So he sent messengers unto Balaam son of Boor, to Pethor which was by the river of the land of the sons of his people to call him, - saying Lo! a people, hath come forth out of Egypt Lo! he hath covered the eye of the land, Yea he, is tarrying over against me.

And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went their way, with the rewards of divination in their hand, - so they came in unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.

And he said unto them - Tarry ye here for the night, and I will bring you back word, as Yahweh shall speak unto me. So the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.

And God came in unto Balaam, - and said, Who are these men with thee?

Then said Balaam unto God, - Balak, son of Zipper king of Moab, hath sent unto me:

And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them, - Thou shalt not curse the people, For blessed, he is.

And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your own land, - For Yahweh hath refused to let me go with you.

So the princes of Moab arose, and came in unto Balak, - and said, Balaam refused to come with us.

And they came in unto Balaam, - and said unto him - Thus, said Balak son of Zipper, Do not be withheld, I pray thee from coming unto me:

And Balaam responded and said unto the servants of Balak, Though Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the bidding of Yahweh my God, to do less or more.

And God came in unto Balaam, by night, and said unto him - If, to call thee, the men have come in, arise go with them, - But only, the thing that I shall speak unto thee, that, shalt thou do.

So Balaam arose in the morning, and sad-dled his ass, - and went with the princes of Moab.

And the ass saw the messenger of Yahweh stationed in the road with his drawn sword in his hand, so the ass turned aside out of the road and went into the field, - and Balaam smote the ass, to make her turn back into the road.

And when the ass saw the messenger of Yahweh, she squeezed herself against the wall, and squeezed the foot of Balaam against the wall, - and again he smote her.

And, when the ass saw the messenger of Yahweh, she sank down under Balaam, - then was Balaam's anger kindled, and he smote the ass with the staff.

And Yahweh opened the mouth of the ass, - and she said unto Balaam - What have I done to thee, that thou hast smitten me, these three times?

And Balaam said unto the ass, Surely thou hast been making sport of me, - Would there had been a sword in my hand, for, now, would I have slain thee.

Then said the ass unto Balaam - Am not I thine own ass on which thou hast ridden all thy life, until this day? Have I, been wont, to do unto thee, thus? And he said, Nay!

Then did Yahweh unveil the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the messenger of Yahweh stationed in the road, with his sword drawn in his hand, - so he bent his head and bowed down before him.

Then said Balaam unto the messenger of Yahweh - I have sinned, for I knew not, that, thou, wast stationed to meet me in the road, - Now, therefore, if it be displeasing in thine eyes, I must get me back again.

And the messenger of Yahweh said unto Balaam - Go with the men: Only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that, shalt thou speak. So Balaam went his way with the princes of Balak.

And Balak heard that Balaam, was coming, - so he went forth to meet him unto a city of Moab which was upon the boundary of Arnon, which was in the utmost part of the boundary.

And Balak said unto Balaam: Did I not, send, unto thee, to call thee? Wherefore didst thou not come unto me? Am I not in very deed, able to honour thee?

And Balaam said unto Balak - Lo! I am come unto thee, Now, can, I, possibly, promise any-thing? The word that God shall put in my mouth, that, must I speak.

So Balaam went with Balak, - and they entered Kiriath-huzoth.

And Balak sacrificed herd and flock, - and sent unto Balaam, and unto the princes that were with him.

And it came to pass in the morning, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up the high places of Baal, - and he saw from thence the utmost part of the people.

Then said Balaam unto Balak: Build me here seven altars, - and prepare me here, seven bullocks and seven rams.

And Balak did as Balaam had spoken, - and Balak and Balaam caused to ascend a bullock and a ram on each altar.

Then said Balaam unto Balak: Station thyself by thine ascending-sacrifice, and let me go my way - peradventure Yahweh may come and meet me, and what thing soever he may show me, I will tell thee. So he went his way to a bare height.

And God came unto Balaam, - so he said unto him The seven altars, have I built in a row, and have caused to ascend, bullock and a ram on each altar.

And Yahweh put a word into the mouth of Balaam, - and said - Return unto Balak, and, thus, shalt thou speak.

Then said Balak unto Balaam, What hast thou done for me? To revile mine enemies, I summoned thee, and lo! thou hast kept on blessing.

And Yahweh met Balaam, and put a word into his mouth, - and said - Return unto Balak and thus shalt thou speak.

Then said Balak unto Balaam, Thou shalt neither revile, him, - nor bless him.

And Balaam responded, and said unto Balak, - Spake I not unto thee, saying, All that Yahweh shall speak, that, must I do?

And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee! let me take thee unto another place, - peradventure, it may be right in the eyes of God, that thou revile me him. from thence.

So Balak took Balaam, - unto the head of Peor, that looketh over the face of the Jeshimon.

And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here, seven altars, - and prepare me here, seven bullocks and seven rams.

And Balak did as Balaam said, - and caused to ascend a bullock and a ram on each altar.

And when Balaam saw that it was good in the eyes of Yahweh to bless Israel, he went not as at other times to invoke enchantments, - but set towards the desert, his face.

So Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel, dwelling, according to his tribes, - then came upon him the Spirit of God;

and he took up his parable, and said, - The oracle of Balaam, son of Beor, Yea the oracle of the man, of opened eye;

Then kindled the anger of Balak against Balaam, and he smote together his hands, - and Balak said unto Balaam - To revile my foes, I called thee, And lo! thou hast kept on blessing, these three times.

And Balaam said unto Balak, - Was it not so that even unto thy messengers whom thou didst send unto m, I spake saying-

So he took up his parable and said, - The oracle of Balaam, son of Beer, Yea the oracle of the man, of opened eye;

Then Balaam arose, and went and returned unto his place, - and, Balak also, went his way.

and the kings of Midian, slew they besides their other slain namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian, - Balaam also, son of Beor, slew they with the sword.

Lo! they, became unto the sons of Israel, by the advice of Balaam, the cause of daring acts of treachery against Yahweh, over the affair of Peor, - and then came the plague against the assembly of Yahweh!

because they met you not with bread and water, in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt, - but hired against thee Balaam son of Beer from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.

Nevertheless, Yahweh thy God consented not to hearken unto Balaam, but Yahweh thy God turned, for thee, the curse into a blessing, - because Yahweh thy God loved thee.

Balaam also son of Beor, the diviner, did the sons of Israel slay with the sword among their slain.

Then rose up Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab, and made war with Israel, - and sent and called for Balaam son of Beor, to curse you;

but I was not willing to hearken unto Balaam, - so, he kept on blessing, you, and I rescued you out of his hand.

because they met not the sons of Israel, with bread and with water, - but hired against them Balaam, to curse them, although our God turned the curse into a blessing.

O my people! remember, I pray you, what Balak king of Moab, counseled, and what Balaam son of Beer, answered him, - from the Acacias as far as Gilgal, that ye may know the righteousness of Yahweh.

Forsaking a straight path, they have gone astray, following out the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved, a reward of wrong,

Alas for them! because - in the way of Cain have they gone, and, in the error of Balaam's wage, have they run riot, and, in the gainsaying of Korah, have they perished.

Nevertheless, I have against thee, a few things, - that thou hast there, such as hold fast the teaching of Balaam, - who went on to teach Balak to throw a cause of stumbling before the sons of Israel, to eat idol-sacrifices and to commit lewdness: