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23 until we pass thy borders. But Seon would not grant Israel a passage through his territories. He indeed assembled all his people, and went out to the wilderness, to attack Israel, and 24 came to Jessa, and drew up in array against Israel. WhereIsrael smote him with the slaughter of the sword, and took possession of his land, from Arnon to Jabok, even to the 25 Ammanites; for Jazer is the boundary of the Ammanites. So Israel took all those cities; and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Hesebon, and in all those under the same do26 minion with it; for Hesebon was the city of Seon the king of

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the Amorites. He indeed had made war on a former king of Moab, and had taken all his land from Aroer to Arnon; for this cause the poets say,

Come to Hesebon that it may be rebuilded,
And that the city of Seon may be inhabited.
For a fire went forth from Hesebon-

And a flame from the city of Seon;
Which devoured even to Moab-
Which devoured the pillars of Arnon.

Alas! for thee O Moab!

Thou wast undone, O people of Chamos!

Their sons were delivered up to save their lives;

And their daughters were captives to Seon, king of the
Amorites,

And their seed was destroyed from Hesebon even to
Daibon.

And against Moab their wives rekindled a fire.

And when Israel had taken possession of all the cities of the 32 Amorites: Moses sent to view Jazer, and they took it, and all 33 the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites who were

there. Then they turned and went up by the way of Basan. And when Og king of Basan came out to meet them, he and all his people, for battle at Adraim, the Lord said to Moses, 31 Be not afraid of him; for into thy hands I will deliver him, and

all his people, and all his land; And thou shalt do to him, as thou hast done to Seon, the king of the Amorites, who dwelt 35 at Hesebon. So he smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was not one left to be taken alive. And they took possession of their land.

XXII.

When the Israelites had removed, and pitched their tents on the west of Moab, along the Jordan, over against Je2 richo; and Balak, son of Sepphor, had seen all that Israel had 3 done to the Amorites, though Moab was exceedingly afraid of the people because they were numerous, yet Moab was incensed at the sight of the Israelites, and said to the Senate of 4 Madiam, Now will this congregation lick up all around us, as 5 the ox licketh up the grass of the field. Now Balak, son of Sepphor, was at that time king of Moab, he therefore had sent messengers to Balaam, son of Beor, at Pathoura, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to invite him to come to him, saying, Behold there is a people come out of Egypt; and lo! they have covered the face of this land, and are 6 settled down near me. Now therefore come, curse for me this

people; for they are stronger than I. Perhaps I may be able to smite some of them, and drive them out of this land: for I know that they whom thou blessest are blessed, and they whom thou 7 cursest are cursed. So the ambassadors of Moab, and the ambassadors of Madiam, went with the rewards of divination in their 8 hands, and when they came to Balaam, and rehearsed to him the words of Balak, he said to them, Tarry here this night, and I will 9 give you an answer according to what the Lord shall say to me.

So the chiefs of Moab tarried with Balaam. And God came to Ba10 laam, and said to him, What would these men with thee? And

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Balaam said to God, Balak son of Sepphor, king of Moab, hath 11 sent them to me, saying, Behold there is a people come out of Egypt, who have covered the face of this land, and they are settled down near me; now therefore come and curse them for me; perhaps I may be able to smite them, and drive them out 12 of this land. Thereupon God said to Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them, nor curse that people, for they are blessed. So when Balaam arose in the morning, he said to the chiefs of Balak, Return speedily to your Lord, for God doth not permit 14 me to go with you. And the chiefs of Moab arose, and went to Balak, and said to him, Balaam refuseth to come with us. 15 Then Balak sent again other princes, more in number, and of 16 greater dignity than them, and they went to Balaam and said to

him, Thus saith Balak, the son of Sepphor, I entreat thee delay 17 not to come to me, for I will promote thee to great honour,

and do for thee whatever thou sayest; therefore come, curse 18 this people for me. In reply to which Balaam said to the princes of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot transgress the word of the Lord God, to do 19 any thing, small or great, of my own mere will. Now therefore

tarry you also here this night, that I may know what the Lord 20 will further say to me. And God came to Balaam by night,

and said to him, If these men come to call thee, arise and go 21 with them: but what I say to thee, that thou shalt do. Where

upon Balaam arose in the morning, and saddled his ass, and 22 went with the princes of Moab. And God was angry, because he went of himself to him; and the angel of God arose to stop him on the way. Now he was mounted on his ass, and had two 23 servants with him. And when the ass saw the angel of God

standing opposite, in the way, with a drawn sword in his hand, the ass turned aside out of the way into the field; at which he 24 struck the ass with his staff, to turn her into the road. Then

the angel of God took a station between the rows of the vines, 25 there being a hedge on this side, and a hedge on that. And

when the ass saw the angel of God, she threw herself against the wall, and bruised Balaam's foot against the wall. Where26 upon he struck her again. Then the angel of God again retired, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no turning, 27 to the right, or to the left. And when the ass saw the angel of

