--- title: Numbers 22 slug: kjv/numbers-22 createdAt: 2024-08-07T02:32:37.936Z --- **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 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 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. **7** And 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. **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 Balaam. **9 **And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men *are* these with thee? **10 **And Balaam 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 Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they *are* blessed. **13 **And 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. **14 **And 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. **16 **And 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: **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 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. **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 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. **21 **And 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. **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 unto the wall, and crushed Balaam'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 Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. **28 **And 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? **29 **And 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. **30 **And 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. **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 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 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. **35 **And 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. **37 **And 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? **38 **And 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. **39 **And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto 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 thence he might see the utmost *part* of the people.