The King of Moab Sends for Balaam
1 The Israelites moved on and set up camp in the plains of Moab east of the Jordan and opposite Jericho.
2 When the king of Moab, Balak son of Zippor, heard what the Israelites had done to the Amorites and how many Israelites there were, 3 he and all his people became terrified. 4 The Moabites said to the leaders of the Midianites, “This horde will soon destroy everything around us, like a bull eating the grass in a pasture.” So King Balak 5 sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor near the Euphrates River in the land of Amaw. They brought him this message from Balak: “I want you to know that a whole nation has come from Egypt; its people are spreading out everywhere and threatening to take over our land. 6 They outnumber us, so please come and put a curse on them for me. Then perhaps we will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. I know that when you pronounce a blessing, people are blessed, and when you pronounce a curse, they are placed under a curse.”
7 So the Moabite and Midianite leaders took with them the payment for the curse, went to Balaam, and gave him Balak's message. 8 Balaam said to them, “Spend the night here, and tomorrow I will report to you whatever the Lord tells me.” So the Moabite leaders stayed with Balaam.
9 God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these people that are staying with you?”
10 He answered, “King Balak of Moab has sent them to tell me 11 that a people who came from Egypt has spread out over the whole land. He wants me to curse them for him, so that he can fight them and drive them out.”
12 God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them, and do not put a curse on the people of Israel, because they have my blessing.”
13 The next morning Balaam went to Balak's messengers and said, “Go back home; the Lord has refused to let me go with you.” 14 So they returned to Balak and told him that Balaam had refused to come with them.
15 Then Balak sent a larger number of leaders, who were more important than the first. 16 They went to Balaam and gave him this message from Balak: “Please don't let anything prevent you from coming to me! 17 I will reward you richly and do anything you say. Please come and curse these people for me.”
18 But Balaam answered, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not disobey the command of the Lord my God in even the smallest matter. 19 But please spend the night, as the others did, so that I may learn whether or not the Lord has something else to tell me.”
20 That night God came to Balaam and said, “If these men have come to ask you to go with them, get ready and go, but do only what I tell you.” 21 So the next morning Balaam saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite leaders.
Balaam and His Donkey
22 God was angry that Balaam was going, and as Balaam was riding along on his donkey, accompanied by his two servants, the angel of the Lord stood in the road to bar his way. 23 When the donkey saw the angel standing there holding a sword, it left the road and turned into the fields. Balaam beat the donkey and brought it back onto the road. 24 Then the angel stood where the road narrowed between two vineyards and had a stone wall on each side. 25 When the donkey saw the angel, it moved over against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against it. Again Balaam beat the donkey. 26 Once more the angel moved ahead; he stood in a narrow place where there was no room at all to pass on either side. 27 This time, when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down. Balaam lost his temper and began to beat the donkey with his stick. 28 Then the Lord gave the donkey the power of speech, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you? Why have you beaten me these three times?”
29 Balaam answered, “Because you have made a fool of me! If I had a sword, I would kill you.”
30 The donkey replied, “Am I not the same donkey on which you have ridden all your life? Have I ever treated you like this before?”
“No,” he answered.
31 Then the Lord let Balaam see the angel standing there with his sword; and Balaam threw himself face downward on the ground. 32 The angel demanded, “Why have you beaten your donkey three times like this? I have come to bar your way, because you should not be making this journey. 33 But your donkey saw me and turned aside three times. If it hadn't, I would have killed you and spared the donkey.”
34 Balaam replied, “I have sinned. I did not know that you were standing in the road to oppose me; but now if you think it is wrong for me to go on, I will return home.”
35 But the angel said, “Go on with these men, but say only what I tell you to say.” So Balaam went on with them.
Balak Welcomes Balaam
36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went to meet him at Ar, a city on the Arnon River at the border of Moab. 37 Balak said to him, “Why didn't you come when I sent for you the first time? Did you think I wasn't able to reward you enough?”
38 Balaam answered, “I came, didn't I? But now, what power do I have? I can say only what God tells me to say.” 39 So Balaam went with Balak to the town of Huzoth, 40 where Balak slaughtered cattle and sheep and gave some of the meat to Balaam and the leaders who were with him.
