1Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho. 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. 4The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” 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: “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.” 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. 8“Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I will report back to you with the answer the Lord gives me.” So the Moabite officials stayed with him. 9God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?” 10Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: 11‘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.’ ” 12But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.” 13The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your own country, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.” 14So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.” 15Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. 16They came to Balaam and said: “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.” 18But Balaam answered them, “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.” 20That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”
Balaam’s Donkey
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. 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’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again. 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’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?” 29Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.” 30The donkey said to Balaam, “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?” “No,” he said. 31Then the Lord opened Balaam’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. 32The angel of the Lord asked him, “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.⚓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.” 34Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “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.” 35The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials. 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, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?” 38“Well, I have come to you now,” Balaam replied. “But I can’t say whatever I please. I must speak only what God puts in my mouth.” 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.
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Npalaj Tso Neeg mus hu Npala-as
1Cov Yixalayees tsuam yeej so rau hauv lub tiaj Mau-am ntawm tug Dej Yauladees sab hnubtuaj ncaj lub nroog Yelikaus. 2Thaum Xinpaules tus tub Npalaj uas yog cov Mau-am tus vajntxwv, hnov tej uas cov Yixalayees tau ua rau cov Amaules, thiab cov Yixalayees muaj coob npaum li cas, 3thiaj ua rau nws thiab tagnrho nws cov neeg ntshai heev. 4Cov Mau-am hais rau cov Midias tej thawjcoj hais tias, “Tsis ntev no pab neeg ntawd yuav ua rau txhua tsav yam uas nyob ibncig peb kom puastsuaj tas ib yam li nyuj noj tej nyom hauv tshav zaub ntag.” Yog li ntawd, Vajntxwv Npalaj 5thiaj tso neeg mus hais rau Npe-aus tus tub Npala-as hauv lub nroog Npethaus uas nyob ze tus Dej Efalates hauv tebchaws Amavis. Lawv coj Npalaj tej lus mus hais rau nws li no: “Kuv xav kom koj paub haivneeg uas khiav nram tebchaws Iziv los, lawv sib faib mus nyob txhua nrho qhov txhia chaw lawm, nyob tsam lawv cia li los txeeb peb lub tebchaws nyob thiab. 6Cov neeg ntawd muaj coob tshaj peb lawm, koj cia li tuaj pab kuv foom tsis zoo rau lawv. Tej zaum peb yuav tua yeej lawv thiab raws tau lawv tawm hauv lub tebchaws no mus. Kuv paub hais tias thaum koj foom koob hmoov, cov neeg yeej tau txais koob hmoov thiab thaum koj foom tsis zoo, lawv yeej raug kev txomnyem.” 7Cov Mau-am thiab cov Midias tej thawjcoj txawm muab nyiaj tuaj them tej lus foom tsis zoo ntawd, thiab mus cuag Npala-as, lawv piav Npalaj tej lus rau Npala-as mloog. 8Npala-as hais tias, “Nej cia li pw ib hmos ntawm no tso, tagkis kuv mam li qhia rau nej paub tej uas tus TSWV hais rau kuv.” Yog li ntawd cov Mau-am tej thawjcoj thiaj nrog Npala-as nyob tau ib hmos. 9Vajtswv los nug Npala-as hais tias, “Cov neeg uas tuaj so hauv koj tsev, lawv yog leejtwg?” 10Npala-as teb hais tias, “Vajntxwv Npalaj uas kav tebchaws Mau-am tso cov neeg no tuaj qhia rau kuv 11txog cov neeg uas los nram tebchaws Iziv los. Lawv twb mus nyob txhua nrho qhov txhia chaw hauv tebchaws no lawm. Mas nws xav kom kuv pab nws foom tsis zoo rau lawv, nws thiaj muaj peevxwm tua yeej thiab raws tau lawv khiav tawm mus.” 12Vajtswv hais rau Npala-as hais tias, “Koj tsis txhob nrog cov neeg no mus, thiab tsis txhob foom tsis zoo rau cov Yixalayees ib lo li, rau qhov lawv yog cov uas kuv twb foom koob hmoov rau lawm.” 13Tagkis sawv ntxov Npala-as thiaj mus cuag cov neeg uas Npalaj txib tuaj thiab hais rau lawv hais tias, “Nej cia li rov qab mus tsev; rau qhov tus TSWV tsis pub kuv nrog nej mus.” 14Lawv txawm rov los cuag Npalaj thiab piav qhia rau nws hais tias, “Npala-as tsis kam nrog peb tuaj.” 15Ces Npalaj txib ntau tus thawjcoj uas muaj meejmom tshaj cov uas xub mus lawm rov mus dua. 16Lawv mus cuag Npala-as thiab muab Npalaj tej lus hais rau Npala-as hais tias: “Koj tsis txhob yig, koj cia li tuaj raws li kuv thov koj! 17Kuv yuav muab nqi zog rau koj kom koj npluanuj thiab kuv yuav ua txhua yam raws li koj hais. Thov koj cia li tuaj pab kuv foom tsis zoo rau cov neeg ntawd.” 18Tiamsis Npala-as teb hais tias, “Txawm yog Npalaj muab tagnrho tej nyiaj thiab kub hauv nws lub loog rau kuv los kuv yuav tsis kam hla tus TSWV uas yog kuv tus Vajtswv ib lo lus li. 19Nej cia li so ntawm no ib hmos ib yam li pab uas tuaj cuag kuv thawj zaug, tos saib tus TSWV puas yuav muaj dua lwm lo lus qhia rau kuv.” 20Hmo ntawd Vajtswv los hais rau Npala-as hais tias, “Yog cov neeg no thov kom koj nrog lawv mus, koj cia li npaj nrog lawv mus, tiamsis koj nco ntsoov ua raws li tej uas kuv hais rau koj xwb.” 21Yog li ntawd, tagkis kaj ntug Npala-as thiaj tu nra muab eeb nog rau saum tus neesluav nraubqaum thiab nrog cov Mau-am tej thawjcoj mus lawm.
