Numbers 22

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Numbers 22

1And the children of Israel departed, and encamped on the west of Moab by Jordan toward Jericho.Καὶ ἀπάραντες οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ παρενέβαλον ἐπὶ δυσμῶν Μωὰβ παρὰ τὸν Ἰορδάνην κατὰ Ἰεριχώ.

2And when Balac son of Sepphor saw all that Israel did to the Amorite,Καὶ ἰδὼν Βαλὰκ υἱὸς Σεπφὼρ πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησεν Ἰσραὴλ τῷ Ἀμοῤῥαίῳ,

3then Moab feared the people exceedingly because they were many; and Moab was grieved * before the face of the children of Israel.καὶ ἐφοβήθη Μωὰβ τὸν λαὸν σφόδρα ὅτι πολλοὶ ἦσαν· καὶ προσώχθισε Μωὰβ ἀπὸ προσώπου υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ.

4And Moab said to the elders of Madiam, Now shall this assembly lick up all that are round about us, as a calf would lick up the green herbs of the field:—and Balac son of Sepphor was king of Moab at that time.Καὶ εἶπε Μωὰβ τῇ γερουσίᾳ Μαδιὰμ, νῦν ἐκλείξει ἡ συναγωγὴ αὕτη πάντας τοὺς κύκλῳ ἡμῶν, ὡσεὶ ἐκλείξαι ὁ μόσχος τὰ χλωρὰ ἐκ τοῦ πεδίου· καὶ Βαλὰκ υἱὸς Σεπφὼρ βασιλεὺς Μωὰβ ἦν κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν ἐκεῖνον.

5And he sent ambassadors to Balaam the son of Beor, to Phathura, which is on a river of the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, a people is come out of Egypt, and behold it has covered the face of the earth, and it has encamped close to me.Καὶ ἀπέστειλε πρέσβεις πρὸς Βαλαὰμ υἱὸν Βεὼρ Φαθουρὰ, ὅ ἐστιν ἐπὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ γῆς υἱῶν λαοῦ αὐτοῦ, καλέσαι αὐτὸν, λέγων, ἰδοὺ λαὸς ἐξελήλυθεν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ἰδοὺ κατεκάλυψε τὴν ὄψιν τῆς γῆς, καὶ οὗτος ἐγκάθηται ἐχόμενός μου.

6And now come, curse me this people, for it is stronger than we; if we may be able to strike some of them, and I will cast them out of the land: for I know that whoever you do bless, they are blessed, and whoever you do curse, they are cursed.Καὶ νῦν δεῦρο ἄρασαί μοι τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον, ὅτι ἰσχύει οὗτος ἢ ἡμεῖς, ἐὰν δυνώμεθα πατάξαι ἐξ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐκβαλῶ αὐτοὺς ἐκ τῆς γῆς· ὅτι οἶδα οὓς ἐὰν εὐλογήσῃς σὺ, εὐλόγηνται, καὶ οὓς ἂν καταράσῃ σὺ, κεκατήρανται.

7And the elders of Moab went, and the elders of Madiam, and their divining instruments were in their hands; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balac.Καὶ ἐπορεύθη ἡ γερουσία Μωὰβ, καὶ ἡ γερουσία Μαδιὰμ, καὶ τὰ μαντεῖα ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν· καὶ ἦλθον πρὸς Βαλαὰμ, καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ τὰ ῥήματα Βαλάκ.

8And he said to them, Tarry here the night, and I will answer you the things which the Lord shall say to me; and the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.Καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτοὺς, καταλύσατε αὐτοῦ τὴν νύκτα, καὶ ἀποκριθήσομαι ὑμῖν πράγματα ἃ ἂν λαλήσῃ Κύριος πρὸς μέ· καὶ κατέμειναν οἱ ἄρχοντες Μωὰβ παρὰ Βαλαάμ.

