摩押王召巴兰
1以色列人继续前行，抵达约旦河东岸的摩押平原，在耶利哥对面安营。 2西拨的儿子摩押王巴勒得知以色列人对亚摩利人的所作所为， 3又见他们人多势众，就惊恐万状。摩押人被以色列人吓坏了， 4就对米甸的长老说：“这群人将吞掉我们周围的一切，如同牛吃光田间的草一样。”那时，西拨的儿子巴勒做摩押王。 5他差遣使者去幼发拉底河附近，到比珥的儿子巴兰的家乡毗夺，去召巴兰，说：“有一个民族从埃及铺天盖地而来，就住在我对面。 6他们比我强大，求你为我咒诅他们。这样，我也许就能击败他们，把他们赶走。我知道你祝福谁，谁就蒙福；你咒诅谁，谁就遭祸。”
7摩押和米甸的长老们带着占卜的礼金去见巴兰，把巴勒的话转告他。 8巴兰说：“你们今夜住在这里，我必照耶和华的旨意回复你们。”摩押的官长就在巴兰那里住下。 9晚上，上帝来问巴兰：“住在你这里的是谁？” 10巴兰回答说：“他们是摩押王西拨的儿子巴勒派来的， 11说，‘有一个民族从埃及铺天盖地而来。请你来咒诅那民族，这样我或许能击败他们，把他们赶走。’” 12上帝对巴兰说：“你不可跟他们去，也不可咒诅那民族，因为那民族是蒙福的。”
13巴兰清早起来，对巴勒的官长说：“你们回去吧，耶和华不准我跟你们去。” 14摩押的官长回去对巴勒说：“巴兰不肯跟我们来。” 15巴勒又派去更多、更尊贵的官长。 16他们到了巴兰那里，对他说：“西拨的儿子巴勒请你务必去一趟， 17他必有重赏。你要什么都可以，只求你去为他咒诅那民族。” 18巴兰回答说：“巴勒就是把他满屋的金银都给我，我也不能在任何事上违背我的上帝耶和华的命令。 19请你们在这里过夜，我好看看耶和华对我还有什么吩咐。” 20当夜，上帝来对巴兰说：“这些人既然来请你，你就跟他们去吧，但你只可照我说的做。” 21巴兰清早起来，备好驴，跟摩押的官长去了。
上帝拦阻巴兰
22巴兰这一去，激怒了上帝。巴兰骑着驴，带着两个仆人正走在途中，耶和华的天使拦住他的去路。 23驴看见耶和华的天使拔刀拦在路上，就离开大路，跑进田间。巴兰打驴，要它回到路上。 24耶和华的天使又站在葡萄园之间的一条窄路上，两边都是墙。 25驴看见耶和华的天使，就靠着墙边走，将巴兰的脚挤在墙上了。巴兰又打它。 26耶和华的天使又走到前面，站在狭窄之处，两边都无侧身通过的余地。 27巴兰身下的驴看见耶和华的天使，就卧在地上，巴兰大怒，便用杖打它。 28耶和华使驴开口对巴兰说：“我做错了什么，你竟打我三次？” 29巴兰说：“因为你戏弄我。如果我手中有刀，早就把你宰了！” 30驴对巴兰说：“我不是你从小就骑的驴吗？我可曾这样对你？”巴兰说：“没有。”
31那时，耶和华开了巴兰的眼，他才看见耶和华的天使拔刀拦在路上，便俯身下拜。 32耶和华的天使对他说：“你为何三次打你的驴？我来阻挡你，因为你走的路在我眼中是邪路。 33你的驴看见我，一连躲避了三次，驴若没有躲开，我早已杀了你，只放过驴。” 34巴兰对耶和华的天使说：“我有罪了，我不知道是你拦在路上。现在你如果反对我去，我就回去。” 35耶和华的天使说：“跟这些人去吧，但你只许按我的指示说话。”于是，巴兰跟巴勒的官长去了。
36巴勒听见巴兰来了，就来到边界尽头、亚嫩河边的摩押城迎接他。 37巴勒对巴兰说：“上次派人请你，你为何不肯来？难道我不能给你重赏吗？” 38巴兰对巴勒说：“现在我已经来了，但我不能随便发言，我只能按上帝的指示说话。” 39巴兰和巴勒一同来到基列·胡琐。 40巴勒宰牛杀羊赏给巴兰和随行的官长。 41次日清晨，巴勒领巴兰上到巴末·巴力22:41 “巴末·巴力”希伯来文是“巴力的高岗”之意。，从那里可以看到一部分以色列人。
Balak Summons Balaam
1Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.
2Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, 3and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites.
4The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.”
So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, 5sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River, in his native land. Balak said:
“A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. 6Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”
7The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.
8“Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I will report back to you with the answer the Lord gives me.” So the Moabite officials stayed with him.
9God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
10Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: 11‘A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.’ ”
12But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.”
13The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your own country, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”
14So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
15Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. 16They came to Balaam and said:
“This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, 17because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me.”
18But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God. 19Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the Lord will tell me.”
20That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”
Balaam’s Donkey
21Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. 22But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road.
24Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides. 25When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again.
26Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. 27When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff. 28Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”
29Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”
30The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”
“No,” he said.
31Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.
32The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.22:32 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain. 33The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it.”
34Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.”
35The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.
36When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory. 37Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?”
38“Well, I have come to you now,” Balaam replied. “But I can’t say whatever I please. I must speak only what God puts in my mouth.”
39Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth. 40Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and gave some to Balaam and the officials who were with him. 41The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp.