Balaam's First Prophecy
41 The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, from where Balaam could see a part of the people of Israel.
1 Tad Israēla bērni devās ceļā un apmetās Moāba līdzenumā, viņpus Jordānai, iepretim Jērikai. 2 Kad nu Balaks, Cipora dēls, visu to redzēja, ko Israēls bija amoriešiem nodarījis, 3 tad moābieši varen izbijās no tās tautas, jo to bija daudz, un moābiešiem bija bailes no Israēla bērniem. 4 Tāpēc Moābs runāja ar midiāniešu vecajiem: "Nu šie, tur sapulcējušies, gan notīrīs tīru visu mūsu apkārtni itin kā vērsis, kas aprij lauka zāli!" Bet Balaks, Cipora dēls, bija tanī laikā Moāba ķēniņš. 5 Un tas sūtīja vēstnešus pie Bileāma, Beora dēla, uz Petoru pie lielās upes viņa tautas bērnu zemē, lai viņu aicinātu, un sacīja: "Redzi, tur ir tauta, kas iznākusi no Ēģiptes; redzi, tie apklāj zemes virsu un ir apmetušies pret mani. 6 Un tagad, lūdzams, nāc un nolādi man šo tautu, jo tā ir stiprāka nekā es, tad varbūt es varētu tos pieveikt un izdzīt no zemes; jo es zinu, ka tas, ko tu svētī, ir svētīts un, ko tu nolādi, ir nolādēts." 7 Tad moābiešu vecaji un midiāniešu vecaji gāja, un zīlnieku alga jau tiem bija rokā, un tie nogāja pie Bileāma un sacīja viņam Balaka vārdus. 8 Tad tas viņiem sacīja: "Palieciet šeit pa nakti, tad es jums došu līdzi vēsti, ko Tas Kungs man iedos." Un moābiešu vadoņi palika pie Bileāma. 9 Un Dievs nāca pie Bileāma un tam jautāja: "Kas tie tādi par vīriem tur pie tevis?" 10 Un Bileāms atbildēja Dievam: "Balaks, Cipora dēls, moābiešu ķēniņš, ir tos pie manis sūtījis un caur viņiem liek man sacīt: 11 redzi, tauta ir iznākusi no Ēģiptes un apklāj visu zemes virsu. Tagad nāc, nolādi tos manis labad, varbūt tad es spēšu pret tiem karot un tos izdzīt." 12 Tad Dievs sacīja Bileāmam: "Tev nebūs iet kopā ar viņiem, un tev nebūs nolādēt šo tautu, jo tā ir svētīta!" 13 Un no rīta Bileāms agri piecēlās un sacīja Balaka vadoņiem: "Eita atpakaļ uz savu zemi, jo Tas Kungs man ir aizliedzis un neļauj iet ar jums." 14 Tad cēlās moābiešu vadoņi un nāca pie Balaka un tam pavēstīja: "Bileāms ir atsacījies nākt mums līdzi." 15 Tad Balaks mēģināja vēl vienu reizi un nosūtīja daudz vairāk un cienījamākus vadoņus nekā tos. 16 Un tie nāca pie Bileāma un sacīja: "Tā saka Balaks, Cipora dēls: lūdzams, neliedzies nākt pie manis! 17 Jo es tevi godināt godināšu, un visu, ko tu man teiksi, to es izdarīšu; bet, lūdzams, nāc un nolādi man šo tautu!" 18 Tad Bileāms atbildēja un sacīja Balaka kalpiem: "Kaut vai Balaks man dotu savu namu pilnu piebērtu ar zeltu un sudrabu, tad tomēr es nevarētu pārkāpt Tā Kunga, sava Dieva, pavēli, darot vai nu mazas, vai arī lielas lietas. 19 Un tad nu palieciet arī šo nakti pie manis, tad es redzēšu, ko Tas Kungs man tālāk teiks." 20 Tad Dievs nāca pie Bileāma nakts laikā un tam sacīja: "Ja tie vīri ir nākuši tevi aicināt, tad celies un ej ar viņiem, bet tikai to vārdu, ko Es tev teikšu, to pildi." 21 Tad Bileāms piecēlās agri no rīta un apsegloja savu ēzeļu māti un devās līdzi moābiešu vadoņiem. 