9And God came to Balaam, and said to him, Who are these men with you?Καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς Βαλαὰμ, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, τί οἱ ἄνθρωποι οὗτοι παρὰ σοί;

10And Balaam said to God, Balac son of Sepphor, king of Moab, sent them to me, saying,Καὶ εἶπε Βαλαὰμ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, Βαλὰκ υἱὸς Σεπφὼρ, βασιλεὺς Μωὰβ, ἀπέστειλεν αὐτοὺς πρὸς μὲ, λέγων,

11Behold, a people has come forth out of Egypt, and has covered the face of the land, and it has encamped near to me; and now come, curse it for me, if indeed I shall be able to strike it, and cast it out of the land.ἰδοὺ λαὸς ἐξελήλυθεν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, καὶ κεκάλυφεν τὴν ὄψιν τῆς γῆς, καὶ οὗτος ἐγκάθηται ἐχόμενός μου, καὶ νῦν δεῦρο ἄρασαί μοι αὐτὸν, εἰ ἄρα δυνήσομαι πατάξαι αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐκβαλῶ αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς.

12And God said to Balaam, You shall not go with them, neither shall you curse the people; for they are blessed.Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς Βαλαὰμ, οὐ πορεύσῃ μετʼ αὐτῶν, οὐδὲ καταράσῃ τὸν λαόν· ἔστι γὰρ εὐλογημένος.

13And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balac, Depart quickly to your lord; God does not permit me to go with you.Καὶ ἀναστὰς Βαλαὰμ τοπρωῒ, εἶπε τοῖς ἄρχουσι Βαλὰκ, ἀποτρέχετε πρὸς τὸν κύριον ὑμῶν, οὐκ ἀφίησί με ὁ Θεὸς πορεύεσθαι μεθʼ ὑμῶν.

14And the princes of Moab rose, and came to Balac, and said, Balaam will not come with us.Καὶ ἀναστάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες Μωὰβ, ἦλθον πρὸς Βαλὰκ, καὶ εἶπαν, οὐ θέλει Βαλαὰμ πορευθῆναι μεθʼ ἡμῶν.

15And Balac yet again sent more princes and more honorable than they.Καὶ προσέθετο Βαλὰκ ἔτι ἀποστεῖλαι ἄρχοντας πλείους, καὶ ἐντιμοτέρους τούτων.

16And they came to Balaam, and they say to him, Thus says Balac the son of Sepphor: I beseech you, delay not to come to me.Καὶ ἦλθον πρὸς Βαλαὰμ, καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ, τάδε λέγει Βαλὰκ ὁ τοῦ Σεπφώρ· ἀξιῶ σε μὴ ὀκνήσῃς ἐλθεῖν πρὸς μέ.

17For I will greatly honor you, and will do for you whatever you shall say; come then, curse me this people.ἐντίμως γὰρ τιμήσω σε, καὶ ὅσα ἐὰν εἴπῃς ποιήσω σοι· καὶ δεῦρο ἐπικατάρασαί μοι τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον.

18And Balaam answered and said to the princes of Balac, If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord God, to make it little or great in my mind.Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Βαλαὰμ, καὶ εἶπε τοῖς ἄρχουσι Βαλὰκ, ἐὰν δῷ μοι Βαλὰκ πλήρη τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἀργυρίου καὶ χρυσίου, οὐ δυνήσομαι παραβῆναι τὸ ῥῆμα Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ, ποιῆσαι αὐτὸ μικρὸν ἢ μέγα ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ μου.

19And now do you also wait here this night, and I shall know what the Lord will yet say to me.Καὶ νῦν ὑπομείνατε αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑμεῖς τὴν νύκτα ταύτην, καὶ γνώσομαι τί προσθήσει Κύριος λαλῆσαι πρὸς μέ.

20And God came to Balaam by night, and said to him, If these men are come to call you, rise and follow them; nevertheless the word which I shall speak to you, it shall you do.Καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς Βαλαὰμ νυκτὸς, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, εἰ καλέσαι σε πάρεισιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι οὗτοι, ἀναστὰς ἀκολούθησον αὐτοῖς· ἀλλὰ τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ ἐὰν λαλήσω πρὸς σὲ, τοῦτο ποιήσεις.

21And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.Καὶ ἀναστὰς Βαλαὰμ τοπρωῒ, ἐπέσαξε τὴν ὄνον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπορεύθη μετὰ τῶν ἀρχόντων Μωάβ.

