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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 American Bible</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="../">NABRE</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 American Bible Revised Edition</td><td width="1%" valign="top"></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><section id="ch04022" class="chapter"> <h1 id="cn04022" class="cn"></h1> <p class="pf"><span id="v04022001" class="ver">1</span>Then the Israelites moved on and encamped in the plains of Moab<a id="rfn04022001-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn04022001-1">*</a> on the other side of the Jordan opposite Jericho.</p> <p class="psec"><span class="hemb">Balaam Summoned.</span> <span id="v04022002" class="ver">2</span>Now Balak, son of Zippor, saw all that Israel did to the Amorites, <span id="v04022003" class="ver">3</span>and Moab feared the Israelites greatly because they were numerous. Moab was in dread of the Israelites. <span id="v04022004" class="ver">4</span>So Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this horde will devour everything around us as an ox devours the grass of the field.” At that time Balak, son of Zippor, was king of Moab; <span id="v04022005" class="ver">5</span>and he sent messengers to Balaam, son of Beor, at Pethor on the river, in the land of the Ammonites,<a id="rfn04022005-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn04022005-1">*</a> to summon him with these words, “A people has come out of Egypt! They have covered up the earth and are settling down opposite me! <span id="v04022006" class="ver">6</span>Now come, curse this people for me,<a id="rfn04022006-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn04022006-1">*</a> since they are stronger than I am. Perhaps I may 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.” <span id="v04022007" class="ver">7</span>So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian, themselves experts in divination,<a id="rfn04022007-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn04022007-1">*</a> left and went to Balaam, to whom they gave Balak’s message. <span id="v04022008" class="ver">8</span>He said to them, “Stay here overnight, and I will give you whatever answer the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> gives me.” So the princes of Moab lodged with Balaam.</p> <p><span id="v04022009" class="ver">9</span>Then God came to Balaam and said: Who are these men with you? <span id="v04022010" class="ver">10</span>Balaam answered God, “Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me the message: <span id="v04022011" class="ver">11</span>‘This people that has come out of Egypt has covered up the earth. Now come, lay a curse on them for me; perhaps I may be able to fight them and drive them out.’ ” <span id="v04022012" class="ver">12</span>But God said to Balaam: Do not go with them and do not curse this people, for they are blessed. <span id="v04022013" class="ver">13</span>The next morning Balaam arose and told the princes of Balak, “Go back to your own country, for the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> has refused to let me go with you.” <span id="v04022014" class="ver">14</span>So the princes of Moab went back to Balak with the report, “Balaam refused to come with us.”</p> <p class="psec"><span class="hemb">Second Appeal to Balaam.</span> <span id="v04022015" class="ver">15</span>Balak yet again sent princes, who were more numerous and more distinguished than the others. <span id="v04022016" class="ver">16</span>On coming to Balaam they told him, “Thus says Balak, son of Zippor: Please do not refuse to come to me. <span id="v04022017" class="ver">17</span>I will reward you very handsomely and will do anything you ask of me. Come, lay a curse on this people for me.” <span id="v04022018" class="ver">18</span><a id="ren04022018-a" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en04022018-a">a</a> But Balaam replied to Balak’s servants, “Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, small or great, contrary to the command of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>, my God. <span id="v04022019" class="ver">19</span>But, you too stay here overnight, so that I may learn what else the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> may say to me.” <span id="v04022020" class="ver">20</span>That night God came to Balaam and said to him: If these men have come to summon you, go back with them; yet only on the condition that you do exactly as I tell you. <span id="v04022021" class="ver">21</span>So the next morning when Balaam arose, he saddled his donkey,<a id="rfn04022021-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn04022021-1">*</a> and went off with the princes of Moab.</p> <p class="psec"><span class="hemb">The Talking Donkey.</span> <span id="v04022022" class="ver">22</span>But now God’s anger flared up<a id="rfn04022022-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn04022022-1">*</a> at him for going, and the angel of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> took up a position on the road as his adversary. As Balaam was riding along on his donkey, accompanied by two of his servants, <span id="v04022023" class="ver">23</span>the donkey saw the angel of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> standing in the road with sword drawn. The donkey turned off the road and went into the field, and Balaam beat the donkey to bring her back on the road. <span id="v04022024" class="ver">24</span>Then the angel of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> stood in a narrow lane between vineyards with a stone wall on each side. <span id="v04022025" class="ver">25</span>When the donkey saw the angel of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> there, she pressed against the wall; and since she squeezed Balaam’s leg against the wall, he beat her again. <span id="v04022026" class="ver">26</span>Then the angel of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> again went ahead, and stood next in a passage so narrow that there was no room to move either to the right or to the left. <span id="v04022027" class="ver">27</span>When the donkey saw the angel of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> there, she lay down under Balaam. Balaam’s anger flared up and he beat the donkey with his stick.</p> <p><span id="v04022028" class="ver">28</span><a id="ren04022028-b" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en04022028-b">b</a> Then the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> opened the mouth of the donkey, and she asked Balaam, “What have I done to you that you beat me these three times?” <span id="v04022029" class="ver">29</span>“You have acted so willfully against me,” said Balaam to the donkey, “that if I only had a sword at hand, I would kill you here and now.” <span id="v04022030" class="ver">30</span>But the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have always ridden until now? Have I been in the habit of treating you this way before?” “No,” he replied.</p> <p><span id="v04022031" class="ver">31</span>Then the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> opened Balaam’s eyes, so that he saw the angel of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> standing on the road with sword drawn; and he knelt and bowed down to the ground. <span id="v04022032" class="ver">32</span>But the angel of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> said to him: “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come as an adversary because this rash journey of yours is against my will. <span id="v04022033" class="ver">33</span>When the donkey saw me, she turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away from me, you are the one I would have killed, though I would have spared her.” <span id="v04022034" class="ver">34</span>Then Balaam said to the angel of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>, “I have sinned. Yet I did not know that you took up a position to oppose my journey. Since it has displeased you, I will go back home.” <span id="v04022035" class="ver">35</span>But the angel of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> said to Balaam: “Go with the men; but you may say only what I tell you.” So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.</p> <p><span id="v04022036" class="ver">36</span>When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at Ar-Moab on the border formed by the Arnon, at its most distant point. <span id="v04022037" class="ver">37</span>And Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send an urgent summons to you? Why did you not come to me? Did you think I could not reward you?” <span id="v04022038" class="ver">38</span>Balaam answered Balak, “Well, I have come to you after all. But what power have I to say anything? I can speak only what God puts in my mouth.” <span id="v04022039" class="ver">39</span>Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. <span id="v04022040" class="ver">40</span>Here Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent portions to Balaam and to the princes who were with him.</p> <p class="psec"><span class="hemb">The First Oracle.</span> <span id="v04022041" class="ver">41</span>The next morning Balak took Balaam up on Bamoth-baal, and from there he could see some of the people.</p> </section> <br /><h1 class="cn"><a class="xref" href="intro.htm"><span class="ac">Book Introduction</span></a></h1><h1 class="cn"><a class="xref" href="footnotes.htm"><span class="ac">Footnotes</span></a></h1></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the <i>New American Bible, revised edition</i> © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. 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