While the.’ Israelites were setting up their tents on the plains of Moab near the Jordan River, the king of that country was wondering what he should do to make himself and his people safe. He had heard what the Israelites did to Sihon, king of the Amorites, and he was afraid of them. He knew their army was larger than his. He knew they had taken the land of the Amorites and the land of Bashan for their own country. He thought, “They will take my country away from me, and they may even kill me.”
Finally this king, whose name was Balak, decided to send for a wise man from Midian to come to help him. So he called some of his princes and sent them with this message: “A great host of people from Egypt have come into my country and they are too many for me to: tight against. I want you to come and help me, for I have heard that you are very wise, and that whomever you speak against is made weak, and whomever you bless is made strong.”
When the princes of Moab came to the wise man, whose name was Balaam, they delivered the messages of their king. And no doubt they showed Balaam the money that Balak had sent to pay him for his services. But Balaam said, “I do not know whether the Lord will let me go with you or not. Perhaps he does not want me to speak against the Israelites. Stay with me tonight, and in the morning I will tell whether I may go or not.”
During the night God spoke to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men in your house?” And Balaam answered, “They are princes of Moab, who have come at their king’s command to ask me to help him out of trouble. The Israelites, from Egypt, have come into his land with a strong army and he is afraid of them. He wants me to speak against them in your name, so that they will become weak.” But God said, “You must not go to help the king of Moab. You must not speak against the Israelites; for I have blessed them.”
When morning came Balaam told the princes that God would not let him go with them. And they hurried back to tell Balaam’s words to the king.
But Balak sent the second time to Balaam. This time he sent other princes, who were greater than the first ones. He sent money also, and he promised to give great honor to Balaam if only he would come to help him.
Now Balaam wished to have the money that Balak sent. He wished also to receive the honor that this king promised to give him. As he thought about these things he wanted them more than ever. He knew God had said he should not go. But he decided to try once more, so he invited these princes to stay at his house until the next morning. And while they slept he heard God’s voice again. This time God told him that if the men should waken him in the morning he might go with them. Only he should be careful to speak the words God would give him to speak.
Balaam was eager to go. He did not wait to see whether these princes would call for him in the morning, but rose early and saddled the ass upon which he often rode.’ Then he took two of his servants and started out with the princes to see the king.
But God was displeased with Balaam. He sent his angel to trouble him, and the angel stood in the road and drew out his sword to kill Balaam. The ass upon which Balaam was riding saw the angel and turned off from the road into a field. Balaam grew angry at this and struck her a blow. Back into the road they went, and presently they came to a place where a stone wall was built on either side. Here the angel stood again with his sword drawn, and here again the ass saw the angel, while Balaam did not. The ass was frightened again and, trying to avoid the angel, she crowded closely against the wall on the opposite side. In doing this she crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. Now Balaam was quite angry, and he struck her a cruel blow. Farther on the road they came to a very narrow place, and here the angel stood again. This time the ass could not pass around, and, fearing the angel, she sank down on the ground beneath Balaam. At this Balaam’s anger grew worse than ever and he struck a painful blow upon his faithful ass with his staff. And God gave a voice to the ass, and she spoke to Balaam. “What have I done that you should strike me these three times?” she asked.
Balaam was so angry he did not think it strange because an ass could speak. He replied, “If I had a sword I would kill you, for you are not behaving as you should.” Then the ass asked Balaam whether she had not always carried him about safely since the day he bought her, and Balaam remembered that she had. And then God caused Balaam to see the angel standing before him.
Now Balaam was more frightened than the ass had been. He fell down on his face before the angel. And the angel asked, “Why have you been beating your ass! Three times she has seen me standing across your path and she has turned aside. Had she not done this I would surely have killed you, for I am much displeased with you.” Balaam cried, i“I have sinned, for I did not know you were standing in the way to hinder me from going to see the king. Now I will turn back toward my home if you are displeased with my going on.” But the angel told Balaam to go on with the princes of Moab, and to be careful to speak only the words of the Lord.