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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=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Numbers 22 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition</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="/bmcc/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/catholic">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NRSVCE</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 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition</td><td width="1%" valign="top"></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><div class="text-html"> <h3><span id="en" class="text">Balak Summons Balaam to Curse Israel</span></h3><p class="chapter-2"><span class="text"><span class="versenum">1</span>The Israelites set out, and camped in the plains of Moab across the Jordan from Jericho. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">2</span>Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">3</span>Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were so numerous; Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">4</span>And Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Now Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">5</span>He sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is on the Euphrates, in the land of Amaw,<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-4381a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote a">a</a>]</span> to summon him, saying, “A people has come out of Egypt; they have spread over the face of the earth, and they have settled next to me. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">6</span>Come now, curse this people for me, since they are stronger than I; perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land; for I know that whomever you bless is blessed, and whomever you curse is cursed.”</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">7</span>So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and gave him Balak’s message. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">8</span>He said to them, “Stay here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, just as the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> speaks to me”; so the officials of Moab stayed with Balaam. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">9</span>God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">10</span>Balaam said to God, “King Balak son of Zippor of Moab, has sent me this message: </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">11</span>‘A people has come out of Egypt and has spread over the face of the earth; now come, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to fight against them and drive them out.’” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">12</span>God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">13</span>So Balaam rose in the morning, and said to the officials of Balak, “Go to your own land, for the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> has refused to let me go with you.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">14</span>So the officials of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">15</span>Once again Balak sent officials, more numerous and more distinguished than these. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">16</span>They came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak son of Zippor: ‘Do not let anything hinder you from coming to me; </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">17</span>for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do; come, curse this people for me.’” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">18</span>But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “Although Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> my God, to do less or more. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">19</span>You remain here, as the others did, so that I may learn what more the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> may say to me.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">20</span>That night God came to Balaam and said to him, “If the men have come to summon you, get up and go with them; but do only what I tell you to do.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">21</span>So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the officials of Moab.</span></p> <h3><span id="en" class="text">Balaam, the Donkey, and the Angel</span></h3><p><span class="text"><span class="versenum">22</span>God’s anger was kindled because he was going, and the angel of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> took his stand in the road as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">23</span>The donkey saw the angel of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand; so the donkey turned off the road, and went into the field; and Balaam struck the donkey, to turn it back onto the road. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">24</span>Then the angel of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">25</span>When the donkey saw the angel of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span>, it scraped against the wall, and scraped Balaam’s foot against the wall; so he struck it again. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">26</span>Then the angel of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> went ahead, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">27</span>When the donkey saw the angel of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span>, it lay down under Balaam; and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">28</span>Then the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> opened the mouth of the donkey, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">29</span>Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me! I wish I had a sword in my hand! I would kill you right now!” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">30</span>But the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I been in the habit of treating you this way?” And he said, “No.”</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">31</span>Then the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> standing in the road, with his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed down, falling on his face. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">32</span>The angel of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? I have come out as an adversary, because your way is perverse<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-4408b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote b">b</a>]</span> before me. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">33</span>The donkey saw me, and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let it live.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">34</span>Then Balaam said to the angel of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span>, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now therefore, if it is displeasing to you, I will return home.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">35</span>The angel of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> said to Balaam, “Go with the men; but speak only what I tell you to speak.” So Balaam went on with the officials of Balak.</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">36</span>When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at Ir-moab, on the boundary formed by the Arnon, at the farthest point of the boundary. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">37</span>Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">38</span>Balaam said to Balak, “I have come to you now, but do I have power to say just anything? The word God puts in my mouth, that is what I must say.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">39</span>Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">40</span>Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent them to Balaam and to the officials who were with him.</span></p> <h3><span id="en" class="text">Balaam’s First Oracle</span></h3><p><span class="text"><span class="versenum">41</span>On the next day Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal; and from there he could see part of the people of Israel.<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-4417c" title="See footnote c">c</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote c">c</a>]</span> </span> </p><A name="fen"></a><div class="footnotes"><h4>Footnotes</h4><ol><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Numbers 22:5">Numbers 22:5</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Or <i>land of his kinsfolk</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Numbers 22:32">Numbers 22:32</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Meaning of Heb uncertain</span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Numbers 22:41">Numbers 22:41</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Heb lacks <i>of Israel</i></span></li></ol></div> </div></div></div></div></div> </div> </div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. 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