Numbers · Berean Standard Bible
Numbers 22 Berean Standard Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Then the Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan, across from Jericho.
1 The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.
2 Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,
2 Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
3 and Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous. Indeed, Moab dreaded the Israelites.
3 Moab was very afraid of the people, because they were many. Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
4 So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will devour everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Since Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time,
4 Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this multitude will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.
5 he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people. “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt,” said Balak. “They cover the face of the land and have settled next to me.
5 He sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, “Behold, there is a people who came out of Egypt. Behold, they cover the surface of the earth, and they are staying opposite me.
6 So please come now and put a curse on this people, because they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.”
6 Please come now therefore, and curse this people for me; for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall prevail, that we may strike them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”
7 The elders of Moab and Midian departed with the fees for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and relayed to him the words of Balak.
7 The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand. They came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.
8 “Spend the night here,” Balaam replied, “and I will give you the answer that the LORD speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
8 He said to them, “Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as Yahweh shall speak to me.” The princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9 Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
9 God came to Balaam, and said, “Who are these men with you?”
10 And Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:
10 Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has said to me,
11 ‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them away.’”
11 ‘Behold, the people that has come out of Egypt covers the surface of the earth. Now, come curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.’”
12 But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.”
12 God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”
13 So Balaam got up the next morning and said to Balak’s princes, “Go back to your homeland, because the LORD has refused to let me go with you.”
13 Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land; for Yahweh refuses to permit me to go with you.”
14 And the princes of Moab arose, returned to Balak, and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
14 The princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”
15 Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first messengers.
15 Balak again sent princes, more, and more honorable than they.
16 They came to Balaam and said, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me,
16 They came to Balaam, and said to him, “Balak the son of Zippor says, ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me,
17 for I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. So please come and put a curse on this people for me!’”
17 for I will promote you to very great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Please come therefore, and curse this people for me.’”
18 But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything small or great to go beyond the command of the LORD my God.
18 Balaam answered the servants of Balak, “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond the word of Yahweh my God, to do less or more.
19 So now, please stay here overnight as the others did, that I may find out what else the LORD has to tell me.”
19 Now therefore please stay here tonight as well, that I may know what else Yahweh will speak to me.”
20 That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you.”
20 God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak to you, that you shall do.”
21 So in the morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
21 Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
22 Then God’s anger was kindled because Balaam was going along, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
22 God’s anger burned because he went; and Yahweh’s angel placed himself in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the path and went into a field. So Balaam beat her to return her to the path.
23 The donkey saw Yahweh’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned out of the path, and went into the field. Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the path.
24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow passage between two vineyards, with walls on either side.
24 Then Yahweh’s angel stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
25 And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD and pressed herself against the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat her once again.
25 The donkey saw Yahweh’s angel, and she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. He struck her again.
26 And the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn to the right or left.
26 Yahweh’s angel went further, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he became furious and beat her with his staff.
27 The donkey saw Yahweh’s angel, and she lay down under Balaam. Balaam’s anger burned, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
28 Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”
28 Yahweh opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”
29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!”
29 Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have mocked me, I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would have killed you.”
30 But the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not the donkey you have ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” “No,” he replied.
30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long until today? Was I ever in the habit of doing so to you?” He said, “No.”
31 Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. And Balaam bowed low and fell facedown.
31 Then Yahweh opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw Yahweh’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.
32 The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you, because your way is perverse before me.
32 Yahweh’s angel said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary, because your way is perverse before me.
33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, then by now I would surely have killed you and let her live.”
33 The donkey saw me, and turned away before me these three times. Unless she had turned away from me, surely now I would have killed you, and saved her alive.”
34 “I have sinned,” Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “for I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me. And now, if this is displeasing in your sight, I will go back home.”
34 Balaam said to Yahweh’s angel, “I have sinned; for I didn’t know that you stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases you, I will go back again.”
35 But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you are to speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
35 Yahweh’s angel said to Balaam, “Go with the men; but you shall only speak the word that I shall speak to you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite city on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.
36 When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.
37 And he said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not able to richly reward you?”
37 Balak said to Balaam, “Didn’t I earnestly send for you to summon you? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?”
38 “See, I have come to you,” Balaam replied, “but can I say just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.”
38 Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you. Have I now any power at all to speak anything? I will speak the word that God puts in my mouth.”
39 So Balaam accompanied Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.
39 Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth.
40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he gave portions to Balaam and the princes who were with him.
40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him.
41 The next morning, Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see the outskirts of the camp of the people.
41 In the morning, Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw from there part of the people.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Balaam
The son of Beor from Pethor, hired by Balak to curse Israel, who could only bless Israel after the angel of the LORD stopped his donkey, and who was later killed by the sword…
Cited in the guide: Numbers 22:5; Numbers 22:12; Numbers 24:3
Balak
The son of Zippor and king of Moab, who feared Israel and hired Balaam to curse them, but each oracle from the high places turned into a blessing.