22And God was very angry because he went; and the angel of the Lord rose up to withstand him. Now he had mounted his ass, and his two servants were with him.Καὶ ὠργίσθη θυμῷ ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι ἐπορεύθη αὐτός· καὶ ἀνέστη ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ διαβαλεῖν αὐτόν· καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπιβεβήκει ἐπὶ τῆς ὄνου αὐτοῦ, καὶ οἱ δύο παῖδες αὐτοῦ μετʼ αὐτοῦ.

23And when the ass saw the angel of God standing opposite in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, then the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field; and Balaam struck the ass with his staff to direct her in the way.Καὶ ἰδοῦσα ἡ ὄνος τὸν ἄγγελον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀνθεστηκότα ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, καὶ τὴν ῥομφαίαν ἐσπασμένην ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐξέκλινεν ἡ ὄνος ἐκ τῆς ὁδοῦ, καὶ ἐπορεύετο εἰς τὸ πεδίον· καὶ ἐπάταξε τὴν ὄνον ἐν τῇ ῥάβδῳ αὐτοῦ τοῦ εὐθῦναι αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ.

24And the angel of the Lord stood in the avenues of the vines, a fence being on this side and a fence on that.Καὶ ἔστη ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ταῖς αὔλαξι τῶν ἀμπέλων, φραγμὸς ἐντεῦθεν καὶ φραγμὸς ἐντεῦθεν·

25And when the ass saw the angel of God, she thrust herself against the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall, and he struck her again.Καὶ ἰδοῦσα ἡ ὄνος τὸν ἄγγελον τοῦ Θεοῦ, προσέθλιψεν ἑαυτὴν πρὸς τὸν τοῖχον, καὶ ἀπέθλιψεν τὸν πόδα Βαλαὰμ πρὸς τὸν τοῖχον· καὶ προσέθετο ἔτι μαστίξαι αὐτήν.

26And the angel of the Lord went farther, and came and stood in a narrow place where it was impossible to turn to the right or the left.Καὶ προσέθετο ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἀπελθὼν ὑπέστη ἐν τόπῳ στενῷ, εἰς ὃν οὐκ ἦν ἐκκλῖναι δεξιὰν ἢ ἀριστεράν.

27And when the ass saw the angel of God, she † lay down under Balaam; and Balaam was angry, and struck the ass with his staff.Καὶ ἰδοῦσα ἡ ὄνος τὸν ἄγγελον τοῦ Θεοῦ, συνεκάθισεν ὑποκάτω Βαλαάμ· καὶ ἐθυμώθη Βαλαὰμ, καὶ ἔτυπτε τὴν ὄνον τῇ ῥάβδῳ.

28And God opened the mouth of the ass, and she says to Balaam, What have I done to you, that you have struck me this third time?Καὶ ἤνοιξεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ στόμα τῆς ὄνου, καὶ λέγει τῷ Βαλαὰμ, τί ἐποίησά σοι, ὅτι πέπαικάς με τρίτον τοῦτο;

29And Balaam said to the ass, Because you have mocked me; and if I had had a sword in my hand, I would now have killed you.Καὶ εἶπε Βαλαὰμ τῇ ὄνῳ, ὅτι ἐμπέπαιχάς μοι, καὶ εἰ εἶχον μάχαιραν ἐν τῇ χειρὶ ἤδη ἂν ἐξεκέντησά σε.

30And the ass says to Balaam, Am not I your ass on which you have ridden since your youth till this day? did I ever do thus to you, utterly disregarding you? and he said, No.Καὶ λέγει ἡ ὄνος τῷ Βαλαὰμ, οὐκ ἐγὼ ἡ ὄνος σου ἐφʼ ἧς ἐπέβαινες ἀπὸ νεότητός σου, ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας; μὴ ὑπεροράσει ὑπεριδούσα ἐποίησά σοι οὕτως; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν, οὐχί.

31And God opened the eyes of Balaam, and he sees the angel of the Lord withstanding him in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, and he stooped down and worshipped on his face.Ἀπεκάλυψε δὲ ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς Βαλαὰμ, καὶ ὁρᾷ τὸν ἄγγελον Κυρίου ἀνθεστηκότα ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, καὶ τὴν μάχαιραν ἐσπασμένην ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ κύψας προσεκύνησε τῷ προσώπῳ αὐτοῦ.

