And the sons of Yisra'el journeyed and encamped in the plains of Mo'av, from across the Yarden, Yericho.

And Balak, son of Tsippor, saw all that Yisra'el had done to the Emori.

And Mo'av was very afraid because of the people, for they were many, and Mo'av was distressed because of the sons of Yisra'el.

And Mo'av said to the elders of Midyan, 'Now the assembly will lick clean all that surrounds us, like an ox licks clean the grass of the field.' And Balak, son of Tsippor, was king of Mo'av at that time.

And he sent messengers to Bil'am, son of Be'or, from P'torah, which is by the river, the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, 'Behold, a people has come out from Mitsrayim; behold, they have covered the eye of the land, and they are dwelling opposite me.'

'And now, please come, curse for me this people, for they are too mighty for me; perhaps I can strike them and drive them out of the land, for I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.'

And the elders of Mo'av and the elders of Midyan went, with divination fees in their hand, and they came to Bil'am and spoke to him the words of Balak.

And he said to them, 'Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back to you a word as יהוה speaks to me.' And the princes of Mo'av stayed with Bil'am.

And Elohim came to Bil'am and said, 'Who are these men with you?'

And Bil'am said to Elohim, 'Balak, son of Tsippor, king of Mo'av, has sent to me.'

'Behold, the people coming out of Mitsrayim have covered the eye of the land; now please come, curse them for me; perhaps I can fight against them and drive them out.'

And Elohim said to Bil'am, 'You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.'

And Bil'am got up in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, 'Go to your land, for יהוה refuses to let me go with you.'

And the princes of Mo'av got up and came to Balak and said, 'Bil'am refuses to come with us.'

And Balak sent again, sending more princes, and more distinguished ones than these.

And they came to Bil'am and said to him, 'Thus says Balak, son of Tsippor: Please do not refrain from coming to me.'

'For I will surely honor you greatly, and whatever you say to me I will do; and please come, curse this people for me.'

And Bil'am answered and said to the servants of Balak, 'If Balak gives me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the command of יהוה my Elohim, to do a small thing or a great thing.'

'And now, please lodge here tonight also, you, and I will know what more יהוה will speak with me.'

And Elohim came to Bil'am at night and said to him, 'If the men have come to call you, get up, go with them, but only do the thing that I speak to you.'

And Bil'am got up in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Mo'av.

And the anger of Elohim burned because he was going, and the angel of יהוה stood in the way as an adversary to him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

And the donkey saw the angel of יהוה standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand, and the donkey turned aside from the way and went into the field, and Bil'am struck the donkey to turn it back to the way.

And the angel of יהוה stood in a path of vineyards, a wall on this side and a wall on that side.

And the donkey saw the angel of יהוה and pressed itself against the wall and pressed Bil'am's foot against the wall, and he struck it again.

And the angel of יהוה went on and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn right or left.

And the donkey saw the angel of יהוה and lay down under Bil'am, and Bil'am's anger burned, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

And יהוה opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Bil'am, 'What have I done to you that you have struck me these three times?'

And Bil'am said to the donkey, 'Because you have made a fool of me! If there were a sword in my hand, I would kill you now.'

And the donkey said to Bil'am, 'Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden ever since the day you were mine until this day? Have I been accustomed to do this to you?' And he said, 'No.'

And יהוה opened the eyes of Bil'am, and he saw the angel of יהוה standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand, and he bowed and prostrated himself before him.

And the angel of יהוה said to him, 'Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you, because the way is perverse before me.'

'And the donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely I would have killed you, and kept her alive.'

And Bil'am said to the angel of יהוה, 'I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing to meet me on the way. And now, if it is evil in your eyes, I will return.'

And the angel of יהוה said to Bil'am, 'Go with the men, but only the word that I speak to you, that you shall speak.' And Bil'am went with the princes of Balak.

And Balak heard that Bil'am had come, and he went out to meet him at the city of Mo'av, which is on the border of Arnon, which is at the edge of the border.

And Balak said to Bil'am, 'Did I not send messengers to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I truly unable to honor you?'

And Bil'am said to Balak, 'Behold, I have come to you now. Can I speak anything? The word that Elohim puts in my mouth, that I shall speak.'

And Bil'am went with Balak, and they came to Kiryat-Ḥutzot.

And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent to Bil'am and to the princes who were with him.

And it happened in the morning that Balak took Bil'am and brought him up to the high places of Ba'al, and from there he saw the edge of the people.