Numbers · Chapter 22

[ edit] And þei goon forþe, ſettiden tentes in þe wijlde feeldes of Moab, where biȝonde Jordan Jericho is ſet. Seynge forſoþe Balach, þe ſone of Sophor, alle þinges þat Yrael dide to Amorrei, and þat Moabites dredden hym, and þe feerſnes of hym þei myȝten not bere, he ſeide to þe more þurȝ birþe of Madian, So þis puple ſhal doo awey alle þat in oure cooſtis dwellen, what maner is woned an oxe to take eerbe vnto þe rotys. He forſoþe was kyng þat tyme in Moab.

Þanne he ſente meſſangers to Balaam, þe ſone of Beor, dyuynour, þat dwelled vpon þe flood of þe loond of þe ſones of Amon, þat þei myȝten clepe hym, and ſeye, Loo! a peple is goon out of Egipte, þat couereþ þe vttermooſt of þe erþe, ſittynge aȝens me. Com þerfore, and curs to þis puple, for it is ſtrenger þan I, if eny maner Y may ſmyte, and þrowe hym out of my loond; Y haue knowun forſoþe, þat he is bliſſid to whom þow bliſſiſt, and curſid in whom þow caſtiſt curſyngis.

Þe aldren of Moab and þe more þurȝ birþe of Madian wenten forþe, hauynge prijs of þe dyuynynge in þe hoondes; and whanne þei weren comen to Balaam, and hadden toold alle þe wordes of Balach, he anſwerde, Dwelle ȝe here þe nyȝt, and Y ſhal anſwere what þing ſhal ſeie to me þe Lord. Hem forſoþe dwellynge anentis Balaam, cam God, and ſeide to hym, What to hem wolen þes men anent þee? He anſwerde, Balac, þe ſone of Sephor, kynge of Moabites, ſente to me, ſeynge, Loo! þe puple þat is goon out of Egipte couereþ þe vttermoſt of þe loond; come, and curſe to hem, if eny maner Y fiȝtynge may dryue hem out. And God ſeide to Balaam, Wol þow not goo wiþ hem, ne curs þow to þe puple, for it is bliſſid.

Þe which eerli aryſynge, ſeide to þe prynces, Goo ȝe into ȝoure loond, for God haþ defended me to come wiþ ȝow. Þe princes, turned aȝen, ſeiden to Balac, Balaam wold not come wiþ vs. Eftſones he many mo, and nobler þan he bifore hadde ſent, ſende; þe whiche whanne þei weren comen to Balaam, ſeiden, Þus ſeiþ Balac, þe ſone of Sephor, And tary þow not to come to me, redi to worſhipe þee; and what euere þow wolt, Y ſhal ȝyue to þee; com, and curs to þis puple. Balaam anſwerde, If Balac ȝyue to me his hows ful of ſiluer and of gold, Y ſhal not mowe chaunge þe word of my God, þat oþer more or laſſe I ſpeke.

Y biſeche, þat here ȝe dwellen alſo in þis nyȝt, þat Y may wite what to me eft þe Lord anſweriþ. Þanne þe Lord cam to Balaam þe nyȝt, and ſeiþ to hym, If þes men comen to clepe þee, aryſe, and go wiþ hem, ſo oonly þat þat Y comaunde to þee, þow doo. Balaam roos eerlich, and maad redy þe ſhee aſſe, wente forþe wiþ hem. And God is wrooþ. And an aungel of þe Lord ſtood in þe weye aȝens Balaam, þat ſatt to þe aſſe, and two children wiþ hym he hadde. Þe aſſe biholdynge an aungel ſtondynge in þe weye, wiþ a ſwerd drawun out, turnede hir out of þe weie, and wente bi þe feelde.

Þe which whanne Balaam bette, and wold lede aȝen to þe paþ, þe aungel ſtood in þe narwenes of two ſtonen wallis, to þe whiche vynes weren boundun. Whom ſeynge, þe aſſe ioynede hym ſilf to þe wal, and briſide þe foot of þe ſitter; and he eftſones bette. And neuerþelater þe aungel to a ſtreyt place goynge, where noþer at þe riȝt ne at þe left myȝt goon out of þe weie, metynge ſtood. And whanne þe aſſe hadde ſeen þe aungel ſtondynge, ſhe felle down vndir þe feet of þe ſitter, þe which more hydowſly wrooþ, bette wiþ a ſtaf þe ſides of hir. And þe Lord openyde þe mouþ of þe aſſe, and ſhe ſpak, What haue I doo to þee? whi ſmytiſt þow me, loo! now þe þridde tyme?

Balaam anſwerde, For þou haſt deſeruyde, and bigilide me; wold God Y hadde a ſwerd, þat I myȝte ſmyte þee. And þe aſſe ſeide, Wheþir Y am not þi beeſte, to þe which euermore þow were wont to ſitte vnto þe day þat is now? ſey, what þing lijk euer Y dide to þee? And he ſeiþ, Neuer. Anoon þe Lord openyde þe eyen of Balaam, and he ſeeȝ an aungel ſtondynge in þe weie, holdynge a drawun ſwerd in þe hoond; and he lowtide hym redi to þe erþe. To whom þe aungel, Whi, he ſeiþ, þries þow haſt bette þin aſſe?

Y am comen, þat I be aduerſarie to þee, for ſhrewid is þi weie, and contrarie to me; and but þe aſſe hadde bowide fro þe weye, ȝyuynge ſtede to þe wiþſtonder, þee I hadde ſlayn, and ſhe ſhulde haue lyued. And Balaam ſeide, I haue ſynned, vnwitynge þat þow ſtood aȝens me; and now, if it diſpleſe to þee þat Y goo, Y ſhal turne aȝen. Þe aungel ſeiþ, Go wiþ þeſe, but be war leſt eny oþer þing þan Y comaunde to þee þow ſpeke. He wente þanne wiþ þe prynces. Þe which þing whanne Balac hadde herde, he wente out into aȝenmetynge of hym, in þe wallid town of Moabitis, þat is ſett in þe vttermooſt cooſtis of Arnon.

And he ſeide to Balaam, Y haue ſent meſſangeris, þat I clepe þee; whi anoon come þow not to me? wheþer for I miȝte not ȝeelde mede to þi comynge? To whom he anſwerde, Loo! I am nyȝ, wheþer oþir þing Y may ſpeke but þat God ſhal putte in my mouþ? Þanne þei wenten forþe togidre, and camen into þe cytee, þat was in þe vttermooſt cooſt of his kyngdom. And whanne Balac hadde ſlayn ſheep and oxen, he ſente to Balaam and þe prynces þat wiþ hym weren, ȝiftis. Morwnynge forſoþe doon, he ladde hym to hye þingis of Baal, and he beheelde þe vttermooſt part of þe puple.