Balaque chama Balaão
1O povo de Israel passou depois pelas planícies de Moabe e veio acampar a oriente do rio Jordão, em frente de Jericó. 2Quando o rei Balaque de Moabe, filho de Zípor, soube o que tinham feito aos amorreus, 3e verificou como eram numerosos, ele e o seu povo ficaram aterrorizados. 4E foram consultar apressadamente os anciãos de Midiã. “Esta multidão vai tragar-nos tal como os bois comem a erva!”, exclamavam.
O rei Balaque, filho de Zípor, 5enviou mensageiros a Balaão, filho de Beor, que vivia na sua terra natal, em Petor, perto do rio Eufrates, para lhe pedir que viesse ajudá-lo.
“É uma gente que chegou do Egito. Cobrem toda a face da terra e estabeleceram-se perto de mim. 6O rei pede-te que venhas e que os amaldiçoes por nós, para que os vejamos desviarem-se da terra; porque sabemos bem como caem bênçãos sobre aqueles que tu abençoas, e também sabemos que aqueles que amaldiçoas são amaldiçoados.”
7Os mensageiros eram alguns dos anciãos de Moabe e de Midiã; tinham ido ter com Balaão com dinheiro na mão, explicando-lhe o que Balaque pretendia.
8“Passem aqui a noite”, disse Balaão. “Pela manhã vos direi aquilo que o Senhor me mandar responder-vos.” E assim fizeram.
9Naquela noite Deus veio até Balaão e perguntou-lhe: “Quem são estes homens?”
10“Vieram da parte do rei Balaque, de Moabe”, respondeu. 11“O rei diz que um vasto bando de povo do Egito se chegou até junto da sua fronteira, e agora quer que eu vá e os amaldiçoe, na esperança de poder travar batalha com aquela gente e expulsá-los.”
12“Tu não farás isso”, disse-lhe Deus. “Não irás amaldiçoá-los porque sou eu quem os abençoa.”
13Na manhã seguinte Balaão disse-lhes: “Podem regressar. O Senhor não me deixa ir.”
14Os delegados do rei Balaque retornaram e comunicaram o recado que traziam. 15Mas Balaque tentou novamente. Desta vez mandou um número maior de embaixadores, todos de mais alta categoria social do que o primeiro grupo. 16Vieram até Balaão com esta mensagem:
“O rei Balaque, filho de Zípor, pede-te que venhas. 17Promete-te grandes honras e ainda todo o dinheiro que quiseres pedir-lhe. É só dizeres quanto queres! A questão é que venhas e amaldiçoes esta gente.”
18Mas Balaão retorquiu-lhes: “Nem mesmo que me desse um palácio cheio de prata e ouro eu poderia alguma coisa contra o mandamento do Senhor, meu Deus. 19Contudo, fiquem aqui esta noite, para que possa saber se o Senhor acrescentará alguma coisa àquilo que já me disse antes.”
20Nessa noite, Deus falou a Balaão: “Levanta-te e vai com eles, mas tem cuidado em dizer unicamente o que eu te mandar.”
A jumenta de Balaão
21Dessa forma, na manhã seguinte, albardou a sua jumenta e partiu com os chefes de Moab. 22Mas Deus estava zangado com Balaão; por isso, mandou o anjo do Senhor para se pôr no seu caminho e matá-lo. Enquanto Balaão e os dois criados seguiam cavalgando pela estrada, 23a jumenta de Balaão viu o anjo do Senhor em pé no caminho, com a espada desembainhada, e saiu pelo campo. Balaão bateu-lhe e trouxe-a de novo para o caminho.
24Mas o anjo do Senhor pôs-se mais adiante num sítio onde se passava entre as paredes de duas vinhas. 25Quando a jumenta o viu de novo ali procurou passar muito rente a um dos muros, apertando de tal maneira o pé de Balaão que ele tornou a bater-lhe.
26Ora o anjo do Senhor foi pôr-se ainda mais à frente num lugar tão estreito que a jumenta ali não podia passar mesmo. 27Por isso, baixou-se e ali ficou. Balaão ficou furioso e espancou-a com o bordão.
28Então o Senhor fez com que a jumenta falasse e dissesse: “O que é que te fiz para que me espanques já por três vezes?”
29“Porque tens estado a brincar comigo!” gritou-lhe Balaão. “Só queria ter aqui uma espada, que te matava já.”
30Porém, a jumenta disse a Balaão: “Eu sou a tua jumenta, que tens montado sempre, até hoje. Alguma vez fiz isto contigo anteriormente?”, perguntou a jumenta.
“Não!”, admitiu ele.
31Então o Senhor deixou que os olhos se lhe abrissem e viu o anjo do Senhor no meio do caminho com a espada desembainhada; logo se inclinou até ao chão perante ele.
32“Porque é que por três vezes bateste na tua jumenta?”, perguntou-lhe o anjo do Senhor. “Eu vim aqui para te deter, porque o teu caminho é perverso diante de mim. 33A jumenta por três vezes me viu e procurou desviar-se; se assim não tivesse sido, certamente te teria morto e ela teria sido poupada.”
34Então Balaão confessou: “Pequei. Não me dei conta que estavas aí. Se não queres que vá, volto agora mesmo para casa.”
35Mas o anjo do Senhor disse-lhe: “Não, vai então com esses homens, mas dirás apenas o que eu te disser.” Assim, Balaão continuou o caminho com os outros.