32And the angel of God said to him, Why have you struck your ass this third time? and, behold, I came out to withstand you, for your way was not seemly before me; and when the ass saw me, she turned away from me this third time.Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ, διατί ἐπάταξας τὴν ὄνον σου τοῦτο τρίτον; καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐξῆλθον εἰς διαβολήν σου, ὅτι οὐκ ἀστεία ἡ ὁδός σου ἐναντίον μου, καὶ ἰδοῦσά με ἡ ὄνος, ἐξέκλινεν ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ τρίτον τοῦτο.

33And if she had not turned out of the way, surely now, I should have slain you, and should have saved her alive.Καὶ εἰ μὴ ἐξέκλινεν, νῦν οὖν σὲ μὲν ἀπέκτεινα, ἐκείνην δʼ ἂν περιεποιησάμην.

34And Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing opposite in the way to meet me; and now if it shall not be pleasing to you for me to go on, I will return.Καὶ εἶπε Βαλαὰμ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ Κυρίου, ἡμάρτηκα, οὐ γὰρ ἠπιστάμην ὅτι σύ μοι ἀνθέστηκας ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ εἰς συνάντησιν· καὶ νῦν εἰ μή σοι ἀρκέσει, ἀποστραφήσομαι.

35And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, Go with the men: nevertheless the word which I shall speak to you, that you shall take heed to speak. And Balaam went with the princes of Balac.Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ πρὸς Βαλαὰμ, συμπορεύθητι μετὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων· πλὴν τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ ἐὰν εἴπω πρὸς σὲ, τοῦτο φυλάξῃ λαλῆσαι. Καὶ ἐπορεύθη Βαλαὰμ μετὰ τῶν ἀρχόντων Βαλάκ.

36And when Balac heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him, to a city of Moab, which is on the borders of Arnon, which is on the extreme part of the borders.Καὶ ἀκούσας Βαλὰκ ὅτι ἥκει Βαλαὰμ, ἐξῆλθεν εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτῷ, εἰς πόλιν Μωάβ, ἥ ἐστιν ἐπὶ τῶν ὁρίων Ἀρνῶν, ἥ ἐστιν ἐκ μέρους τῶν ὁρίων.

37And Balac said to Balaam, Did I not send to you to call you? why have you not come to me? shall I not indeed be able to honor you?Καὶ εἶπε Βαλὰκ πρὸς Βαλαὰμ, οὐχὶ ἀπέστειλα πρὸς σὲ καλέσαι σε; διατί οὐκ ἤρχου πρὸς μέ; ὄντως οὐ δυνήσομαι τιμῆσαί σε;

38And Balaam said to Balac, Behold, I am now come to you: shall I be able to say anything? the word which God shall put into my mouth, that I shall speak.Καὶ εἶπε Βαλαὰμ πρὸς Βαλὰκ, ἰδοὺ ἥκω πρὸς σὲ νῦν· δυνατὸς ἔσομαι λαλῆσαί τι; τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ ἐὰν ἐμβάλῃ ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τὸ στόμα μου, τοῦτο λαλήσω.

39And Balaam went with Balac, and they came to ‡ the cities of streets.Καὶ ἐπορεύθη Βαλαὰμ μετὰ Βαλὰκ, καὶ ἦλθον εἰς πόλεις ἐπαύλεων.

40And Balac offered sheep and calves, and sent to Balaam and to his princes who were with him.Καὶ ἔθυσε Βαλὰκ πρόβατα καὶ μόσχους, καὶ ἀπέστειλε τῷ Βαλαὰμ καὶ τοῖς ἄρχουσι τοῖς μετʼ αὐτοῦ.

41And it was morning; and Balac took Balaam, and brought him up to the pillar of Baal, and showed him thence a part of the people.Καὶ ἐγενήθη πρωΐ· καὶ παραλαβὼν Βαλὰκ τὸν Βαλαάμ, ἀνεβίβασεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν στήλην τοῦ Βαὰλ, καὶ ἔδειξεν αὐτῷ ἐκεῖθεν μέρος τι τοῦ λαοῦ.

Translator's Notes

These notes come from the printed edition of Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), and record where the Greek differs from the English rendering or admits more than one reading.

• v. 3*q. d. because of hebraism.
• v. 27†Gr. sat down.
• v. 39‡Or, cities of villages. Heb.