Study Desk

And from there they traveled on and set up their tents on the other side of the Arnon. It is in the desert that goes out from the land of the Amorites. For the Arnon is the side of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.

Then Israel killed Sihon with the sword. They took his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the people of Ammon. For Jazer was the side of the land of the Ammonites.

For Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites. He had fought against the man who was once the king of Moab, and had taken all his land as far as the Arnon.

For a fire went out from Heshbon, fire from the city of Sihon. It burned up Ar of Moab, and the lords of the high places of the Arnon.

It is bad for you, O Moab! You are destroyed, O people of Chemosh! His sons run for their lives. His daughters have been taken against their will by an Amorite king, Sihon.

But the Lord said to Moses, "Do not be afraid of him. For I have given him into your hand, with all his people and his land. Do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites who lived at Heshbon."

So Moab was filled with much fear because of the people, for they were many. Moab was very afraid of the people of Israel.

Now come, I beg you. Curse this people for me, because they are too strong for me. Then I may be able to win the battle against them and send them out of the land. For I know that good will come to the one you pray for, and trouble will come to the one you curse."

So the leaders of Moab and the leaders of Midian left with the pay in their hand for the one who tells what will happen in the future. When they came to Balaam, they told him Balak's words.

‘See, the people who came out of Egypt cover the land. Now come, curse them for me. Then I may be able to fight against them and send them away.'"

God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. Do not curse the people, for I have decided that good would come to them."

So Balaam got up in the morning and said to Balak's leaders, "Return to your land. For the Lord will not let me go with you."

I will give you much honor. I will do whatever you tell me. I beg you to come and curse these people for me.'"

But the donkey saw me and turned from me these three times. If she had not turned from me, for sure I would have killed you, and let her live."

Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, "I have sinned. For I did not know that you were standing in the way against me. But now, if it does not please you, I will turn back."

Then Balaam said to Balak, "Build seven altars here for me. And make ready seven bulls and seven rams for me here."

Balaam began speaking and said, "Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram, from the mountains of the east. ‘Come, curse Jacob for me,' he said. ‘Come, say that Israel should be punished!'

Balak said to him, "I beg you, come with me to another place from where you will see them. But you will only see a part of them and not all of them. Curse them for me from there."

God is not a man, that He should lie. He is not a son of man, that He should be sorry for what He has said. Has He said, and will He not do it? Has He spoken, and will He not keep His Word?

God brings them out of Egypt. He is for them like the horns of the wild bull.