Numbers 22

1 Then the Israelites [sons of Jacob, descendants of Abraham] traveled on [journeyed, set out] and camped [pitched their tents, settled] in the plains [desert, wilderness] of Moab [land of Lot’s descendants] near [beyond, on the other side of] the Jordan [key river in Israel’s history], across from [facing, opposite] Jericho [city of palms, first Canaanite conquest]. word study 2 Now Balak [a Moabite king] son of Zippor saw [perceived, looked after] all [everything, the entirety] that Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] had done [made, accomplished] to the Amorites [a Canaanite tribe, the original inhabitants of the land], word study 3 and Moab [was exceedingly afraid, sorely afraid] was terrified [dreaded, afraid] of the people [nation, multitude] because they were numerous [many, exceedingly many]. Indeed, Moab [was distressed] dreaded [was anxious, loathed] the Israelites [children of Israel, sons of Israel]. word study 4 So the Moabites [a nation descended from Lot] said to the elders [respected leaders, old men] of Midian [a tribe of Abraham’s descendants], “This horde [large army, multitude] will devour [consume, destroy] everything around us, as an ox [cattle, a beast of burden] licks up [eats, consumes] the grass [green vegetation] of the field [a cultivated area of land].” Since Balak [meaning ‘devastator’, a king of Moab] son of Zippor [meaning ‘sparrow’, a Moabite] was king of Moab [a land east of the Jordan River] at that time [now, during this period], word study 5 he sent messengers [representatives] to Balaam [a prophet, son of Beor] son of Beor at Pethor [a town in Mesopotamia, by the River Euphrates], which is by the Euphrates [a major river, symbolizing prosperity] in the land [a country, territory, or region] of his people [a nation, or his family]. “Behold, a people [a nation, or a large group] has come out [emigrated, departed] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa],” said Balak. “They cover [fill, overflow] the face [surface, or the entire area] of the land [the earth, or the ground] and have settled [dwelled, remained] next to [opposite, or nearby] me. word study 6 So please [I pray thee, I humbly request] come now [at this time, immediately] and put a curse [to execrate, wish harm upon] on this people [nation, tribe], because they are too [extremely, exceedingly] mighty [powerful, strong] for me. Perhaps [if not, maybe] I may be able [have the power, prevail] to defeat them and drive them out [expel, force out] of the land [country, territory]; for I know [am aware, understand] that those you bless [praise, honor] are blessed [favored, fortunate], and those you curse [condemn, wish harm upon] are cursed [doomed, unfortunate].” word study 7 The elders [responsible men, leaders] of Moab [a land and descendants of Lot’s son] and Midian [a son of Abraham, his country, and descendants] departed with the fees [rewards, payments] for divination [seeking guidance through witchcraft or fortune-telling] in hand. They came to Balaam [a prophet from Mesopotamia] and relayed [spoke, communicated] to him the words [messages, instructions] of Balak [a king of Moab, meaning devourer]. word study 8 “Spend the night [lodge, tarry] here [in this place],” Balaam replied, “and I will give you the answer [word, message] that the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] speaks [communicates, reveals] to me.” So the princes [rulers, leaders] of Moab [a land and people descended from Lot] stayed [dwelled, abode] with Balaam [a prophet from Mesopotamia]. word study 9 Then God [Elohim, the supreme Being] came [approached, drew near] to Balaam and asked [said, spoke], “Who [what men, which ones] are these men [individuals, persons] with [together with, accompanying] you [in your company, by your side]?” word study 10 And Balaam [the prophet from Mesopotamia] said to God [Elohim, the supreme Being], “Balak [meaning ‘devastator’ or ‘waster’] son of Zippor [meaning ‘sparrow’], king [ruler, monarch] of Moab [a land and descendants of Lot], sent [dispatched, commissioned] me [to curse the Israelites] this message: word study 11 ‘Behold, a people [nation, group of individuals] has come out [emerged, departed] of Egypt [the land of the Nile, a country in northeastern Africa], and they cover [overwhelm, spread across] the face [surface, entirety] of the land [earth, territory]. Now [at this time, currently] come and put a curse [speaking badly, uttering a hex] on them for me [on my behalf, in my interest]. Perhaps [maybe, it may be] I may be able [have the power, be strong enough] to fight [wage war, engage in battle] against them and drive them away [expel, force out].’” word study 12 But God [Elohim, the supreme Being] said to Balaam, “Do not [by no means] go with them [together, in their company]. You are not to curse [utter a wish of harm upon] this people [nation, community], for they are blessed [highly favored, having God’s approval].” word study 13 So Balaam [the prophet from Mesopotamia] got up [rose, stood up] the next morning [at the break of day] and said to Balak’s [the king of Moab] princes [rulers, leaders], “Go back [return, depart] to your homeland [land, country, territory], because the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] has refused [said