Cited in the guide: Numbers 22:2; Numbers 22:4; Numbers 23:2
Beor
The father of the diviner Balaam, whose home was Pethor by the Euphrates.
Cited in the guide: Numbers 22:5; Numbers 24:3; Deuteronomy 23:4
Zippor
The father of Balak, king of Moab.
Cited in the guide: Numbers 22:2; Numbers 22:4; Joshua 24:9
Cross references (36)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Numbers 33:48–50; Numbers 32:19; Joshua 3:16; Numbers 21:20; Deuteronomy 34:1
- 2 Judges 11:25; Numbers 21:20–35; Numbers 21:3
- 3 Exodus 15:15; Isaiah 23:5; Joshua 9:24; Joshua 2:10–11; Deuteronomy 2:25
- 4 Numbers 25:15–18; Numbers 31:8; Jeremiah 48:38; Numbers 22:2; Joshua 13:21–22
- 5 Deuteronomy 23:4; Micah 6:5; Joshua 24:9; Jude 11; Numbers 23:7
- 6 Numbers 24:9; Numbers 23:7–8; 1 Kings 22:13; 1 Samuel 17:43; Genesis 12:3
- 7 Micah 3:11; 1 Samuel 9:7–8; 2 Peter 2:15; Isaiah 56:11; 1 Timothy 6:9–10
- 8 Numbers 23:12; Numbers 22:19–20; Jeremiah 12:2; Numbers 12:6; Ezekiel 33:31
- 9 Genesis 20:3; Numbers 22:20; Genesis 3:9–11; Daniel 4:31–32; Exodus 4:2
- 12 Deuteronomy 23:5; Ephesians 1:3; Romans 11:29; Numbers 23:19–20; Genesis 12:2
- 13 Numbers 22:14; Deuteronomy 23:5
- 14 Numbers 22:13; Numbers 22:37
- 15 Acts 10:7–8; Numbers 22:7–8
- 17 Numbers 24:11; Matthew 4:8–9; Numbers 23:2–3; Esther 7:9; Deuteronomy 16:9
- 18 Numbers 24:13; 2 Chronicles 18:13; 1 Kings 22:14; Numbers 23:26; Numbers 22:38
- 19 Jude 11; 2 Peter 2:15; 2 Peter 2:3; 1 Timothy 6:9–10; Numbers 22:7–8
- 20 Numbers 24:13; Numbers 23:26; Numbers 23:12; Numbers 22:35; 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12
- 21 Proverbs 1:15–16
- 22 Lamentations 2:4; Numbers 22:32; Exodus 4:24; Exodus 23:20; Hosea 12:4–5
- 23 Jude 11; 2 Peter 2:16; 1 Corinthians 1:27–29; Jeremiah 8:7; Acts 22:9
- 25 Job 5:13–15; Isaiah 47:12
- 26 Hosea 2:6; Isaiah 26:11
- 27 Proverbs 14:16; James 1:19; Proverbs 27:3–4
- 28 2 Peter 2:16; Luke 1:37; Exodus 4:11; 1 Corinthians 1:19; Romans 8:22
- 29 Proverbs 12:10; Proverbs 12:16; Matthew 15:19; Ecclesiastes 9:3
- 30 2 Peter 2:16; 1 Corinthians 1:27–28
- 31 Genesis 21:19; Luke 24:31; Acts 26:18; Numbers 24:16; Numbers 24:4
- 32 Proverbs 28:18; Numbers 22:22; Acts 13:10; Proverbs 14:2; Proverbs 28:6
- 33 Numbers 16:33–35; Numbers 14:37; 1 Kings 13:24–28
- 34 1 Samuel 15:24; Job 34:31–32; 2 Samuel 12:13; 1 Samuel 15:30; 1 Samuel 26:21
- 35 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12; Isaiah 37:26–29; Psalm 81:12; Numbers 22:20–21
- 36 Acts 28:15; Jeremiah 48:20; Isaiah 16:2; Deuteronomy 2:24; Genesis 18:2
- 37 Numbers 24:11; John 5:44; Matthew 4:8–9; Psalm 75:6; Luke 4:6
- 38 Numbers 22:18; Proverbs 19:21; Numbers 23:26; Numbers 23:16; 1 Kings 22:14
- 40 Numbers 23:14; Proverbs 1:16; Genesis 31:54; Numbers 23:30; Numbers 23:2
- 41 Numbers 23:13; Numbers 25:2–3; Numbers 21:28; Deuteronomy 12:2; Jeremiah 48:35
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
"Thou shall not go with them, neither shalt thou curse the people." He does not hint at anything with regard to the people, for they all lay before his view, but [he refers] to the mystery of Christ pointed out beforehand.