Npala-as Tus Neesluav
22Thaum uas Npala-as sawv kev mus ntawd, Vajtswv chim heev, ces thaum Npala-as tabtom caij nws tus neesluav taug kev mus, thiab coj nws ob tug tubtxib ua nws luag mus, tus TSWV ib tug timtswv txawm los sawv hauv plawv kev thaiv Npala-as kev. 23Thaum tus neesluav pom dheev tus timtswv ceebtsheej sawv nres nroos hauv plawv kev thiab tuav rawv ib rab ntaj, tus neesluav txawm lem loo khiav mus rau nram nras liaj. Npala-as nplawm tus neesluav kom rov los taug kev. 24Ces tus timtswv txawm mus sawv hauv txojkev uas nyob ntawm lub vaj txiv hmab uas muaj ob daim txiag zeb thaiv ob sab ntug kev. 25Thaum tus neesluav pom dheev tus timtswv ntawd, tus neesluav phoom yos mus tsoo tim daim txiag zeb muab Npala-as txhais taw nias kiag rau ntawm daim txiag zeb. Npala-as thiaj rov nplawm tus neesluav ib zaug ntxiv. 26Tus timtswv rov mus thaiv tom hauv ntej ib zaug ntxiv; nws mus sawv ntawm ntu kev uas ti heev tsis muaj kev lug mus rau sab twg li. 27Zaum no, thaum tus neesluav pom dheev tus timtswv ceebtsheej, tus neesluav thiaj txhos caug ntua rau hauv av. Npala-as npautaws heev thiab nws muab nws tus pas nrig nplawm tus neesluav. 28Ces Tus TSWV ua rau tus neesluav txawj hais lus, tus neesluav thiaj hais rau Npala-as hais tias, “Kuv ua txhaum koj dabtsi? Vim li cas koj thiaj ntaus kuv peb zaug li no?” 29Npala-as teb hais tias, “Rau qhov koj txhob txwm ua limhiam rau kuv! Yog kuv muaj ntaj, ces kuv twb muab koj tua povtseg lawm.” 30Tus neesluav teb hais tias, “Kuv tsis yog tus neesluav uas koj ibtxwm caij los lawm los? Yav tas los kuv puas tau ua li no rau koj?” Npala-as teb hais tias, “Koj yeej tsis tau ua li no rau kuv ib zaug li!” 31Tamsim ntawd tus TSWV ua rau Npala-as pom tus timtswv ceebtsheej tuav rawv ib rab ntaj sawv ntawd, Npala-as nyo ntshis pe ua nws lub ntsejmuag ti nkaus hauv av. 32Tus timtswv ceebtsheej nug hais tias, “Vim li cas koj thiaj ntaus koj tus neesluav peb zaug li no? Kuv los no yog kuv los thaiv koj kev ntag, rau qhov koj tsis tsimnyog taug txojkev no mus. 33Tiamsis tus neesluav pom kuv thiab nws lem lug kev peb zaug. Yog nws tsis ua li ntawd, kuv twb muab koj tua thiab tso tus neesluav mus lawm.” 34Npala-as hais tias, “Kuv ua txhaum lawm. Kuv tsis paub hais tias yog koj thaiv kuv kev tsis pub kuv mus; tiamsis yog koj xav hais tias qhov uas kuv mus no txhaum lawm, kuv yuav rov qab mus tsev.” 35Tus timtswv ceebtsheej teb hais tias, “Koj cia li nrog cov neeg no mus, tiamsis koj yuav tsum hais tej lus uas kuv kom koj hais xwb.” Yog li ntawd, Npala-as thiaj nrog lawv mus lawm.
Npalaj Tuaj Tos Npala-as
36Thaum Npalaj hnov hais tias Npala-as tuaj lawm, Npalaj thiaj mus tos Npala-as pem lub nroog Ales uas nyob ntawm ntug Dej Alenoos uas ze ciamteb Mau-am. 37Npalaj nug Npala-as hais tias, “Ua cas thawj zaug uas kuv tso neeg tuaj hu koj, koj tsis kam tuaj? Koj xav hais tias, nyob tsam kuv tsis muab nqi zog txaus rau koj no los?” 38Npala-as teb hais tias, “Kuv twb tuaj txog lawm ne? Tiamsis, tamsim no kuv muaj hwjchim ua tau dabtsi? Kuv tsuas muaj cuabkav hais tau li Vajtswv kom kuv hais xwb.” 39Npala-as nrog Npalaj mus tom lub nroog Huxaus, 40Npalaj muab nyuj muab yaj los tua thiab muab nqaij rau Npala-as thiab cov nomtswv uas nrog nws nyob ua ke ntawd noj.