22 Bet Dieva dusmas pret to iedegās, tāpēc ka tas gāja, un Tā Kunga eņģelis nostājās viņam ceļā, lai būtu viņam par naidīgu pretinieku; un viņš jāja uz savas ēzeļu mātes, un divi tā puiši bija viņam līdzi. 23 Un ēzeļu māte ieraudzīja Tā Kunga eņģeli uz ceļa stāvam ar atvēztu zobenu rokā, un ēzeļu māte nogriezās no ceļa un gāja pa lauku; tad Bileāms sita ēzeļu māti, lai to uzgrieztu uz ceļa. 24 Bet Tā Kunga eņģelis nostājās ceļa šaurumā starp vīna dārziem, kur abās pusēs bija mūris. 25 Kad nu ēzeļu māte ieraudzīja Tā Kunga eņģeli, tad viņa spiedās gar mūri un saspieda pie mūra Bileāmam kāju, tāpēc viņš to atkal sita. 26 Un Tā Kunga eņģelis virzījās joprojām uz priekšu un nostājās kādā šaurā spraugā, kur nebija vietas, lai atkāptos nedz pa labi, nedz pa kreisi. 27 Un, kad ēzeļu māte ieraudzīja Tā Kunga eņģeli stāvam, tad viņa pakrita ceļos zem Bileāma. Un Bileāms saskaitās un sita ēzeļu māti ar rīksti. 28 Un tad Tas Kungs atvēra ēzeļu mātes muti, un tā sacīja Bileāmam: "Ko es esmu tev darījusi, ka tu mani esi trīs reizes sitis?" 29 Un Bileāms sacīja ēzeļu mātei: "Tāpēc ka tu mani esi kaitinājusi! Ja man būtu bijis zobens rokā, es tevi nokautu!" 30 Tad ēzeļu māte sacīja Bileāmam: "Vai es neesmu tava ēzeļu māte, uz kuras tu esi jājis savu laiciņu līdz šai dienai? Vai tas ir bijis mans ieradums tev tā darīt?" Viņš teica: "Nē." 31 Tad Tas Kungs atvēra Bileāmam acis, un viņš ieraudzīja Tā Kunga eņģeli stāvam uz ceļa ar atvēztu zobenu rokā. Un viņš palocījās un nometās uz sava vaiga. 32 Un Tā Kunga eņģelis viņam sacīja: "Kāpēc tu savu ēzeļu māti esi tā trīs reizes sitis? Redzi, es tev nostājos par pretinieku, lai tevi atturētu, jo tavs ceļš ir ļauns un pret manu gribu. 33 Bet pat ēzeļu māte mani bija ieraudzījusi, un tā trīs reizes ir šeit no manis nost virzījusies, un, ja viņa nebūtu varējusi nost novirzīties, tad es tiešām tevi būtu nositis un viņu būtu atstājis dzīvu." 34 Tad Bileāms sacīja Tā Kunga eņģelim: "Es esmu grēkojis, jo es nezināju, ka tu esi pret mani nostājies uz ceļa, bet, ja tas tavās acīs ir nepatīkami, tad es griezīšos atpakaļ!" 35 Tad Tā Kunga eņģelis sacīja Bileāmam: "Ej līdzi tiem vīriem, tikai runā to, ko es tev teikšu." Un Bileāms gāja Balaka vadoņiem līdzi. 36 Kad Balaks dzirdēja, ka Bileāms nāk, tad tas izgāja viņam pretim uz Moāba pilsētu pie Arnonas robežām pašā robežu stūrī. 37 Un Balaks sacīja Bileāmam: "Vai gan es neesmu sūtīdams sūtījis vīrus pie tevis, lai tevi aicinātu? Kāpēc tu tūdaļ nenāci pie manis? Vai tad es patiesi neprastu tevi godināt?" 38 Un Bileāms sacīja Balakam: "Redzi, es esmu pie tevis atnācis, bet vai es kaut ko varu runāt, kā vien tos vārdus, ko Tas Kungs liks manā mutē? To es tikai runāšu." 39 Un Bileāms gāja kopā ar Balaku, un tie nonāca Kirjat-Hucotā. 40 Un Balaks upurēja kaujamam upurim liellopus un sīklopus, un tas sūtīja arī Bileāmam un vadoņiem, kas bija pie viņa. 41 Un nākamā rītā Balaks ņēma Bileāmu un uzveda viņu Baala augstienēs un no turienes tam rādīja nometnes vienu galu.
