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The Listener’s Bible®: NIV Edition

New International Version™  (Anglicised), Audio Edition

Holy Bible, New International Version™ (Anglicised), South Asian Audio Edition

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkNUM">
 <div class="chapter ch22" data-usfm="NUM.22">
 <div class="label">22</div><div class="s1">Balak Summons Balaam</div><div class="p"> 1Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.</div><div class="p"> 2Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, 3and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites.</div><div class="p"> 4The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, &#8220;This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.&#8221;</div><div class="p">So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, 5sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River, in his native land. Balak said:</div><div class="pm">&#8220;A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. 6Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.</div><div class="p"> 8&#8220;Spend the night here,&#8221; Balaam said to them, &#8220;and I will report back to you with the answer the Lord gives me.&#8221; So the Moabite officials stayed with him.</div><div class="p"> 9God came to Balaam and asked, &#8220;Who are these men with you?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 10Balaam said to God, &#8220;Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: 11&#8216;A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 12But God said to Balaam, &#8220;Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak&#8217;s officials, &#8220;Go back to your own country, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 14So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, &#8220;Balaam refused to come with us.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. 16They came to Balaam and said:</div><div class="pm">&#8220;This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, 17because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 18But Balaam answered them, &#8220;Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God. 19Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the Lord will tell me.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 20That night God came to Balaam and said, &#8220;Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Balaam&#8217;s Donkey</div><div class="p"> 21Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. 22But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on 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, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road.</div><div class="p"> 24Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides. 25When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam&#8217;s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again.</div><div class="p"> 26Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. 27When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff. 28Then the Lord opened the donkey&#8217;s mouth, and it said to Balaam, &#8220;What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 29Balaam answered the donkey, &#8220;You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 30The donkey said to Balaam, &#8220;Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;No,&#8221; he said.</div><div class="p"> 31Then the Lord opened Balaam&#8217;s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.</div><div class="p"> 32The angel of the Lord asked him, &#8220;Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.#22:32 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain. 33The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 34Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, &#8220;I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 35The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, &#8220;Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.&#8221; So Balaam went with Balak&#8217;s officials.</div><div class="p"> 36When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory. 37Balak said to Balaam, &#8220;Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn&#8217;t you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 38&#8220;Well, I have come to you now,&#8221; Balaam replied. &#8220;But I can&#8217;t say whatever I please. I must speak only what God puts in my mouth.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 39Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth. 40Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and gave some to Balaam and the officials who were with him. 41The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp.</div>
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New International Version

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 <div class="book bkNUM">
 <div class="chapter ch23" data-usfm="NUM.23.1+NUM.23.2+NUM.23.3+NUM.23.4+NUM.23.5+NUM.23.6+NUM.23.7+NUM.23.8+NUM.23.9+NUM.23.10+NUM.23.11+NUM.23.12">
 <div class="p">1Balaam said, &#8220;Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.&#8221; 2Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.</div><div class="p"> 3Then Balaam said to Balak, &#8220;Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you.&#8221; Then he went off to a barren height.</div><div class="p"> 4God met with him, and Balaam said, &#8220;I have prepared seven altars, and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 5The Lord put a word in Balaam&#8217;s mouth and said, &#8220;Go back to Balak and give him this word.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 6So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the Moabite officials. 7Then Balaam spoke his message:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;Balak brought me from Aram,</div><div class="q2">the king of Moab from the eastern mountains.</div><div class="q1">&#8216;Come,&#8217; he said, &#8216;curse Jacob for me;</div><div class="q2">come, denounce Israel.&#8217;</div><div class="q1"> 8How can I curse</div><div class="q2">those whom God has not cursed?</div><div class="q1">How can I denounce</div><div class="q2">those whom the Lord has not denounced?</div><div class="q1"> 9From the rocky peaks I see them,</div><div class="q2">from the heights I view them.</div><div class="q1">I see a people who live apart</div><div class="q2">and do not consider themselves one of the nations.</div><div class="q1"> 10Who can count the dust of Jacob</div><div class="q2">or number even a fourth of Israel?</div><div class="q1">Let me die the death of the righteous,</div><div class="q2">and may my final end be like theirs!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 11Balak said to Balaam, &#8220;What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 12He answered, &#8220;Must I not speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?&#8221;</div>
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