1And 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. 3And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. 4And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. 5He sent messengers therefore unto 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:22.5 face: Heb. eye 6Come now therefore, I pray thee, 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 wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed. 7And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak. 8And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam. 9And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee? 10And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying, 11Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.22.11 I shall…: Heb. I shall prevail in fighting against him 12And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed. 13And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you. 14And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.
15¶ And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they. 16And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:22.16 Let…: Heb. Be not thou hindered from, etc 17For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. 18And Balaam answered and said unto 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. 19Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more. 20And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do. 21And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
22¶ And God’s 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 upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. 23And 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. 24But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. 25And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again. 26And 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. 27And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. 28And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? 29And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. 30And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.22.30 upon…: Heb. who hast ridden upon me22.30 ever since…: or, ever since thou wast, etc 31Then 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.22.31 fell…: or, bowed himself 32And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:22.32 to…: Heb. to be an adversary unto thee 33And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive. 34And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.22.34 displease…: Heb. be evil in thine eyes 35And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
36¶ And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast. 37And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour? 38And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak. 39And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjath-huzoth.22.39 Kirjath-huzoth: or, a city of streets 40And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him. 41And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.
摩押王召巴蘭
1以色列人繼續前行，抵達約旦河東岸的摩押平原，在耶利哥對面安營。 2西撥的兒子摩押王巴勒及其人民得知以色列人殺敗了亞摩利人， 3又見他們人多勢眾，都驚恐萬狀， 4對米甸的長老說：「這群人將吞掉我們周圍的一切，如同牛吃光田間的草一樣。」那時，西撥的兒子巴勒做摩押王。 5他差遣使者到幼發拉底河附近的毗奪——比珥的兒子巴蘭的家鄉，去召巴蘭。他讓使者帶去的信息是：「有一個民族從埃及鋪天蓋地而來，就住在我對面。 6他們比我強大，求你為我咒詛他們。這樣，我也許就能擊敗他們，把他們趕走。我知道你祝福誰，誰就蒙福；你咒詛誰，誰就遭禍。」
7摩押和米甸的長老們帶著占卜的禮金去見巴蘭，把巴勒的話轉告他。 8巴蘭說：「你們今夜住在這裡，我必照耶和華的旨意回覆你們。」摩押的使臣就在巴蘭那裡住下。 9晚上，上帝來問巴蘭：「住在你這裡的是誰？」 10巴蘭回答說：「他們是摩押王西撥的兒子巴勒派來的使臣， 11前來告訴我說，『有一個民族從埃及鋪天蓋地而來。請你去咒詛那民族，這樣巴勒王或許能擊敗他們，把他們趕走。』」 12上帝對巴蘭說：「你不可跟他們去，也不可咒詛那民族，因為那民族是蒙福的。」
13第二天清早，巴蘭對巴勒的使臣說：「你們回去吧，耶和華不准我跟你們去。」 14摩押的使臣回去對巴勒說：「巴蘭不肯跟我們來。」 15巴勒又派去更多、更尊貴的使臣。 16他們到了巴蘭那裡，對他說：「西撥的兒子巴勒請你務必去一趟， 17他必有重賞。你要什麼都可以，只求你去為他咒詛那民族。」 18巴蘭回答說：「巴勒就是把他滿屋的金銀都給我，我也不能在任何事上違背我的上帝耶和華的命令。 19你們可以在這裡過夜，看看耶和華對我還有什麼吩咐。」 20當夜，上帝來對巴蘭說：「這些人既然來請你，你就跟他們去吧，但你只可照我說的做。」 21巴蘭清早起來，備好驢，跟摩押的使臣去了。
上帝攔阻巴蘭
22巴蘭這一去，激怒了上帝。巴蘭騎著驢，帶著兩個僕人正走在途中，耶和華的天使攔住他的去路。 23驢看見耶和華的天使持刀攔在路上，就離開大路，跑進田間。巴蘭鞭打牠，要牠回到路上。 24耶和華的天使又站在葡萄園之間的一條窄路上，兩邊都是牆。 25驢看見耶和華的天使，就靠著牆邊走，將巴蘭的腳擠傷了。巴蘭又鞭打牠。 26耶和華的天使又走到前面，站在狹窄之處，兩邊都無側身通過的餘地。 27驢看見耶和華的天使，就臥在地上，巴蘭大怒，便用杖打牠。 28耶和華使驢開口對巴蘭說：「我做錯了什麼，你竟打我三次！」 29巴蘭說：「因為你戲弄我。如果我手中有刀，早就把你宰了！」 30驢對巴蘭說：「我是你從小就騎的驢，我可曾這樣對你？」巴蘭說：「沒有。」
31那時，耶和華開了巴蘭的眼，他才看見耶和華的天使持刀攔在路上，便俯伏在地。 32耶和華的天使對他說：「你為何三次打你的驢？我特意來阻擋你，因為你走的路在我眼中是邪路。 33你的驢看見我，一連躲避了三次，驢若沒有躲開，我早已殺了你，只放過驢。」 34巴蘭對耶和華的天使說：「我有罪了，我不知道是你攔在路上。如果你反對我去，我就回去。」 35耶和華的天使說：「跟這些人去吧，但你只許按我的指示說話。」於是，巴蘭跟巴勒的使臣去了。
36巴勒聽見巴蘭來了，就來到邊界盡頭、亞嫩河邊的摩押城迎接他。 37巴勒對巴蘭說：「上次派人請你，你為何不肯來？難道我不能給你重賞嗎？」 38巴蘭說：「現在我已經來了，但我不能隨便發言，只能按上帝的指示說話。」 39巴蘭和巴勒一同來到基列·胡瑣。 40巴勒宰牛殺羊賞給巴蘭和隨行的臣僕。 41次日清晨，巴勒領巴蘭上到巴力巴末22·41 「巴力巴末」希伯來文是「巴力的高崗」之意。，從那裡可以看到一部分以色列人。
