوه قائلا. هوذا شعب قد خرج من مصر هوذا قد غشّى وجه الارض وهو مقيم مقابلي.6 فالآن تعال والعن لي هذا الشعب. لانه اعظم مني. لعله يمكننا ان نكسره فاطرده من الارض. لاني عرفت ان الذي تباركه مبارك والذي تلعنه ملعون.7 فانطلق شيوخ موآب وشيوخ مديان وحلوان العرافة في ايديهم وأتوا الى بلعام وكلموه بكلام بالاق.8 فقال لهم بيتوا هنا الليلة فاردّ عليكم جوابا كما يكلمني الرب. فمكث رؤساء موآب عند بلعام9 فأتى الله الى بلعام وقال من هم هؤلاء الرجال الذين عندك.10 فقال بلعام لله. بالاق بن صفّور ملك موآب قد ارسل اليّ يقول.11 هوذا الشعب الخارج من مصر قد غشّى وجه الارض. تعال الآن العن لي اياه لعلي اقدر ان احاربه واطرده.12 فقال الله لبلعام لا تذهب معهم ولا تلعن الشعب لانه مبارك.13 فقام بلعام صباحا وقال لرؤساء بالاق انطلقوا الى ارضكم لان الرب أبى ان يسمح لي بالذهاب معكم.14 فقام رؤساء موآب واتوا الى بالاق وقالوا ابى بلعام ان ياتي معنا.15 فعاد بالاق وارسل ايضا رؤساء اكثر واعظم من اولئك.16 فأتوا الى بلعام وقالوا له. هكذا قال بالاق بن صفّور. لا تمتنع من الاتيان اليّ.17 لاني اكرمك اكراما عظيما وكل ما تقول لي افعله. فتعال الآن العن لي هذا الشعب.18 فاجاب بلعام وقال لعبيد بالاق. ولو اعطاني بالاق ملء بيته فضة وذهبا لا اقدر ان اتجاوز قول الرب الهي لاعمل صغيرا او كبيرا.19 فالآن امكثوا هنا انتم ايضا هذه الليلة لاعلم ماذا يعود الرب يكلمني به.20 فأتى الله الى بلعام ليلا وقال له ان أتى الرجال ليدعوك فقم اذهب معهم. انما تعمل الامر الذي اكلمك به فقط.21 فقام بلعام صباحا وشدّ على اتانه وانطلق مع رؤساء موآب22 فحمي غضب الله لانه منطلق ووقف ملاك الرب في الطريق ليقاومه وهو راكب على اتانه وغلاماه معه.23 فابصرت الاتان ملاك الرب واقفا في الطريق وسيفه مسلول في يده فمالت الاتان عن الطريق ومشت في الحقل فضرب بلعام الاتان ليردها الى الطريق.24 ثم وقف ملاك الرب في خندق للكروم له حائط من هنا وحائط من هناك.25 فلما ابصرت الاتان ملاك الرب زحمت الحائط وضغطت رجل بلعام بالحائط فضربها ايضا.26 ثم اجتاز ملاك الرب ايضا ووقف في مكان ضيّق حيث ليس سبيل للنكوب يمينا او شمالا.27 فلما ابصرت الاتان ملاك الرب ربضت تحت بلعام. فحمي غضب بلعام وضرب الاتان بالقضيب.28 ففتح الرب فم الاتان فقالت لبلعام. ماذا صنعت بك حتى ضربتني الآن ثلاث دفعات.29 فقال بلعام للاتان لانك ازدريت بي. لو كان في يدي سيف لكنت الآن قد قتلتك.30 فقالت الاتان لبلعام ألست انا اتانك التي ركبت عليها منذ وجودك الى هذا اليوم. هل تعوّدت ان افعل بك هكذا. فقال لا31 ثم كشف الرب عن عيني بلعام فابصر ملاك الرب واقفا في الطريق وسيفه مسلول في يده فخرّ ساجدا على وجهه.32 فقال له ملاك الرب لماذا ضربت اتانك الآن ثلاث دفعات. هانذا قد خرجت للمقاومة لان الطريق ورطة امامي.33 فابصرتني الاتان ومالت من قدامي الآن ثلاث دفعات. ولو لم تمل من قدامي لكنت الآن قد قتلتك واستبقيتها.34 فقال بلعام لملاك الرب اخطأت. اني لم اعلم انك واقف تلقائي في الطريق. والآن ان قبح في عينيك فاني ارجع.35 فقال ملاك الرب لبلعام اذهب مع الرجال وانما تتكلم بالكلام الذي اكلمك به فقط. فانطلق بلعام مع رؤساء بالاق36 فلما سمع بالاق ان بلعام جاء خرج لاستقباله الى مدينة موآب التي على تخم ارنون الذي في اقصى التخوم.37 فقال بالاق لبعام ألم ارسل اليك لادعوك. لماذا لم تأت اليّ. أحقا لا اقدر ان اكرمك.38 فقال بلعام لبالاق. هانذا قد جئت اليك. ألعلي الآن استطيع ان اتكلم بشيء. الكلام الذي يضعه الله في فمي به اتكلم.39 فانطلق بلعام مع بالاق وأتيا الى قرية حصوت.40 فذبح بالاق بقرا وغنما وارسل الى بلعام والى الرؤساء الذين معه41 وفي الصباح اخذ بالاق بلعام واصعده الى مرتفعات بعل فرأى من هناك اقصى الشعب

1 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.3 And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.4 And Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.5 He sent messengers therefore to 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:6 Come now therefore, I pray you, 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 know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.7 And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.8 And 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 Moab stayed with Balaam.9 And God came to Balaam, and said, What men are these with you?10 And Balaam said to God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,11 Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covers the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.12 And God said to Balaam, You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people: for they are blessed.13 And Balaam 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 And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, Balaam refuses to come with us.15 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they.16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus said Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray you, hinder you from coming to me:17 For I will promote you to very great honor, and I will do whatever you say to me: come therefore, I pray you, curse me this people.18 And Balaam answered and said to 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.19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry you also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say to me more.20 And God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, If the men come to call you, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say to you, that shall you do.21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.22 And God' 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 on his ass, and his two servants were with him.23 And 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.24 But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.25 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam' foot against the wall: and he smote her again.26 And 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 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam' anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said to Balaam, What have I done to you, that you have smitten me these three times?29 And Balaam said to the ass, Because you have mocked me: I would there were a sword in my hand, for now would I kill you.30 And the ass said to Balaam, Am not I your ass, on which you have ridden ever since I was your to this day? was I ever wont to do so to you? And he said, No.31 Then 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.32 And the angel of the LORD said to him, Why have you smitten your ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand you, because your way is perverse before me:33 And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain you, and saved her alive.34 And Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that you stood in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease you, I will get me back again.35 And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak to you, that you shall speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.36 And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him to a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.37 And Balak said to Balaam, Did I not earnestly send to you to call you? why came you not to me? am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?38 And Balaam said to Balak, See, I am come to you: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kirjathhuzoth.40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.41 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that there he might see the utmost part of the people.