Numbers 22:1-20

New Catholic Bible

Chapter 22^[a]

^1 [b]Then the people of Israel traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.

Balak Summons Balaam. ² Now Balak, the son of Zippor, had seen everything that Israel had done to the Amorites, ³ and Moab was terrified because there were so many people, and Moab was filled with dread of the people of Israel. ⁴ Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This mob will lick up everything around us just like an ox licks up grass in the pasture.”

Balak, the son of Zippor, was the king of the Moabites at this time. ⁵ He sent messengers to Pethor which is near the river^[c] in his native land, to Balaam, the son of Beor, to summon him. He said, “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt and they cover the surface of the earth. They are now living opposite me. ⁶ Please come now and curse this people for me for they are too powerful for me. Maybe then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. I know well that whomever you bless is blessed, and whomever you curse is cursed.”

⁷ The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian left, carrying the fee for the divination in their hands. They came to Balaam, and they told him what Balak had said. ⁸ He said to them, “Spend the night here, and I will bring you the answer the Lord gives me.” So the leaders of Moab stayed with Balaam. ⁹ God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” ¹⁰ Balaam said to God, “Balak, the son of Zippor, the king of Moab, sent for me, saying, ¹¹ ‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt who now covers the face of the earth. Now come and curse them for me. Perhaps I will be able to defeat them and drive them away.’ ” ¹² But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. Do not curse the people, for they are blessed.”^[d]

¹³ The next morning Balaam arose and said to Balak’s representatives, “Go back to your country, for the Lord refuses to allow me to go with you.”

¹⁴ The leaders of Moab returned and said to Balak, “Balaam refused to come with us.” ¹⁵ So Balak sent some more leaders, even more distinguished than the others. ¹⁶ They came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak, the son of Zippor: ‘Please, let nothing keep you from coming to me ¹⁷ for I will honor you greatly, and I will do whatever you ask of me. Please come and curse this people.’ ” ¹⁸ Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak: “If Balak were to grant me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, small or great, contrary to the word of the Lord, my God. ¹⁹ But now, please stay here this night as well, so that I may know what the Lord says to me.” ²⁰ God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If these men have come to summon you, rise up and go with them, but do only what I tell you.”