Numbers 22: Balak sends for Balaam, and the donkey and the angel
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What happens?
Israel camps in the plains of Moab, and Balak king of Moab, afraid of them, sends for Balaam son of Beor to curse them. God tells Balaam not to go, and then, when Balak sends again, tells him to go but to do only what he says. On the road the angel of Yahweh stands against Balaam, his donkey sees the angel and turns aside three times, Yahweh opens the donkey's mouth, and Balaam goes on to Balak, saying he will speak only the word God puts in his mouth.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God's own words are in 3 of the 41 verses: what he says to Balaam at night in verses 9, 12 and 20. Moab speaks in verse 4, Balak's messages are given in verses 5 and 6 and in verses 16 and 17, and Balak speaks in verse 37. Balaam speaks in verses 8, 10 and 11, 13, 18 and 19, 29, 34 and 38, and the princes in verse 14. The donkey speaks in verses 28 and 30, and Balaam answers her "No" in verse 30. The angel of Yahweh speaks in verses 32, 33 and 35, and his words are not printed in gold. In verse 35 he says "the word that I shall speak to you", much as God says in verse 20. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.
In plain English: The Israelites set out and camped in the plains of Moab, on the other side of the Jordan, at Jericho.
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2Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
In plain English: Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
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3Moab was very afraid of the people, because they were many. Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
In plain English: Moab was very afraid of the people, because there were so many of them. Moab was distressed (or: filled with dread) because of the Israelites.
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4Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this multitude will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.
In plain English: Moab said to the elders of Midian, "Now this crowd will lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field." Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.
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5He sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, “Behold, there is a people who came out of Egypt. Behold, they cover the surface of the earth, and they are staying opposite me.
In plain English: He sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor, at Pethor, which is by the River, in the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, "Look, a people has come out of Egypt. Look, they cover the face (literally: the eye) of the land, and they are living right across from me.
Good to know: The text calls it only "the River". says Balaam came "from Pethor of Mesopotamia". The Hebrew there is Aram Naharayim, which the dictionary gives as "Aram of (the) two rivers (Euphrates and Tigris)".
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6Please come now therefore, and curse this people for me; for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall prevail, that we may strike them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”
In plain English: So please come now and curse this people for me, because they are too strong for me. Perhaps I will be able to strike them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed."
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7The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand. They came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.
In plain English: The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went, with the fees for divination (or: the things for divination) in their hand. They came to Balaam and told him Balak's words.
The Hebrew word: "Divination" is qesem, which the dictionary gives as "a lot; also divination (including its fee), oracle".
How it is translated: This Bible says "divination" in 8 of the 11 verses that use qesem.
Good to know: The text does not say what the elders carried, or that Balaam took it. later says Balaam "loved the wages of wrongdoing".
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8He said to them, “Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as Yahweh shall speak to me.” The princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
In plain English: He said to them, "Stay here tonight, and I will bring you back word, as Yahweh speaks to me." The princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
Good to know: Balaam is not an Israelite, but he speaks of Yahweh by name, and in he calls him "Yahweh my God". The text does not say how he came to know Yahweh.
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9God came to Balaam, and said, “Who are these men with you?”God speaks
In plain English: God came to Balaam and said, "Who are these men with you?"
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10Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has said to me,
In plain English: Balaam said to God, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,
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11‘Behold, the people that has come out of Egypt covers the surface of the earth. Now, come curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.’”
In plain English: 'Look, the people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and curse them for me. Perhaps I will be able to fight against them and drive them out.'"
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12God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”God speaks
In plain English: God said to Balaam, "You are not to go with them. You are not to curse the people, because they are blessed."
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13Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land; for Yahweh refuses to permit me to go with you.”
In plain English: Balaam got up in the morning and said to Balak's princes, "Go back to your land, because Yahweh has refused to let me go with you."
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14The princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”
In plain English: The princes of Moab got up, went to Balak, and said, "Balaam refuses to come with us."
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15Balak again sent princes, more, and more honorable than they.
In plain English: Balak sent princes again, more of them, and more honored than the first.
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16They came to Balaam, and said to him, “Balak the son of Zippor says, ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me,
In plain English: They came to Balaam and said to him, "This is what Balak son of Zippor says: 'Please let nothing stop you from coming to me,
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17for I will promote you to very great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Please come therefore, and curse this people for me.’”
In plain English: for I will reward you with very great honor, and whatever you tell me I will do. So please come and curse this people for me.'"
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18Balaam answered the servants of Balak, “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond the word of Yahweh my God, to do less or more.
In plain English: Balaam answered Balak's servants, "Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word (literally: the mouth) of Yahweh my God, to do anything small or great.
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19Now therefore please stay here tonight as well, that I may know what else Yahweh will speak to me.”
In plain English: Now please stay here tonight as well, so that I may know what more Yahweh will say to me."
