Numbers 21–22

1When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked Israel and captured some prisoners.

2So Israel made a vow to the LORD: “If You will deliver this people into our hands, we will devote their cities to destruction.”

3And the LORD heard Israel’s plea and delivered up the Canaanites. Israel devoted them and their cities to destruction; so they named the place Hormah.

4Then they set out from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, in order to bypass the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient on the journey

5and spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you led us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!”

6So the LORD sent venomous snakes among the people, and many of the Israelites were bitten and died.

7Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Intercede with the LORD so He will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses interceded for the people.

8Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.”

9So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. If anyone who was bitten looked at the bronze snake, he would live.

10Then the Israelites set out and camped at Oboth.

11They journeyed from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim in the wilderness opposite Moab to the east.

12From there they set out and camped in the Valley of Zered.

13From there they moved on and camped on the other side of the Arnon, in the wilderness that extends into the Amorite territory. Now the Arnon is the border between the Moabites and the Amorites.

14Therefore it is stated in the Book of the Wars of the LORD: “Waheb in Suphah and the wadis of the Arnon,

15even the slopes of the wadis that extend to the site of Ar and lie along the border of Moab.”

16From there they went on to Beer, the well where the LORD said to Moses, “Gather the people so that I may give them water.”

17Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, O well, all of you sing to it!

18The princes dug the well; the nobles of the people hollowed it out with their scepters and with their staffs.” From the wilderness the Israelites went on to Mattanah,

19and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth,

20and from Bamoth to the valley in Moab where the top of Pisgah overlooks the wasteland.

21Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,

22“Let us pass through your land. We will not turn aside into any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will stay on the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.”

23But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. Instead, he gathered his whole army and went out to confront Israel in the wilderness. When he came to Jahaz, he fought against Israel.

24And Israel put him to the sword and took possession of his land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok—but only up to the border of the Ammonites, because it was fortified.

25Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites and occupied them, including Heshbon and all its villages.

26Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and taken all his land as far as the Arnon.

27That is why the poets say: “Come to Heshbon, let it be rebuilt; let the city of Sihon be restored.

28For a fire went out from Heshbon, a blaze from the city of Sihon. It consumed Ar of Moab, the rulers of Arnon’s heights.

29Woe to you, O Moab! You are destroyed, O people of Chemosh! He gave up his sons as refugees, and his daughters into captivity to Sihon king of the Amorites.

30But we have overthrown them; Heshbon is destroyed as far as Dibon. We demolished them as far as Nophah, which reaches to Medeba.”

31So Israel lived in the land of the Amorites.

32After Moses had sent spies to Jazer, Israel captured its villages and drove out the Amorites who were there.

33Then they turned and went up the road to Bashan, and Og king of Bashan and his whole army came out to meet them in battle at Edrei.

34But the LORD said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand, along with all his people and his land. Do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.”

35So they struck down Og, along with his sons and his whole army, until no remnant was left. And they took possession of his land.

1Then the Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan, across from Jericho.

2Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,

3and Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous. Indeed, Moab dreaded the Israelites.

4So 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,

5he sent messengers to summon 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.

6So 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.”

7The 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.

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.

9Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”

10And Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:

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.’”

12But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.”

13So 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.”

14And the princes of Moab arose, returned to Balak, and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

15Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first messengers.

16They came to Balaam and said, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me,

17for I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. So please come and put a curse on this people for me!’”

18But 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.

19So now, please stay here overnight as the others did, that I may find out what else the LORD has to tell me.”

20That 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.”

21So in the morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

22Then 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.

23When 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.

24Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow passage between two vineyards, with walls on either side.

25And 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.

26And 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.

27When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he became furious and beat her with his staff.

28Then 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?”

29Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!”

30But 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.

31Then 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.

32The 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.

33The 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.”

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.”

35But 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.

36When 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.

37And 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 reward you richly?”

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.”

39So Balaam accompanied Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.

40Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he gave portions to Balaam and the princes who were with him.

41The 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.