15. Then sent Balak yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.
16. And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: Suffer not thyself, I pray thee, to be restrained from coming to me;
17. for very highly will I honour thee, and whatever thou shalt say to me will I do; come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.
18. And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, If Balak give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the commandment of Jehovah my God to do less or more.
19. And now, I pray you, abide ye also here this night, and I shall know what Jehovah will say to me further.
20. Then God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, If the men have come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but only what I shall say unto thee shalt thou do.
21. And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
22. And God's anger was kindled because he went; and the Angel of Jehovah set himself in the way to withstand him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two young men were with him.
23. And the ass saw the Angel of Jehovah 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.
24. And the Angel of Jehovah stood in a hollow of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
25. And the ass saw the Angel of Jehovah, and she pressed herself against the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall; and he smote her again.
26. Then the Angel of Jehovah went still further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
27. And the ass saw the Angel of Jehovah, and lay down under Balaam; and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with his staff.
28. And Jehovah opened the mouth of the ass, and she said to Balaam, What have I done to thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
29. And Balaam said to the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in my hand, for now would I kill thee!
30. And the ass said to Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine to this day? was I ever wont to do so to thee? And he said, No.