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20God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak to you, that you shall do.”God speaks
In plain English: God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them. But only the word I speak to you, that is what you are to do."
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21Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
In plain English: Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
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22God’s anger burned because he went; and Yahweh’s angel placed himself in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
In plain English: God's anger burned because he went, and the angel of Yahweh stood in the road as an adversary (Hebrew: satan) against him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
The Hebrew word: "Adversary" is satan, which the dictionary gives as "an opponent", and with "the" before it, "Satan". Here the one who stands as an adversary is the angel of Yahweh.
How it is translated: This Bible says "Satan" in 14 of the 23 verses that use the word, and "adversary" in 8, as here and in .
Good to know: In God tells Balaam to go with the men, and here God's anger burns because he went. The text does not explain why, and readers explain it in different ways.
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23The donkey saw Yahweh’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned out of the path, and went into the field. Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the path.
In plain English: The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand. The donkey turned off the road and went into the field, and Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road.
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24Then Yahweh’s angel stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
In plain English: Then the angel of Yahweh stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side.
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25The donkey saw Yahweh’s angel, and she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. He struck her again.
In plain English: The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh. She pressed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall, and he struck her again.
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26Yahweh’s angel went further, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
In plain English: The angel of Yahweh went on further and stood in a narrow place, where there was no room to turn to the right or to the left.
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27The donkey saw Yahweh’s angel, and she lay down under Balaam. Balaam’s anger burned, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
In plain English: The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh and lay down under Balaam. Balaam's anger burned, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
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28Yahweh opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”
In plain English: Yahweh opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?"
Good to know: The text says Yahweh opened the donkey's mouth. speaks of it: "A speechless donkey spoke with a man's voice and stopped the madness of the prophet."
Church tradition: Many Jewish and Christian readers take the speaking donkey as an event, as it is told. Some read it as something Balaam saw in a vision, and some as a story told to teach. Numbers tells it as part of Balaam's journey.
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29Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have mocked me, I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would have killed you.”
In plain English: Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have made a fool of me (or: mocked me)! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now."
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30The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long until today? Was I ever in the habit of doing so to you?” He said, “No.”
In plain English: The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey, which you have ridden all your life until this day? Have I ever been in the habit of doing this to you?" He said, "No."
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31Then Yahweh opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw Yahweh’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.
In plain English: Then Yahweh opened (literally: uncovered) Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand. He bowed his head and fell on his face.
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32Yahweh’s angel said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary, because your way is perverse before me.
In plain English: The angel of Yahweh said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Look, I have come out as an adversary, because your way is perverse (or: reckless) before me.
The Hebrew word: "Perverse" is yarat, which the dictionary gives as "to hurl (rush) headlong", and "to be rash". It is in only 2 verses of the Bible, this one and , where this Bible says "casts".
What changes: Read as "reckless" or "rash", the angel says Balaam's way is headlong, not that it is twisted.
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33The donkey saw me, and turned away before me these three times. Unless she had turned away from me, surely now I would have killed you, and saved her alive.”
In plain English: The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away from me, I would surely have killed you by now, and let her live."
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34Balaam said to Yahweh’s angel, “I have sinned; for I didn’t know that you stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases you, I will go back again.”
In plain English: Balaam said to the angel of Yahweh, "I have sinned, because I did not know that you were standing in the road against me. Now, if it displeases you (literally: if it is evil in your eyes), I will go back."
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35Yahweh’s angel said to Balaam, “Go with the men; but you shall only speak the word that I shall speak to you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
In plain English: The angel of Yahweh said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but you are to speak only the word that I speak to you." So Balaam went with Balak's princes.
Good to know: The angel of Yahweh says here "the word that I shall speak to you", much as God said in , and in Balaam calls it "the word that God puts in my mouth". The text does not say how the angel and God are related, and churches read the angel of Yahweh in different ways.
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36When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.
In plain English: When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, at the far end of the border.
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37Balak said to Balaam, “Didn’t I earnestly send for you to summon you? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?”
In plain English: Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not earnestly send for you (the Hebrew repeats the word: send, I sent) to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not really able to reward you with honor?"
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38Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you. Have I now any power at all to speak anything? I will speak the word that God puts in my mouth.”
In plain English: Balaam said to Balak, "Look, I have come to you. Do I now have any power at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that is what I will speak."
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39Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth.
In plain English: Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth.
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40Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him.
In plain English: Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent to Balaam and to the princes who were with him.
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41In the morning, Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw from there part of the people.
In plain English: In the morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to the high places of Baal (or: to Bamoth Baal). From there he saw the edge (or: part) of the people.
The Hebrew words: "The high places of Baal" is Bamoth Baal. The dictionary gives Bamoth as "Bamoth or Bamoth-Baal, a place East of the Jordan". A place called Bamoth is also a stop on the journey in .
What changes: Read as a place name, Balak brought Balaam to Bamoth Baal, and the verse does not say the place was used to worship Baal.
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