The Bible, Old and New Testaments, King James Version

21:21 And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 21:22 Let me pa.s.s through thy land: we will not turn into the fields, or into the vineyards; we will not drink of the waters of the well: but we will go along by the king's high way, until we be past thy borders.

21:23 And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pa.s.s through his border: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness: and he came to Jahaz, and fought against Israel.

21:24 And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.

21:25 And Israel took all these cities: and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the villages thereof.

21:26 For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon.

21:27 Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared: 21:28 For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon: it hath consumed Ar of Moab, and the lords of the high places of Arnon.

21:29 Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O people of Chemosh: he hath given his sons that escaped, and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon king of the Amorites.

21:30 We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon, and we have laid them waste even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto Medeba.

21:31 Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites.

21:32 And Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there.

21:33 And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he, and all his people, to the battle at Edrei.

21:34 And the LORD said unto Moses, Fear him not: for I have delivered him into thy hand, and all his people, and his land; and thou shalt do to him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon.

21:35 So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him alive: and they possessed his land.

22:1 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.

22:2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

22:3 And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

22:4 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 gra.s.s of the field.

And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.

22:5 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: 22:6 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.

22:7 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.

22:8 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.

22:9 And G.o.d came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee? 22:10 And Balaam said unto G.o.d, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying, 22:11 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.

22:12 And G.o.d said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.

22:13 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.

22:14 And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.

22:15 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.

22:16 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: 22:17 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.

22:18 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 G.o.d, to do less or more.

22:19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.

22:20 And G.o.d 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.

22:21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his a.s.s, and went with the princes of Moab.

22:22 And G.o.d'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 a.s.s, and his two servants were with him.

22:23 And the a.s.s saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the a.s.s turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the a.s.s, to turn her into the way.

22:24 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.

22:25 And when the a.s.s 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.

22:26 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.

22:27 And when the a.s.s saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the a.s.s with a staff.

22:28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the a.s.s, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? 22:29 And Balaam said unto the a.s.s, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.

22:30 And the a.s.s said unto Balaam, Am not I thine a.s.s, 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.

22:31 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.

22:32 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine a.s.s these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: 22:33 And the a.s.s 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.

22:34 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.

22:35 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.

22:36 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.

22:37 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? 22:38 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 G.o.d putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.

22:39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth.

22:40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.

22:41 And it came to pa.s.s 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.

23:1 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.

23:2 And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.