1 Israel moved from there to the hills of Moab, where they camped across the Jordan River from the town of Jericho.
King Balak of Moab Hires Balaam To Curse Israel
2-3 When King Balak of Moab and his people heard how many Israelites there were and what they had done to the Amorites, he and the Moabites were terrified and panicked. 4 They said to the Midianite leaders, “That huge mob of Israelites will wipe out everything in sight, like a bull eating grass in a field.”
So King Balak 5 sent a message to Balaam son of Beor who lived among his relatives in the town of Pethor near the Euphrates River. It said:
I need your help. A large group of people has come here from Egypt and settled near my territory. 6 They are too powerful for us to defeat, so would you come and place a curse on them? Maybe then we can run them off. I know that anyone you bless will be successful, but anyone you curse will fail.
7 The leaders of Moab and Midian left and took along money to pay Balaam. When they got to his house, they gave him Balak's message.
8 “Spend the night here,” Balaam replied, “and tomorrow I will tell you the Lord's answer.” So the officials stayed at his house.
9 During the night, God asked Balaam, “Who are these people at your house?”
10 “They are messengers from King Balak of Moab,” Balaam answered. “He sent them 11 to ask me to go to Moab and put a curse on the people who have come there from Egypt. They have settled everywhere around him, and he wants to run them off.”
12 But God replied, “Don't go with Balak's messengers. I have blessed those people who have come from Egypt, so don't curse them.”
13 The next morning, Balaam said to Balak's officials, “Go on back home. The Lord says I cannot go with you.”
14 The officials left and told Balak that Balaam refused to come.
15 Then Balak sent a larger group of officials, who were even more important than the first ones. 16 They went to Balaam and told him that Balak had said, “Balaam, if you come to Moab, 17 I'll pay you very well and do whatever you ask. Just come and place a curse on these people.”
18 Balaam answered, “Even if Balak offered me a palace full of silver or gold, I wouldn't do anything to disobey the Lord my God. 19 You are welcome to spend the night here, just as the others did. I will find out if the Lord has something else to say about this.”
20 That night, God said, “Balaam, I'll let you go to Moab with Balak's messengers, but do only what I say.”
21 So Balaam got up the next morning and saddled his donkey, then left with the Moabite officials.
Balaam and His Donkey Meet an Angel
22 Balaam was riding his donkey to Moab, and two of his servants were with him. But God was angry that Balaam had gone, so one of the Lord's angels stood in the road to stop him. 23 When Balaam's donkey saw the angel standing there with a sword, it walked off the road and into an open field. Balaam had to beat the donkey to get it back on the road.
24 Then the angel stood between two vineyards, in a narrow path with a stone wall on each side. 25 When the donkey saw the angel, it walked so close to one of the walls that Balaam's foot scraped against the wall. Balaam beat the donkey again.
26 The angel moved once more and stood in a spot so narrow that there was no room for the donkey to go around. 27 So it just lay down. Balaam lost his temper, then picked up a stick and whacked the donkey.
28 When that happened, the Lord told the donkey to speak, and it asked Balaam, “What have I done that made you beat me three times?”
29 “You made me look stupid!” Balaam answered. “If I had a sword, I'd kill you here and now!”
30 “But you're my owner,” answered the donkey, “and you've ridden me many times. Have I ever done anything like this before?”
“No,” Balaam admitted.
31 Just then, the Lord let Balaam see the angel standing in the road, holding a sword, and Balaam bowed down.
32 The angel said, “You had no right to treat your donkey like that! I was the one who blocked your way, because I don't think you should go to Moab. 33 If your donkey had not seen me and stopped those three times, I would have killed you and let the donkey live.”
34 Balaam replied, “I was wrong. I didn't know you were trying to stop me. If you don't think I should go, I'll return home at once.”
35 “It's all right for you to go,” the Lord's angel answered. “But you must say only what I tell you.” So Balaam went on with Balak's officials.