no, rejected] to let me go [to walk, to proceed] with you [together, in your company].” word study 14 And the princes [rulers, leaders] of Moab arose [stood up, rose to power], returned to Balak [the king of Moab], and said, “Balaam [the prophet] refused [to say no, rejected] to come [to go, walk] with us [together, in our company].” word study 15 Then Balak [the king of Moab, a leader of a neighboring nation] sent [dispatched, commissioned] other princes [rulers, leaders, or captains], more numerous [a greater number, many] and more distinguished [honorable, esteemed, or respected] than the first messengers [emissaries, ambassadors, or envoys]. word study 16 They came [arrived, went] to Balaam [the prophet, a diviner] and said, “This is what Balak [a king of Moab] son of Zippor [meaning sparrow] says: ‘Please [I pray, kindly] let nothing [not anything, no hindrance] hinder [withhold, prevent] you from coming [going, proceeding] to me [toward me, into my presence], word study 17 for I will honor [promote to great honor] you richly [very greatly, with abundant reward] and do [make, fulfill] whatever [all that] you say [speak, command]. So please [I pray, I implore] come [walk, go] and put a curse [speak badly of, pierce] on this [specific, particular] people [nation, group of individuals] for me [on my behalf, in my place]!’” word study 18 But Balaam replied to the servants [or slaves, attendants] of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house [palace, dwelling place] full of silver [wealth, treasure] and gold [precious metal, riches], I could not do anything small [insignificant, minor] or great [important, significant] to go beyond [transgress, disobey] the command [word, instruction] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] my God [Elohim, the one I worship]. word study 19 So now [at this present moment], please [I pray you] stay here overnight [tarry, remain] as the others did, that I may find out [know, discover] what else [more, additional] the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord of Israel] has to tell me [speak to me, communicate with me].” word study 20 That night [in the darkness, during the evening] God [Elohim, the supreme God] came to Balaam and said, “Since these men [the messengers, the delegation] have come to summon [call, invite] you, get up [rise, stand] and go with them, but you must only do [obey, fulfill] what I tell [speak, command] you [to you, towards you].” word study 21 So in the morning [at the break of day, dawn] Balaam [a prophet from Mesopotamia] got up [rose, stood up], saddled [tied, bound] his donkey [she-ass, a female donkey], and went [walked, traveled] with [together, in company] the princes [rulers, leaders] of Moab [a land and people descended from Lot]. word study 22 Then God’s [divine, holy] anger [wrath, fierce indignation] was kindled [burned, ignited] because Balaam [he, the prophet] was going along [on his way, proceeding], and the angel [messenger, representative] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] stood [placed himself, stationed] in the road [way, path] to oppose [withstand, resist] him. Balaam was riding [sitting, mounted] his donkey [she-ass, female donkey], and his two [a pair, dual] servants [youth, attendants] were with [accompanied, together] him. word study 23 When the donkey [she-ass, a female donkey] saw the angel [messenger] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] standing [stationed] in the road [way, path] with a drawn [pulled out] sword [cutting instrument] in his hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share], she turned [stretching aside] off the path [way, journey] and went into a field [open land, countryside]. So Balaam [a prophet from Mesopotamia] beat her to return [turn back] her to the path [way, road]. word study 24 Then the angel [messenger, representative of God] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] stood [to stand in a strong sense, like in a battle] in a narrow [restricted, tight] passage [road, path] between two vineyards [gardens for growing vines], with walls [barriers, fences] on either side [this side and that side, one side and the other]. word study 25 And the donkey [she-ass, a female donkey] saw [perceived, looked upon] the angel [messenger, representative] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] and pressed [oppressed, squeezed] herself against the wall [a barrier, a dividing structure], crushing [oppressing, treating unfairly] Balaam’s [the prophet’s] foot [the lower extremity] against it. So he beat [struck, smote] her once again [added to his actions, continued to strike]. word study 26 And the angel [messenger of God, divine representative] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] moved on ahead [to pass over, transitioned] and stood [to stand firm, in a strong sense] in a narrow [hard, tight] place [location, condition] where there was no room [nothing, absence] to turn [to stretch, spread out] to the right [Benjamin, the son of Israel] or left [north, left hand]. word study 27 When the donkey [she-ass, a female donkey] saw the angel [messenger] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], she lay down [to stretch, resting] under Balaam [a prophet from Mesopotamia], and he became furious [to be