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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Numbers 22 NIV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/numbers/22.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/numbers/22-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NIV</a> > Numbers 22</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../numbers/21.htm" title="Numbers 21">◄</a> Numbers 22 <a href="../numbers/23.htm" title="Numbers 23">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New International Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/niv/esv/numbers/22.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="sectionhead">Balak Summons Balaam</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.”</p><p class="reg">So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River, in his native land. Balak said:</p><p class="emb">“A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>“Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I will report back to you with the answer the <span class="name">Lord</span> gives me.” So the Moabite officials stayed with him.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>‘A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.’ ”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your own country, for the <span class="name">Lord</span> has refused to let me go with you.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>They came to Balaam and said:</p><p class="emb">“This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the <span class="name">Lord</span> my God. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the <span class="name">Lord</span> will tell me.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”</p> <p class="sectionhead">Balaam’s Donkey</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the <span class="name">Lord</span> stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>When the donkey saw the angel of the <span class="name">Lord</span> standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>Then the angel of the <span class="name">Lord</span> stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>When the donkey saw the angel of the <span class="name">Lord</span>, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>Then the angel of the <span class="name">Lord</span> moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>When the donkey saw the angel of the <span class="name">Lord</span>, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>Then the <span class="name">Lord</span> opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”</p><p class="reg">“No,” he said.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>Then the <span class="name">Lord</span> opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the <span class="name">Lord</span> standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>The angel of the <span class="name">Lord</span> asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.">a</a></sup></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>Balaam said to the angel of the <span class="name">Lord</span>, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>The angel of the <span class="name">Lord</span> said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-36.htm"><b>36</b></a></span>When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-37.htm"><b>37</b></a></span>Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-38.htm"><b>38</b></a></span>“Well, I have come to you now,” Balaam replied. “But I can’t say whatever I please. I must speak only what God puts in my mouth.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-39.htm"><b>39</b></a></span>Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-40.htm"><b>40</b></a></span>Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and gave some to Balaam and the officials who were with him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-41.htm"><b>41</b></a></span>The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="footnotes"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">a</span> <span class="fnverse">32</span> <span class="footnotebot">The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.</span><br><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center"><p class="ntext"><a href="http://niv.scripturetext.com/version.htm">New International Version</a> (NIV)</p><p class="ntext2">Holy Bible, New International Version&reg, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by <a href="http://biblica.com">Biblica, Inc.</a>® Used by permission. 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