King Balak Meets Balaam
36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went to meet him at the town of Ir on the Arnon River, which is the northern border of Moab. 37 Balak asked, “Why didn't you come when I invited you the first time? Did you think I wasn't going to pay you?”
38 “I'm here now,” Balaam answered. “But I will say only what God tells me to say.”
39 They left and went to the town of Kiriath-Huzoth, 40 where Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep and gave some of the meat to Balaam and the officials who were with him.
41 The next morning, Balak took Balaam to the town of Bamoth-Baal. From there, Balaam could see some of the Israelites.
Moab gao-aob ge Bileamma ra sî
1 Israelǁîn ge ǁîn ǃgûs ǀkha aiǃgû tsî Moabǂgāgu aiǂoasǀkhāb Jordanǃāb dib, Jerixos ǃoagu ge ǁgoe ib tawa sī hâǃkhaiba ge ǂnaumâi.
2 Moab di gao-aob, Sipori ôab Balaki ge tare-en ge Israelǁîna Amorǁîn ǀkha dī tsî mâtikō ǃgôab di Israelǁîn a ǃkhaisa ǁnâu, 3 on ge ǁîb tsî ǁîb khoen tsîn hoana kaise ge ǃao. 4 ǁNā-amagan ge Moabǁîna Midianǁîn di ǂgaeǂgui-aogu ǃoa ge mî: “Nē ǂnubis di khoen ge sada ǂnamipe hâ xūn hoana nî tsākhâi, ǁgōb ra ǃgarob di ǀgâna ǃûhāpu khami.” ǁNā-amagab ge gao-aob Balaka 5 ǁîb di sîsabegab ge Beori ôab, Bileammi, ǁnā ǁaeb ai ge Petors, Eufratǃāb ǀgūse ǁgoes, Amausǃhūb ǃnâ ge hâ ib ǁga sî tsî ǁîba ge mîmā kai: “Hoaraga ǁaes go Egipteba xu hāsats nî ǂansa ta ge ra ǂgao; ǁîn ge mâ ǀkhā-i hoa-i ai ǂapaǂoa tsî sida ǃhūban nî ǁkhâuǁnâ ǃkhais ǀkha ra ǃaoǃao da. 6 ǁÎn ge sida xa a ǂgui, ǁnā-amaga toxopa hā, î ǁîna ǀâxareba te. ǁNā ǀgaus ai da ge ǀnîsi, ǁîna dan tsî ǃhūba xu a sauruǂui ǁkhā. Tita ge a ǂan, ǀkhaebats ga gowaǂui, on ra khoena ǀkhaehe ǃkhaisa, tsî ǀâxarebats ga gowaǂui on ra khoena ǀâxarehe ǃkhaisa.”
7 ǁNāti gu ge Moabǁî tsî Midianǁî ǂgaeǂgui-aoga ǀâxareb di gowaǂuis ǃaroma mataresa ū tsî Bileammi ǁga ǃgû tsî Balaki ǂhôasa ǁîba sī ge mîba. 8 Bileammi ge ǁîgu ǃoa ge mî: “Nē tsuxuba nēpa ǁom, ǁari ta ǃKhūb ra mîba te xū-i hoa-e nî mîba go xuige.” O gu ge Moabǁî ǂgaeǂgui-aoga Bileammi tawa ge hâ.
9 Ob ge Eloba Bileamma ǂhai tsî ǁîba ge dî: “Tariga nē khoegu sa tawa hâga?”
10 Ob ge ǁîba Eloba ge ǃeream: “Moab di gao-aob Balaki, Sipori ôab ge ǁîga go sî, î gu tita hā mîba, 11 Egipteba xu ge hā khoen hoaraga ǃhūb ǃnâ ra ǂapaǂoa ǃkhaisa. ǁÎb ge tita ǁîna nî ǀâxare ǃkhaisa ra ǂgao, îb ǁîna ǃkhamdan tsî ǃhūba xu sauruǂui.”
