Page:JPS-1917-Universal.djvu/213

Rh thee unto very great honour, and whatsoever thou sayest unto me I will do; come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.' 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 the my God, to do any thing, small or great. Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the will speak unto me more.' And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him: 'If the men are come to call thee, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak unto thee, that shalt thou do.' And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. And God's anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of the placed himself in the way for an adversary against him.— Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.— And the ass saw the angel of the  standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; 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. Then the angel of the stood in a hollow way between the vineyards, a fence being on this side, and a fence on that side. And the ass saw the angel of the, and she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall; and he smote her again. And the angel of the went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. And the ass saw the angel of the, and she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with his staff. And the opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam: 'What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?' And Balaam said unto the ass: 'Because thou hast mocked me; I would there were a sword in my hand, for now I had killed thee.' And the ass said unto Balaam: 'Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden all thy life long unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee?' And he said: 'Nay.' Then the opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the  standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face. And the angel of the said unto him: 'Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because thy way is contrary unto me; and the ass saw me, and turned aside before me these three times; unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I had even slain thee, and saved her alive.' And Balaam said unto the angel of the : 'I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me; now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back.' And the angel of the said unto Balaam: 'Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak.' So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto Ir-moab, which is on the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border. And Balak said unto Balaam: 'Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?' And Balaam said unto Balak: