(2) Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. (3) Moab was alarmed because that people was so numerous. Moab dreaded the Israelites, (4) and Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this horde will lick clean all that is about us as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time,

(5) sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor in Pethor, which is by the Euphrates, in the land of his kinsfolk, to invite him, saying, “There is a people that came out of Egypt; it hides the earth from view, and it is settled next to me. (6) Come then, put a curse upon this people for me, since they are too numerous for me; perhaps I can thus defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whomever you bless is blessed indeed, and whomever you curse is cursed.” (7) The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian, versed in divination, set out. They came to Balaam and gave him Balak’s message.

(8) He said to them, “Spend the night here, and I shall reply to you as יהוה may instruct me.” So the Moabite dignitaries stayed with Balaam. (9) God came to Balaam and said, “What do these men want of you?” (10) Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: (11) Here is a people that came out from Egypt and hides the earth from view. Come now and curse them for me; perhaps I can engage them in battle and drive them off.” (12) But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not curse that people, for they are blessed.”

(13) Balaam arose in the morning and said to Balak’s dignitaries, “Go back to your own country, for יהוה will not let me go with you.” (14) The Moabite dignitaries left, and they came to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.” (15) Then Balak sent other dignitaries, more numerous and distinguished than the first. (16) They came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak son of Zippor: Please do not refuse to come to me. (17) I will reward you richly and I will do anything you ask of me. Only come and damn this people for me.” (18) Balaam replied to Balak’s officials, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, big or little, contrary to the command of my God יהוה. (19) So you, too, stay here overnight, and let me find out what else יהוה may say to me.” (20) That night God came to Balaam and said to him, “If the agents have come to invite you, you may go with them. But whatever I command you, that you shall do.”

(21) When he arose in the morning, Balaam saddled his ass and departed with the Moabite dignitaries. (22) But God was incensed at his going; so a messenger of יהוה took a position in his way as an adversary. He was riding on his she-ass, with his two servants alongside, (23) when the ass caught sight of the messenger of יהוה standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. The ass swerved from the road and went into the fields; and Balaam beat the ass to turn her back onto the road. (24) The messenger of יהוה then stationed himself in a lane between the vineyards, with a fence on either side. (25) The ass, seeing the messenger of יהוה, pressed herself against the wall and squeezed Balaam’s foot against the wall; so he beat her again. (26) Once more the messenger of יהוה moved forward and stationed himself on a spot so narrow that there was no room to swerve right or left. (27) When the ass now saw the messenger of יהוה, she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam was furious and beat the ass with his stick.

(28) Then יהוה opened the ass’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?” (29) Balaam said to the ass, “You have made a mockery of me! If I had a sword with me, I’d kill you.” (30) The ass said to Balaam, “Look, I am the ass that you have been riding all along until this day! Have I been in the habit of doing thus to you?” And he answered, “No.”

(31) Then יהוה uncovered Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the messenger of יהוה standing in the way, his drawn sword in his hand; thereupon he bowed right down to the ground. (32) The messenger of יהוה said to him, “Why have you beaten your ass these three times? It is I who came out as an adversary, for the errand is obnoxious to me. (33) And when the ass saw me, she shied away because of me those three times. If she had not shied away from me, you are the one I should have killed, while sparing her.” (34) Balaam said to the messenger of יהוה, “I erred because I did not know that you were standing in my way. If you still disapprove, I will turn back.” (35) But the messenger of יהוה said to Balaam, “Go with the men. But you must say nothing except what I tell you.” So Balaam went on with Balak’s dignitaries. (36) When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at Ir-moab, which is on the Arnon border, at its farthest point. (37) Balak said to Balaam, “When I first sent to invite you, why didn’t you come to me? Am I really unable to reward you?” (38) But Balaam said to Balak, “And now that I have come to you, have I the power to speak freely? I can utter only the word that God puts into my mouth.”

(36) When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at Ir-moab, which is on the Arnon border, at its farthest point. (37) Balak said to Balaam, “When I first sent to invite you, why didn’t you come to me? Am I really unable to reward you?” (38) But Balaam said to Balak, “And now that I have come to you, have I the power to speak freely? I can utter only the word that God puts into my mouth.”

(6) The remnant of Jacob shall be,In the midst of the many peoples,Like dew from GOD,Like droplets on grass—Which do not look to anybodyNor place their hope in mortals. (7) The remnant of JacobShall be among the nations,In the midst of the many peoples,Like a lion among beasts of the wild,Like a fierce lion among flocks of sheep,Which tramples wherever it goesAnd rends, with none to deliver. (8) Your hand shall prevail over your foes,And all your enemies shall be cut down! (9) In that day—declares GOD—I will destroy the horses in your midstAnd wreck your chariots. (10) I will destroy the cities of your landAnd demolish all your fortresses. (11) I will destroy the sorcery you practice,And you shall have no more soothsayers. (12) I will destroy your idolsAnd the sacred pillars in your midst;And no more shall you bow downTo the work of your hands. (13) I will tear down the sacred posts in your midstAnd destroy your cities. (14) In anger and wrathWill I wreak retributionOn the nations that have not obeyed. (1) Hear what GOD is saying:Come, present [My] case before the mountains,And let the hills hear you pleading. (2) Hear, you mountains, GOD’s case— You firm foundations of the earth!For GOD has a case against this covenanted people—A suit against Israel. (3) “My people!What wrong have I done you?What hardship have I caused you?Testify against Me. (4) In fact,I brought you up from the land of Egypt,I redeemed you from the house of bondage,And I sent before youMoses, Aaron, and Miriam. (5) “My people,Remember what Balak king of MoabPlotted against you,And how Balaam son of BeorResponded to him.[Recall your passage]From Shittim to Gilgal—And you will recognizeGOD’s gracious acts.” (6) With what shall I approach GOD,Do homage to God on high?Shall I approach with burnt offerings,With calves a year old? (7) Would GOD be pleased with thousands of rams,With myriads of streams of oil?Shall I give my first-born for my transgression,The fruit of my body for my sins? (8) “You have been told, O mortal, what is good,And what GOD requires of you:Only to do justiceAnd to love goodness,And to walk modestly with your God;

(1) And you, O Bethlehem of Ephrath, Least among the clans of Judah,From you one shall come forthTo rule Israel for Me—One whose origin is from of old,From ancient times. (2) Truly, [God] will leave them [helpless]Until she who is to bear has borne; Then the rest of his kindredShall return to the children of Israel. (3) He shall stand and shepherdBy the might of GOD,By the power of the nameOf the ETERNAL his God,And they shall dwell [secure].For lo, he shall wax greatTo the ends of the earth; (4) And that shall afford safety.Should Assyria invade our landAnd tread upon our fortresses, We will set up over that nation seven shepherds,Eight princes of other nations, (5) Who will shepherd Assyria’s land with swords,The land of Nimrod in its gates. Thus he will deliver [us]From Assyria, should it invade our land,And should it trample our country. (6) The remnant of Jacob shall be,In the midst of the many peoples,Like dew from GOD,Like droplets on grass—Which do not look to anybodyNor place their hope in mortals. (7) The remnant of JacobShall be among the nations,In the midst of the many peoples,Like a lion among beasts of the wild,Like a fierce lion among flocks of sheep,Which tramples wherever it goesAnd rends, with none to deliver. (8) Your hand shall prevail over your foes,And all your enemies shall be cut down!