Numbers 22

King Balak Tries to Hire Balaam

1 The Israelites camped in the plains of Moab, near the Jordan River across from Jericho.

2 Balak, son of Zippor, was the king of Moab. He saw everything Israel had done to the Amorites.

3 Moab got scared because there were so many Israelites. They were freaking out.

4 The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “These Israelites are about to eat up everything around us like oxen eat up grass in the field!” So Balak, king of Moab, sent messengers to Balaam, son of Beor, who was living in Pethor near the Euphrates River.

5 The message said, “A massive group of people just rolled up out of Egypt, and they are covering the land. They are right next to me now!”

6 “Come curse them for me, because they are too strong for us. Maybe if you curse them, we can defeat them and drive them out. I know whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”

7 The Moabite and Midianite leaders took money and went to Balaam, delivering Balak’s message.

Balaam Checks with God First

8 Balaam told them, “Stay the night, and I will bring back whatever the Lord tells me.” So they stayed.

9 That night, God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”

10 Balaam said, “Balak, king of Moab, sent them to me.”

11 “He said there is a group of people who came out of Egypt and are covering the land. He wants me to curse them so he can defeat them and drive them out.”

12 But God told Balaam, “Do not go with them! You must not curse these people because I have blessed them.”

13 So Balaam got up the next morning and told Balak’s officials, “Go back home. The Lord will not let me go with you all.”

14 The Moabite leaders went back to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

Balak Sends More Men with a Bigger Offer

15 So Balak sent even more important officials to Balaam.

16 They said, “King Balak says: Please do not let anything stop you from coming.”

17 “I will pay you big money and do whatever you say. Just come curse these people for me!”

18 But Balaam answered, “Even if Balak gave me a palace full of silver and gold, I cannot go against the Lord’s command.”

19 “But stay the night, and I will check if the Lord has anything else to say.”

God Lets Balaam Go (with a Warning)

20 That night, God told Balaam, “If these men came to get you, go with them. But only say what I tell you.”

21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the Moabite officials.

God Gets Angry & Sends an Angel

22 But God was angry that Balaam was going. So He sent an angel to stand in the road to stop him. Balaam was riding his donkey, and two of his servants were with him.

23 The donkey saw the angel standing in the road with a drawn sword, so she swerved off the road into a field. Balaam started beating the donkey to get her back on track.

24 Then the angel stood in a narrow path between two vineyard walls.

25 The donkey saw the angel again, pressed against the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against it. So Balaam beat her again.

26 Then the angel moved ahead to a place so tight there was no room to turn.

27 When the donkey saw the angel again, she just laid down under Balaam. Balaam got mad and started beating her with his stick.

The Donkey Talks Back!

28 Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said, “What have I done to you to deserve these three beatings?”

29 Balaam shouted, “You made me look like a fool! If I had a sword, I would kill you right now!”

30 The donkey said, “Bruh, Am I not been your donkey for years, Have I ever acted like this before,” Balaam said, “No…”

Balaam Finally Sees the Angel

31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel standing in the road with a drawn sword. Balaam fell face down.

32 The angel said, “Why did you beat your donkey three times, I came to stop you because you are heading into disaster!”

33 “Your donkey saw me and turned away three times. If she had not, I would have killed you by now, but I would have let her live!”

34 Balaam said, “I have sinned! I did not realize You were standing in the road. If You do not want me to go, I will turn back.”

35 The angel said, “Go, but only say what I tell you.” So Balaam continued on with Balak’s men.

Balak & Balaam Finally Meet

36 When Balak heard Balaam was coming, he went to meet him at the Moabite border.

37 Balak said, “Why did you not come the first time? Do you not know I can pay you well?”

38 Balaam said, “I am here now, but I can only say what God tells me to say.”

39 Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath-huzoth.

40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, then gave portions to Balaam and the officials.

Balak Takes Balaam to See Israel

41 The next morning, Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth-baal, where he could see a part of the Israelite camp.