God, 'she lay down under Balaam; at which Balaam was inflamed with wrath, and gave the ass a severe blow with the 28 staff. Thereupon God opened the mouth of the ass, and she

said to Balaam, What have I done to thee that thou hast cor29 rected me this third time? And Balaam said to the ass, because thou hast mocked me, and had I a sword in my hand I should 30 now have run it through thee. And the ass said to Balaam, Am I not the ass on which thou hast ridden from thy youth even to this day? Did I ever through stubbornness, do such a 31 thing as this to thee. And he said, No. Then God opened the

eyes of Balaam; and when he saw the angel of the Lord standing opposite, in the way, with a drawn sword in his hand, he 32 bowed down, and fell flat on his face. And the angel of God said to him, Why didst thou strike thy ass three times? Behold I came out to stop thee, because thy journey is not seemly

VOL. I.

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33 in my sight, and the ass, seeing me, turned aside from me these three times. And had she not turned aside from me I should now have killed thee; but I would have preserved her alive. 34 Then Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, I have sinned inadvertently; for I did not know that thou stoodest in the way against me. Now therefore, if it is not agreeable to thee, I will 35 turn back. And the angel of God said to Balaam, Go with these men; but whatever word I speak to thee be careful to 36 deliver that. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. And when Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him, to a city of Moab, which is on Arnon, which is a 37 part of the boundary. And Balak said to Balaam, Did I not send for thee? Why then didst thou not come to me? Am not 38 I able to promote thee to honour? And Balaam said to Balak, Behold now I am come to thee, shall I be able to say any thing? Whatever word God shall put in my mouth, that I will speak. 39 So Balaam went with Balak, and when they came to the cities 40 of Sheepcots, Balak sacrificed sheep, and young bulls, and 41 sent them to Balaam, and the princes with him. And early next

morning Balak took Balaam, and led him up to the top of the pillar of Baal, and from it shewed him some part of the peoXXIII. ple. Whereupon Balaam said to Balak, Build for me

here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven young bulls, 2 and seven rams. And when Balak had done as Balaam had

ordered him; and had offered a bull, and a ram, on each altar, then Balaam said to Balak, Stand by thy sacrifice, and I will 3 advance on. If God appear to me by any occurrence, whatever

he shall shew me I will tell thee. So Balak stood by his sacri4 fice. And Balaam went to inquire of God: and as he was going

straight forward, God appeared to Balaam : And Balaam said to him, I have prepared seven altars, and offered a young bull, 5 and a ram, on each altar. And God put a word in the mouth of Balaam, and said, Return to Balak, and thus thou shalt say. 6 So he returned to Balak. Now he was standing by his whole 7 burnt offerings, and all the princes of Moab with him; And a spirit of God came upon Balaam, and he took up his parable, and said,

I am called from Mesopotamia by Balak

By the king of Moab, from the mountains of the east,

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Come, saith he, Curse Jacob for me,

And, come, for me devote Israel.

How can I curse him, whom the Lord doth not curse?
Or how devote him whom God devoteth not?

For from the top of mountains I can see him;
Even from hills I can observe him,

Behold he shall dwell, as a people by themselves,
And shall not be reckoned among the nations.

Who hath accurately scanned the seed of Jacob?
Who can count the communities of Israel?

May my soul depart among the souls of the righteous!
And my offspring be as the seed of these!

At this Balak said to Balaam, What hast thou done to me? 12 I sent for thee to curse my enemies, and behold thou hast pro

nounced a blessing. And Balaam said to Balak, Must I not 13 be careful to speak what God hath put in my mouth? Then

Balak said to him, Come with me to yet another place, from which thou shalt not have a full view of them. Thou shalt see only a part of them, and not view them all; and curse them for 14 me from that place. So he took him to a watch tower of the field

on the top of a craggy cliff, and built there seven altars. And 15 when he had offered a bull, and a ram, on each altar, Balaam said

to Balak, Stand by thy sacrifice, and I will advance on, to in16 quire of God. And God met Balaam and put a word in his

mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus thou shalt speak. 17 So he returned to him. Now he was standing by his whole burnt offering, and all the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, What hath the Lord spoken? Whereupon he took up his parable, and said,

Stand up Balak and hear;

Listen attentively as a witness, thou son of Sepphor!

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God is not like a man to be deceived;

Nor like a son of man to be threatened.

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When he hath spoken, will he not perform?
When he shall speak, will he not stand to it?

Behold I am constrained to bless!

Bless I will. Indeed I cannot avoid it.
There shall be no calamity in Jacob;
Nor shall misery be seen in Israel.

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