BEMIḎBAR / Numbers 22 - I Read My Scriptures! ❤️ 📖

BEMIḎBAR 22 (Numbers 22)

1 And the children of Yisra’ĕl departed and camped in the desert plains of Mo’aḇ beyond the Yardĕn of Yeriḥo.

2 And Balaq son of Tsippor saw all that Yisra’ĕl had done to the Amorites.

3 And Mo’aḇ was exceedingly afraid of the people because they were many, and Mo’aḇ was in dread because of the children of Yisra’ĕl.

4 And Mo’aḇ said to the elders of Miḏyan, “Now this company is licking up all that is around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Now Balaq son of Tsippor was sovereign of the Mo’aḇites at that time,

5 and he sent messengers to Bil’am son of Be’or at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, “See, a people has come from Mitsrayim. See, they have covered the surface of the land, and are settling next to me!

6 “And now, please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too strong for me. It might be that I smite them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you baraḵ is baruḵ, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

7 And the elders of Mo’aḇ and the elders of Miḏyan left with divination fee in their hand, and they came to Bil’am and spoke the words of Balaq to him.

8 And he said to them, “Spend the night here, and I shall bring back word to you, as 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 speaks to me.” So the heads of Mo’aḇ stayed with Bil’am.

9 And Elohim came to Bil’am and said, “Who are these men with you?”

10 And Bil’am said to Elohim, “Balaq, son of Tsippor, sovereign of Mo’aḇ, has sent to me, saying,

11 ‘See, a people has come out of Mitsrayim and cover the surface of the land. Come now, curse them for me. It might be that I am able to fight against them and drive them out.’ ”

12 And Elohim said to Bil’am, “Do not go with them. You do not curse the people, for they are baruḵ.”

13 And Bil’am rose in the morning and said to the heads of Balaq, “Go back to your land, for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 has refused to allow me to go with you.”

14 And the heads of Mo’aḇ arose and went to Balaq, and said, “Bil’am refuses to come with us.”

15 Then Balaq again sent heads, more numerous and more esteemed than they.

16 And they came to Bil’am and said to him, “This is what Balaq son of Tsippor said: ‘Do not be withheld from coming to me, please,

17 for I esteem you very greatly, and whatever you say to me, I do. Therefore please come, curse this people for me.’ ”

18 And Bil’am answered and said to the servants of Balaq, “Though Balaq were to give me his house filled with silver and gold, I am unable to go beyond the word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 my Elohim, to do less or more.

19 “And now, please, you also stay here tonight, and let me find out what more 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 says to me.”

20 And Elohim came to Bil’am at night and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them, but only the word which I speak to you that you do.”

21 And Bil’am rose in the morning and saddled his donkey, and went with the heads of Mo’aḇ.

22 But the displeasure of Elohim burned because he went, and the Messenger of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 stationed Himself in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

23 And the donkey saw the Messenger of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Bil’am beat the donkey to turn her back onto the way.

24 Then the Messenger of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 stood in a narrow passage between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side.

25 And when the donkey saw the Messenger of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Bil’am’s foot against the wall, so he beat her again.

26 And the Messenger of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn aside, right or left.

27 And when the donkey saw the Messenger of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, she lay down under Bil’am. So Bil’am’s displeasure burned, and he beat the donkey with his staff.

28 Then 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Bil’am, “What have I done to you, that you have beaten me these three times?”

29 And Bil’am said to the donkey, “Because you have mocked me. If there were a sword in my hand, for I would have killed you by now!”

30 And the donkey said to Bil’am, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever known to do so to you?” And he said, “No.”