incensed, very angry] and beat her with his staff [rod, a walking stick]. word study 28 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] opened [to engrave or carve] the donkey’s [she-ass, a female donkey] mouth, and she said to Balaam [a prophet from Mesopotamia], “What [expressing surprise or inquiry] have I done [to make or do something] to you that you have beaten [to strike or hit] me these [this specific quantity] three [a quantity of three, thrice] times [instances or repetitions]?” word study 29 Balaam answered the donkey [she-ass, a female donkey], “You have made a fool [mocked, treated with contempt] of me! If I had a sword [cutting instrument, knife] in my hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share], I would kill [slay with intent, destroy] you right now [at this time, immediately]!” word study 30 But the donkey [she-ass, a female donkey] said to Balaam, “Am I not the donkey [your own donkey, the one that has been with you] you have ridden [been carried on, traveled with] all your life [since the beginning, from the start] until today [this present day, now]? Have I ever [at any time, previously] treated you this way [in this manner, thus] before [previously, earlier]?” “No [not, never],” he replied. word study 31 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] opened Balaam’s eyes [to reveal or uncover something], and he saw the angel [messenger or representative] of the LORD [the supreme God] standing [stationed or appointed] in the road [way or path] with a drawn [pulled out or unsheathed] sword [cutting instrument] in his hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share]. And Balaam bowed [to shrivel up or bend the body] low and fell [to prostrate oneself] facedown [with his face to the ground]. word study 32 The angel [messenger of God] of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten [struck, smitten] your donkey [she-ass] these three [thrice] times? Behold [look, see], I have come out [gone forth] to oppose [withstand, be an adversary to] you, because your way [path, journey] is perverse [twisted, wrong] before me [in my presence]. word study 33 The donkey [she-ass, a gentle creature] saw me [perceived my presence, looked after me] and turned away [to stretch, to spread out, to divert] from me these three [thrice, a repeated action] times. If she had not turned away [perhaps, if not, unless she had diverted], then by now I would surely [certainly, without a doubt] have killed [slain, put to death] you and let her live [preserved her life, allowed her to remain alive].” word study 34 “I have sinned [committed wrongdoing, missed the mark],” Balaam said to the angel [messenger] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God], “for I did not realize [know, understand] that you were standing [positioned, stationed] in the road [way, path] to confront [meet, oppose] me. And now [at this time], if this is displeasing [evil, undesirable] in your sight [eye, presence], I will go back [return, turn back] home [to my own place].” word study 35 But the angel [messenger] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] said to Balaam, “Go with the men [princes, leaders], but you are to speak only what I tell you [command, instruct].” So Balaam went with the princes [rulers, officials] of Balak. word study 36 When Balak [the king of Moab] heard that Balaam [a prophet from Mesopotamia] was coming, he went out [to meet and greet] to meet him at the Moabite [city of Moab, a place of settlement] city on the Arnon [a river east of the Jordan] border, at the edge [the utmost part, the border] of his territory [the land under his authority, the border of the land]. word study 37 And he said to Balaam, “Did I not [earnestly, with urgency] send you an urgent summons [a call to come immediately]? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not [truly, indeed] able [to have power] to richly reward you [to promote you to honor, to give you a place of honor]?” word study 38 “See [behold, look], I have come [arrived, presented myself] to you,” Balaam replied, “but can I say [speak, utter] just anything [something, a word]? I must speak [declare, proclaim] only the word [message, utterance] that God [Elohim, the supreme Lord] puts [places, sets] in my mouth [lips, speech].” word study 39 So Balaam [a prophet from Mesopotamia] accompanied [went with, together] Balak [a king of Moab], and they came [approached, entered] to Kiriath-huzoth [the city of streets, a place in Moab]. word study 40 Balak [a king of Moab] sacrificed [offered as a religious sacrifice, slaughtered] cattle [domesticated oxen or livestock] and sheep [a flock of sheep or goats], and he gave [sent, offered] portions [parts of the meat] to Balaam [a prophet from Mesopotamia] and the princes [rulers, leaders] who were with [near, accompanying] him. word study 41 The next morning [at the break of day, in the morning light], Balak [the king of Moab] took Balaam [the prophet from Mesopotamia] and brought him up to Bamoth-baal [the high places of Baal, a site of idol worship]. From there [that location, that vantage point] he could see [gaze out, look upon] the outskirts [the outer limits, the extremity] of the camp [the encampment, the dwelling place] of the people [the nation, the congregation]. word study