Holy Bible
(King James Version)
Numbers: Chapter 22
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 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.
5. He sent messengers therefore unto Ba-laam 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 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 curseth 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 unto Ba-laam, and
spake unto him the words of Balak.
8. And 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 Ba-laam.
9. And God came unto Ba-laam and said, What men are these with thee?
10. And Ba-laam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab,
hath sent unto me, saying,
11. Behold, 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.
12. And God said unto Ba-laam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt
not curse the people: for they are blessed.
13. And Ba-laam 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.
14. And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said,
Ba-laam refuseth to come with us.
15. And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than
they.
16. And they came to Ba-laam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son
of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:
17. For 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.
18. And Ba-laam 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.
19. Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may
know what the LORD will say unto me more.
20. And God came unto Ba-laam 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.
21. And Ba-laam 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.
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 Ba-laam 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 unto
the wall, and crushed Ba-laam's 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
Ba-laam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with the
staff.
28. And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Ba-laam,
What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
29. And Ba-laam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would
there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.
30. And the ass said unto Ba-laam, 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.
31. Then the LORD opened the eyes of Ba-laam, 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 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:
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 thee, and saved her
alive.
34. And Ba-laam 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.
35. And the angel of the LORD said unto Ba-laam, 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 Ba-laam 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.
37. And Balak said unto Ba-laam, 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?
38. And Ba-laam 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.
39. And Ba-laam went with Balak, and they came unto Kir-jath-hu-zoth.
40. And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Ba-laam, and to the
princes that were with him.
41. And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Ba-laam, and
brought him up into the high places of Ba-al, that thence he might see
the utmost part of the people.
Mar. 1 Daily reading schedule.. No NT reading
today.
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