10 And the children of Israel journeyed, and II pitched in Oboth. And they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched at Iye-abarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the 12 sunrising. From thence they journeyed, and 13 pitched in the valley of Zered. From thence they journeyed, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, which is in the wilderness, that cometh out of the border of the Amorites: for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the 14 Amorites. Wherefore it is said in the book of the Wars of the LORD,

15

Vaheb 'in Suphah,

And the valleys of Arnon,

And the slope of the valleys

That inclineth toward the dwelling of Ar, .
And leaneth upon the border of Moab.

1 Or, in storm

2

well.

16 And from thence they journeyed to Beer: that That is, A is the well whereof the LORD said unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water.

Then sang Israel this song:

Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it:

17

18

The well, which the princes digged,

19

Which the nobles of the people delved,
"With the sceptre, and with their staves.

3 Or, By order of the law

And from the wilderness they journeyed to giver Mattanah: and from Mattanah to Nahaliel: 20 and from Nahaliel to Bamoth: and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the field of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looketh down upon the desert.

21

And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king 22 of the Amorites, saying, Let me pass through thy land: we will not turn aside into field, or into vineyard; we will not drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's high way, until 23 we have passed thy border. And Sihon would

4 Or,

Jeshimon

'Heb. daughters.

2 Or, Bamoth

3 Some ancient authorities have, Fire

not suffer Israel to pass through his border: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness, and came to Jahaz: and he fought against Israel. And Israel smote him with the edge of the 24 sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon was strong. And Israel took all these cities: and 25 Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the 'towns thereof. For 26 Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon. Wherefore they that 27 speak in proverbs say,

Come ye to Heshbon,

Let the city of Sihon be built and established:

For a fire is gone out of Heshbon,

A flame from the city of Sihon :

It hath devoured Ar of Moab,

The lords of 'the high places of Arnon.
Woe to thee, Moab!

Thou art undone, O people of Chemosh :
He hath given his sons as fugitives,

And his daughters into captivity,

Unto Sihon king of the Amorites.

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29

We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished 30

even unto Dibon,

And we have laid waste even unto Nophah,

"Which reacheth unto Medeba.

Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites. 31 reached unto. And Moses sent to spy out Jazer, and they 32 took the towns thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there. And they turned 33 and went up by the way of Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he

34 and all his people, to battle at Edrei. And the LORD said unto Moses, Fear him not: for I have delivered him into thy hand, and all his people, and his land; and thou shalt do to him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, 35 which dwelt at Heshbon. So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him remaining: and they possessed 221 his land. And the children of Israel journeyed, and pitched in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.

2

And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that 3 Israel had done to the Amorites. And Moab

was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab 'was distressed because of the 1Or, abhorred 4 children of Israel. And Moab said unto the

3

elders of Midian, Now shall this multitude lick 2 Heb. the up all that is round about us, as the ox licketh assembly. up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of 5 Zippor was king of Moab at that time. And he sent messengers unto Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to 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 Heb. eye. 6 they abide over against me: 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 know that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he 7 whom thou cursest is cursed. 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 8 the words of Balak. 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. And God came unto Balaam, and said, What 9 men are these with thee? And Balaam said 10 unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying, Behold, the 11 people that is come out of Egypt, it covereth the face of the earth: now, come curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out. And 12 God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed. And Balaam rose up in the morn- 13 ing, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you. And the princes 14 of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us. And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and 15 more honourable than they. And they came to 16 Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: for I will promote 17 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 18 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. Now there- 19 fore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will speak unto me more. And God came unto Balaam at 20 night, and said unto him, If the men be 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 21 saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. And God's anger was kindled because 22

he went and the angel of the LORD placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his 23 two servants were with him. And the ass saw the angel of the LORD 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 24 into the way. Then the angel of the LORD stood in a hollow way between the vineyards, a fence being on this side, and a fence on that 25 side. And the ass saw the angel of the LORD, and she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he 26 smote her again. 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 27 to the left. And the ass saw the angel of the LORD, and she lay down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the 28 ass with his staff. 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? And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for 30 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, 31 Nay. Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand and he bowed his head, and fell on 32 his face. And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because thy way is 'perverse long.

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1 Heb. head