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Balaam's Donkey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZJrQI1hLZo The Inclusive Bible 22 Then the Israelites moved on to the plains of Moab and set up camp along the Jordan opposite Jericho. Balak ben-Zippor saw all that Israel did to the Amorites. And Moab was terrified by the number of them; they dreaded the Israelites. 4The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “Look, this horde will soon eat up everything around us, just as the ox eats up all the new grass in the meadow!” So Balak ben-Zippor, then the ruler of Moab, sent a delegation to the prophet Balaam ben-Beor, who lived in Pethor, close to the Euphrates in the land of the Ammon. They said, “A horde of people has come out of Egypt and settled next to me! Please come and put a curse on these people before they become too powerful for me. I hope to defeat them and drive them out of the country. For I know that those whom you bless stay blessed, and those whom you curse stay cursed.” 7The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them payment for the cursing. When they came to Balaam, they delivered Balak’s message. 8 Spend the night,” Balaam said to them, “and iwill give you the message of Yhwh God in the morning. “So the elders of Moab stayed the night. 9That night God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these people visiting you?” 10Balaam told God, “Balak, ben-Zippor, ruler of Moab, sent me this message: “People that just came out of Egypt cover the face of the land. Come and put a curse on them for me! Then I might be able to engage them in battle and drive them away.’” 1 12But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them! And you must not put a curse on them, for they are blessed!” 13 Balaam awoke at dawn and told Balak’s delegation, “Return to your own country. Yhwh God has refused to let me go with you.” 14So the Moabite delegation returned to Balak and said, “ Balaam refused to come with us!” 15Then Balak sent another delegation, more numerous—and more distinguished—than the first. They came to Balaam with the message, “This is what Balak, ben-Zippor, says: ‘Do not let anything stand in the way of your coming to me, for I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Just please come and put a curse on these people.’” 18“Not even if Balak gave me a palace filled with silver and gold,” Balaam replied. “No, no, of course I couldn’t do anything great or small to disobey the command of Yhwh, my God. But perhaps—at least stay here the night as the others did, and I will find out what more God will tell me.” 20That night God came to Balaam and said, “Because this delegation came to summon you, go with them—but do only what I tell you to do!” 21The next morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and left with the delegation for Moab. 22But God was very angry because Balaam was going, and God’s angel stood in the middle of the road to bar the way. Balaam was riding on the donkey, with two assistants accompanying him, one on either side. When the donkey saw the angel of Yhwh standing in the road holding a sword, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam started beating the donkey to get her to go back onto the road. 2 24But the angel of God stood on that narrow path, which was between two vineyards, with walls on each side. When the donkey saw the angel of God, she pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So Balaam 32beat the donkey again. 26Then the angel of God moved on ahead and stood in a place narrower yet, where there was no room to turn right or left. When the donkey saw the angel of God, she lay down under Balaam. This enraged Balaam, and he started beating the donkey severely. Then God opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have i done to you, to make you beat me three times?” 29Balaam answered the donkey, “You made a fool out of me! Why, if i had a sword in my hand, I would kill you this instant!” 30But she said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden to this very day? Have i ever acted this way before?” “No,” Balaam replied. 31Then Yhwh God opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of God standing in the road with a drawn sword. and Balaam bowed low and prostrated himself before the angel. The angel of God asked, “Why did you beat your donkey three times? I came here to bar your way, for your path is a reckless one before me! Three times your donkey saw me, and three times she turned away. In fact, if she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now— though I would have spared her!” 34Balaam said to the angel of God, “I have sinned. I didn’t realize it was you standing in the road to confront me. But if you so desire, I will turn back.” 3 35God’s angel said to Balaam, “Go with the delegation, but say only what i tell you.” So Balaam traveled with Balak’s delegation. 36When Balak learned that Balaam was coming, the ruler went out to meet him at the Ar-Moab near the Arnon, on the frontier. Balak said to Balaam, “Didn’t i send delegations to you time and time again? Why didn’t you come? Did you think I could not honor you with enough money? 38Balaam replied, “Well, now I am here. But are you presuming I have the power to say anything I like? I am only able to say what God tells me to say.” 39Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath-huzoth. Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep and sent portions to Balaam and to the delegation. The Message 23 Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and then prepare seven bulls and seven rams.” 2 Balak did it. Then Balaam and Balak sacrificed a bull and a ram on each of the altars. 3 Balaam instructed Balak: “Stand watch here beside your Whole-Burnt- Offering while I go off by myself. Maybe God will come and meet with me. Whatever God shows or tells me, I’ll report to you.” Then he went off by himself. 4 God did meet with Balaam. Balaam said, “I’ve set up seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.” 5 Then God gave Balaam a message: “Return to Balak and give him this message.” 4 6-10 He went back and found him stationed beside his Whole-Burnt-Offering and with him all the nobles of Moab. Then Balaam spoke his message- oracle: Balak led me here from Aram, the king of Moab all the way from the eastern mountains. “Go, curse Jacob for me; go, damn Israel.” How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I damn whom God has not damned? From rock pinnacles I see them, from hilltops I survey them: Look! a people camping off by themselves, thinking themselves outsiders among nations. But who could ever count the dust of Jacob or take a census of cloud-of-dust Israel? I want to die like these right-living people! I want an end just like theirs! 11 Balak said to Balaam, “What’s this? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and all you’ve done is bless them.” 12 Balaam answered, “Don’t I have to be careful to say what God gives me to say?” 24 When Balaam realized that it pleased God to bless Israel, he did not resort to seeking God’s will as at other times, but simply looked out at the desert. Balaam raised his eyes and saw Israel encamped, tribe by tribe. then the Spirit of God came upon him and he spoke this prophecy: The prophecy of Balaam ben-Beor, the prophecy of one whose eyes are open, the prophecy of one who hears the word of God: I see what the Blessed One makes me see; God answers me, and opens my eyes. 5 How attractive are your tents, O Leah and Rachel and Jacob! How attractive are your dwellings, nation of Israel! They are like valleys that stretch afar; like gardens by the banks of rivers; like aloes planted by Yhwh, like cedars beside the waters! Water will flow from your buckets, and your descendants will live by running streams. Your ruler is greater than a gag; your ruler’s majesty is exalted. God brought you out of Egypt, and you have the strength of a wild ox. You devour hostile nations, crushing their bones, breaking their backs. You crouch and lie down like a lion, or like a lioness— who dares to rouse them? m ay those who bless you be blessed; may those who curse you be cursed!” 10Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam; beating his hands together, the ruler cried out, “I summoned you to curse my enemies! Three times you have insisted on blessing them! Leave! Go home! I said I would generously reward you, but the Almighty has kept you from being rewarded!” 12Balaam replied to Balak, “Didn’t I tell the delegation you sent me, ‘Even if Balak gave me a palace filled with silver and gold, I could not disobey God’s command by doing anything good or bad on my own? What God tells me to say, that is what I must say.’ So now I must return to my people; but allow me to give you some advice by telling you what this people will do to your people in days to come.” Numbers 22-24 For the full text 6 .
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