Balaque e Balaão
36Quando o rei Balaque ouviu que Balaão vinha a caminho, deixou a capital e saiu a encontrar-se com ele junto ao rio Arnom na fronteira da sua terra. 37“Porque demoraste tanto em vir?”, perguntou-lhe o rei. “Não acreditaste em mim quando te prometi grandes honrarias?”
38Balaão respondeu-lhe: “Eu vim, sim, mas não tenho poder para dizer senão exclusivamente o que Deus me mandar proferir. Só isso falarei.”
39Balaão acompanhou o rei até Quiriate-Huzote, 40onde este sacrificou bois e cordeiros, tendo dado também animais para Balaão e os embaixadores sacrificarem, por sua vez. 41Na manhã seguinte Balaque levou Balaão até ao cimo do monte Bamote-Baal, do qual se podia ver parte do povo de Israel espalhado lá em baixo.
Balak Sends For Balaam
1Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab. They camped along the Jordan River across from Jericho.
2Balak saw everything that Israel had done to the Amorites. Balak was the son of Zippor. 3The Moabites were terrified because there were so many Israelites. In fact, the Moabites were filled with panic because of the Israelites.
4The Moabites spoke to the elders of Midian. They said, “This huge mob is going to destroy everything around us. They’ll lick it up as an ox licks up all the grass in the fields.”
Balak, the son of Zippor, was the king of Moab at that time. 5He sent messengers to get Balaam. Balaam was the son of Beor. Balaam was at the city of Pethor near the Euphrates River. Pethor was in the land where Balaam had been born. Balak told the messengers to say to Balaam,
“A nation has come out of Egypt. They are covering the face of the land. They’ve set up camp next to me. 6So come and put a curse on these people. They are too powerful for me. Maybe I’ll be able to win the battle over them. Maybe I’ll be able to drive them out of the land. I know that whoever you bless is blessed. And I know that whoever you cursed is cursed.”
7The elders of Moab and Midian left. They took with them the money they knew Balaam would ask for. They wanted him to use evil magic to figure things out for them. They came to where Balaam was. And they told him what Balak had said.
8“Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them. “I’ll report back to you with the answer the Lord gives me.” So the Moabite officials stayed with him.
9God came to Balaam. He asked, “Who are these men with you?”
10Balaam said to God, “Balak king of Moab, the son of Zippor, sent me a message. 11He said, ‘A nation has come out of Egypt. They are covering the whole surface of the land. So come and put a curse on them for me. Maybe I’ll be able to fight them. Maybe I’ll be able to drive them away.’ ”
12But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people. I have blessed them.”
13The next morning Balaam got up. He said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your own country. The Lord won’t let me go with you.”
14So the Moabite officials returned to Balak. They said, “Balaam wouldn’t come with us.”
15Then Balak sent other officials. They were more important than the first ones. And there were more of them. 16They came to Balaam. They said,
“Balak, the son of Zippor, says, ‘Don’t let anything keep you from coming to me. 17I’ll make you very rich. I’ll do anything you say. So come and put a curse on those people for me.’ ”
18But Balaam gave them his answer. He said, “Balak could give me all the silver and gold in his palace. Even then, I still couldn’t do anything at all that goes beyond what the Lord my God commands. 19Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the Lord will tell me.”
20That night God came to Balaam. He said, “These men have come to get you. So go with them. But do only what I tell you to do.”
Balaam’s Donkey
21Balaam got up in the morning. He put a saddle on his donkey. Then he went with the Moabite officials. 22But God was very angry when Balaam went. So the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey. His two servants were with him. 23The donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road. The angel was holding a sword. He was ready for battle. So the donkey left the road and went into a field. Balaam hit the donkey. He wanted to get it back on the road.
24Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path. The path went through the vineyards. There were walls on both sides. 25The donkey saw the angel of the Lord. So it moved close to the wall. It crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So he hit the donkey again.
26Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead. He stood in a narrow place. There was no room to turn, either right or left. 27The donkey saw the angel of the Lord. So it lay down under Balaam. That made him angry. He hit the donkey with his walking stick. 28Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth. It said to Balaam, “What have I done to you? Why did you hit me these three times?”
29Balaam answered the donkey. He said, “You have made me look foolish! I wish I had a sword in my hand. If I did, I’d kill you right now.”
30The donkey said to Balaam, “I’m your own donkey. I’m the one you have always ridden. Haven’t you been riding me to this very day? Have I ever made you look foolish before?”
“No,” he said.
31Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes. He saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road. He saw that the angel was holding a sword. The angel was ready for battle. So Balaam bowed down. He fell with his face to the ground.
32The angel of the Lord spoke to him. He asked him, “Why have you hit your donkey three times? I have come here to oppose you. What you are doing is foolish. 33The donkey saw me. It turned away from me three times. Suppose it had not turned away. Then I would certainly have killed you by now. But I would have spared the donkey.”
34Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I didn’t realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Tell me whether you are pleased with me. If you aren’t, I’ll go back.”
35The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men. But say only what I tell you to say.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.
36Balak heard that Balaam was coming. So he went out to meet him. They met at a Moabite town near the Arnon River. The town was on the border of Balak’s territory. 37Balak said to Balaam, “Didn’t I send messengers to you? I wanted you to come quickly. So why didn’t you come? I can make you very rich.”
38“Well, I’ve come to you now,” Balaam replied. “But I can’t say whatever I please. I can only speak the words God puts in my mouth.”
39Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth. 40Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep. He gave some to Balaam. He also gave some to the officials with him. 41The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal. From there he could see the outer edges of the Israelite camp.
