1
And it came to pass that Israel sent messengers unto the king of the Amorites, saying: Let me pass through thy land;
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We will not turn into the fields or into the vineyards; we will not drink of the waters of the well; but we will go along by the highway of the king until we be past thy borders.
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But the king of the Amorites would not suffer Israel to pass through his border; but he did gathered all his people together and went out against Israel into the wilderness and fought against Israel.
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¶ And it came to pass that Israel smote him with the edge of the sword and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok.
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And Israel took all these cities; and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon and in all the villages thereof;
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For Heshbon was the city of Sihon, the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon.
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Thus did Israel dwell in the land of the Amorites.
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¶ And it came to pass that Moses sent to spy out Jaazer; and they took the villages thereof and drove out the Amorites that were there.
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And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan; and the king of Bashan, went out against them, he and all his people, to the battle at Edrei.
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And YHVH said unto Moses: Fear him not; for I have delivered him into thy hand, and all his people, and his land; and thou shalt do to him as thou didst unto the king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon.
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So it was that Israel smote him, and his sons, and all his people until there was none left him alive; and they possessed his land.
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And so it was that Israel set forward and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side of Jordan by Jericho.
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¶ And it came to pass that the king of Moab, who was Balak, the son of Zippor, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
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And Balak sent messengers unto Balaama the prophet, the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people.
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And Balak called to Balaam, saying: Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt; behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me.
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Come now, therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me; peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.
17
And it came to pass that Balaam said unto the messengers: Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again as YHVHa shall speak unto me; and the messengers abode with Balaam.
18
And El Elyona came unto Balaam and said: What men are these with thee?
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And Balaam said unto Elohim: Balak, the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying: Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth; come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them and drive them out.
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And El Elyon said unto Balaam: Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people, for they are blessed.
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And Balaam rose up in the morning and said unto the messengers of Balak: Get you into your land; for YHVH refuseth to give me leave to go with you.
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And the messengers of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak and said: Balaam refuseth to come with us.
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¶ And it came to pass that Balak grew more troubled in his heart, and he sent messengers, even princes,
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And they came to Balaam and said to him: Thus saith Balak, the son of Zippor: Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me;
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For I will promote thee unto very great honor, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me; come, therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.
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And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak: If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of YHVH, my Elohim to do less or more;
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Now, therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what YHVH will say unto me more.
28
And El Elyon came unto Balaam at night and said unto him: If the men come to call thee, rise up if thou wilt go with them; but yet only the words which I shall say unto thee shalt thou speak.
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¶ And it came to pass that Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
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And the anger of Ha’Elohima was kindled becauseb he went; and the angel of YHVHc stood in the way for an adversary against him.
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And it came to pass that he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him, and the ass saw the angel of YHVH standing in the way and his sword drawn in his hand;
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And the ass turned aside out of the way and went into the field; and Balaam smote the ass to turn her into the way.
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But the angel of YHVH stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side and a wall on that side.
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And when the ass saw the angel of YHVH, she thrust herself unto the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall; and he smote her again.
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And the angel of YHVH went further and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
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And when the ass saw the angel of YHVH, she fell down under Balaam; and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
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And YHVH did open the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam: What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
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And Balaam said unto the ass: Because thou hast mocked me; I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.
39
And the ass said unto Balaam: Am not I thine ass upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? Was I ever wont to do so unto thee?
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And Balaam said: Nay.
41
Then YHVH opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of YHVH standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed down his head and fell flat on his face.
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And the angel of YHVH said unto him: Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times?
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Behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me.
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And the ass saw me and turned from me these three times; unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee and saved her alive.
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And Balaam said unto the angel of YHVH: I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me.
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Now, therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.
47
And the angel of YHVH said unto Balaam: Go with the men; but only the word that the Voicea shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak.