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Balak Summons Balaam
22:1 And the children of Israel set forward, and
pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by
Jericho.
22:2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had
done to the Amorites.
22:3 And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they
were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children
of Israel.
22:4 And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall
this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox
licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of
Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.
22:5 He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of
Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the
children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there
is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face
of the earth, and they abide over against me:
22:6 Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people;
for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall
prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them
out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is
blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.
22:7 And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian
departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and
they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.
22:8 And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I
will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me:
and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
22:9 And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these
with thee?
22:10 And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor,
king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,
22:11 Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which
covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them;
peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive
them out.
22:12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with
them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.
22:13 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the
princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD
refuseth to give me leave to go with you.
22:14 And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto
Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.
22:15 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more
honorable than they.
22:16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith
Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder
thee from coming unto me:
22:17 For I will promote thee unto very great honor, and I
will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I
pray thee, curse me this people.
22:18 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 LORD my God, to do
less or more.
22:19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this
night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.
22:20 And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him,
If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but
yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou
do.
Balaam’s Donkey
22:21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled
his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
22:22 And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the
angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against
him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants
were with him.
22:23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the
way, and 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.
22:24 But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the
vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that
side.
22:25 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she
thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot
against the wall: and he smote her again.
22:26 And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in
a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right
hand or to the left.
22:27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell
down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he
smote the ass with a staff.
22:28 And the LORD 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?
22:29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast
mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now
would I kill thee.
22:30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass,
upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this
day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.
22:31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw
the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword
drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat
on his face.
22:32 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore
hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I
went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse
before me:
22:33 And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three
times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had
slain thee, and saved her alive.
22:34 And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, 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
again.
22:35 And the angel of the LORD 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.
22:36 And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went
out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border
of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.
22:37 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 honor?
22:38 And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee:
have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that
God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.
22:39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto
Kirjathhuzoth.
22:40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam,
and to the princes that were with him.
22:41 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took
Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal,
that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.
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Cults 
Why Did God Permit Sin?