12 Elob ge Bileammi ǃoa ge mî: “Tā ǁîgu ǀkha ǃgû, tsî tā Israelǁîna ǀâxare, ǁîn ǀkhaehe hâ xuige.”
13 Sao ra ǁgoagab ge Bileamma Balaki sîsabegu tawa sī tsî ǁîga ge mîba: “Sago ǃhūb ǁga ǁaru; ǃKhūb go tita sago ǀkha ǃgûsa ǂkhā xuige.” 14 ǁNāti gu ge ǁaru tsî Balaka sī ge mîba Bileammi ge ǁîga saosa ǂkhā ǃkhaisa.
15 Ob ge Balaka ǂgurob ge sî hâ i khoegu xa ǂgui tsî ǂhâǂhâsa ǃâsa gere ǀhuruga ǁkhawa ge sî. 16 ǁÎgu ge gao-aob Balaki di ǂhôasa Bileammi tawa sī-ū tsî nēti ge mî: “Tā i xū-i xare-e ǂhani tsi, tita tawa hāsa! 17 Tita ge ǂguiǃnâguse mādawa-am tsi tsî ǂgaots ra xū-i hoa-e nî dība tsi. Toxopa hā, îts nē khoena ǀâxareba te.”
18 Xaweb ge Bileamma ge ǃeream: “Balaki ga hoaraga ǀhaiǀurib tsî ǃhuniǀurib ǁîb di gao-ommi diba mā te, xawe ta ge ti ǃKhūb tsî ti Elob di mîmāsa ǁnâuǀnamoǃnâ tide, mâtikōse i ga xū-e ǂkhari tamas ka io kai xawes tsîna. 19 Xawe nau khoegu ge dī khami nē tsuxuba nēpa ǁom, î ta ǃKhūba xu ǁnâu, ǀnî xū-eb nî mîba te ǃkhaisa.”
20 ǁNā tsuxub ǃnâb ge ǃKhūba Bileamma ǂhai tsî ge mî: “Nē khoegu ga hā tsî sats ǁîgu ǀkha nî ǃgû ǃkhaisa ǂgao, ots ge ǁîgu ǀkha nî ǃgû, xawets ge tita nî mîba tsi xūn ǀguina nî dī.” 21 ǁNā-amagab ge Bileamma sao ra ǁgoaga ǁîb dâukisa ǃgaeǃgâ tsî Moabǁî ǂgaeǂgui-aogu ǀkha ge ǃgû.
Bileammi tsî ǁîb dâukis
22 Elob ge Bileammi ge ǃgû ǃkhais xa ge ǁaixa, tsî ǁîb ǃoaba-aokha xa ǁnūhe hâseb ǁîb dâukis ai ǃgapigaru hîab ge ǃKhūb di ǀhomǃgāba ǁîb daoba ge mâǁkhae. 23 Dâukis ge ǀhomǃgāb gôaba ūhâ ǃkhaisas ge mû, o daoba xu ǃkhoeǁgôa tsî ǃgarob ǃnâ ge ǃkhoeǂgâ. Bileammi ge dâukisa ǂnau tsî ǁkhawa daob ǃnâ ge ǂgâxa-ū. 24 Ob ge ǀhomǃgāba daob ra hoaǀkhākha ai draibehaidi tsî ǀuiǂnubiǂgoakha xa sī ǂō ǃkhais ai ge mâ. 25 Dâukis ge ǁkhawa ǀhomǃgāba mû, os ge ǂnubiǂgoab ai sī ǃnomsen tsî Bileammi ǂaisa ǂnubiǂgoab ai ge tsûtsû. Bileammi ge ǁkhawa dâukisa ge ǂnau. 26 ǀHomǃgāb ge ǁkhawa aisǀkhāb ǁga ǃkharu tsî khoe-i ǃkharu ǁoase ǂō ǃkhais daob dis ai sī ge mâ. 27 Dâukis ge nē ǃnāsas ge ǀhomǃgāba mû, o ge ǁnāǁgoe. Bileammi ge kaise ǁaixa tsî dâukisa ǁîb ǀkharub ǀkha gere ǂnau. 28 Ob ge ǃKhūba dâukisa ǃhoas ǁkhāsiba ge mā tsîs ge ǁîsa Bileammi ǃoa ge mî: “Tare-e ta tsūse sa ǃoagu go dī? Tare-ets nē ǀgaus ai ǃnona ǃnāde go ǂnau teba?”
29 Ob ge Bileamma ge ǃeream: “Titas ra gârekhoemû xui-ao! Gôaba ta ga ūhâ hâ, o ta ge ga ǃgam si hâ.”
30 Dâukis ge ǁîba ge ǃeream: “Ti tama ta, sa ûihâb hoabats gere ǃgapi-ai ta? Nēts ra tita ûi-ū khami ûi-ū tsi ta ge hâ i?”
“Hî-î” tib ge Bileamma ge ǃeream.
31 Ob ge ǃKhūba Bileamma gôab ǀkhab ǀhomǃgāba mâse ge mû kai; tsîb ge Bileamma ǁnāsab ge mûo, ais âb ǀkha ǃhūb ai ge ǁnāǁgoe. 32 ǀHomǃgāb ge ǁîba ge dî: “Tare-i ǃaromats sa dâukisa nē ǀgaus ai ǃnona ǃnāde go ǂnau? Satsa ta nî ǃgûts tidese ǁkhaega ta ge go hā, ǃgû tamats ga hâ daobats ra ǃgû xui-ao. 33 Xawes ge sa dâukisa mû te tsî ǃnona ǃnāde daoba xu go ǁgôa. ǁÎs ga daoba xu ǁgôa tama hâ, o ta ge satsa ǃgam tsî dâukis di ûiba ga sâu hâ.”
34 Bileammi ge ǀhomǃgāba ge ǃeream: “Tita ge go ǁore. Tita ge daob ǃnâ mâ tsîts goro ǁkhae te ǃkhaisa go ǀū i; xawes ga ti ǃgûsa sa mûǁae ǂhanu tama i, o ta ge dabasen tsî nî ǁaru.”
35 Xaweb ge ǃKhūb ǀhomǃgāba ge mî: “Nē khoegu ǀkha ǃgû, xawe tita ra mîba tsin ǀguina mî.” Ob ge Bileamma khoegu ǀkha ǃaruǀî ge ǃgû.
Balaki ge Bileamma ra ǁkhoreǁhare
36 Bileammi ǃgoaxa ǃkhaisab ge Balaka ǁnâu, ob ge ǁîbab sī nî ǃkhōǃoase Ars, Arnonǃāb Moab ǀkharib di ǃhūǀgoras tawa ǁgoe ǃās ǁga ge ǃgû. 37 Balaki ge Bileammi ǃoa ge mî: “Tare-i ǃaromats ǃnoesase ta ge ǂgai tsi xawe hā tama ge hâ i? Mādawa-am tsi ta tide tits ge ǂâi?”
38 Ob ge Bileamma ǁîba ge ǃeream: “Sa tawa ta ge go hā, xawe ta ge tita xu xū-e a ǃhoa ǁoa. Tita ge ǃKhūb ga mîba te xūn ǀguina nî mî.” 39 ǁNāpa xub ge Bileamma Balaki ǀkha ǃās Husots ǁga ge ǃgû. 40 ǁNāpab ge Balaka goman tsî gūn tsîna ǂā tsî ǀnî ǁgan-e Bileammi tsî ǂgaeǂgui-aogu ǁîb ǀkha ge hâ i gu tsîga ge mā.
Bileammi ǂguro kēbos
41 Sao ra ǁgoagab ge Balaka Bileamma Bamot-Baals tawa ge ūǃapa. ǁNāpa xub ge Bileamma ǀnî ǃâb Israelǁîn diba ge mû ǁkhā i.
