- Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month. And the people stayed in Kadesh. And Miriam died there and was buried there. And there was no water for the congregation, and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. And the people chided with Moses and spoke, saying, Would to God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord. And why have you brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there? And why have you made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? It is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink. And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces; and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them. And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Take the rod and gather the assembly together, you and Aaron your brother, and speak unto the rock before their eyes, and it shall give forth his water. And you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock; so you shall give the congregation and their beasts drink.
- And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, you rebels, must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice, and the water came out abundantly; and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the Lord spoke unto Moses and Aaron, Because you believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. This is the water of Meribah, because the children of Israel quarreled with the Lord, and he was sanctified in them.
- And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom: Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the travail that has befallen us, how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelled in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians vexed us and our fathers. And when we cried unto the Lord, he heard our voice and sent an angel, and has brought us forth out of Egypt. And behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the outermost of your border. Let us pass, I pray you, through your country. We will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells. We will go by the king’s highway. We will not turn to the right hand nor to the left until we have passed your borders.
- And Edom said unto him, You shall not pass by me, lest I come out against you with the sword. And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the highway. And if I and my cattle drink of your water, then I will pay for it. I will only, without doing anything else, go through on my feet. And he said, You shall not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people and with a strong hand. Thus, Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border. Wherefore, Israel turned away from him.
- And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh and came unto Mount Hor. And the Lord spoke unto Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom, saying, Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because you rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah. Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto Mount Hor, and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son. And Aaron shall be gathered unto his people and shall die there. And Moses did as the Lord commanded, and they went up into Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them upon Eleazar his son. And Aaron died there in the top of the mount. And Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount. And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.
- And when king Arad the Canaanite, who dwelled in the south, heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies, then he fought against Israel and took some of them prisoners. And Israel vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If you will indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities. And the Lord listened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites, and they utterly destroyed them and their cities. And he called the name of the place Hormah. And they journeyed from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water, and our soul loathes this light bread.
- And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, and many people of Israel died. Therefore, the people came to Moses and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray unto the Lord that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make a fiery serpent and set it upon a pole. And it shall come to pass that everyone that is bitten, when he looks upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass and put it upon a pole. And it came to pass that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
- And the children of Israel set out, and pitched in Oboth. And they journeyed from Oboth and pitched at Ijeabarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrise. From there they removed, and pitched in the valley of Zered. From there they removed, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, which is in the wilderness that comes out of the borders of the Amorites; for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. Wherefore, it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord: What he did in the Red Sea, and in the brooks of Arnon, and at the stream of the brooks that goes down to the dwelling of Ar, and lies upon the border of Moab. And from there they went to Beer — that is the well whereof the Lord spoke unto Moses, Gather the people together and I will give them water.
- Then Israel sang this song: Spring up, O well, sing unto it. The princes dug the well, the nobles of the people dug it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves.
- And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah; and from Mattanah to Nahaliel; and from Nahaliel to Bamoth; and from Bamoth in the valley that is in the country of Moab to the top of Pisgah, which looks toward Jeshimon.
- And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, Let me pass through your land. We will not turn into the fields or into the vineyards. We will not drink of the waters of the well, but we will go along by the king’s highway until we are past your borders. And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border, but Sihon gathered all his people together and went out against Israel, into the wilderness, and he came to Jahaz and fought against Israel. And Israel smote him with the edge of the 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 Israel dwelled in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon and in all the villages thereof. For 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 speak in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared; for there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon. It has consumed Ar of Moab, and the lords of the high places of Arnon. Woe to you, Moab. You are undone, O people of Chemosh. He has given his sons that escaped, and his daughters, into captivity, unto Sihon king of the Amorites. We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon, and we have laid them waste even unto Nophah, which reaches unto Medeba.
- Thus Israel dwelled in the land of the Amorites. And Moses sent to spy out Jazar, and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there. And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan. And Og the king of Bashan went out against them — he and all his people — to the battle at Edrei. And the Lord said unto Moses, Fear him not, for I have delivered him into your hand, and all his people, and his land; and you shall do to him as you did unto Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelled at Heshbon. So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him alive; and they possessed his land.
- And the children of Israel set out, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side of Jordan, by Jericho. And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. And Moab was sorely afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. 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 opposite me. Come now, therefore, I pray you, curse for me this people, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land. For I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse 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 spoke unto him 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 stayed with Balaam. And God came unto Balaam and said, What men are these with you? And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent unto me, saying, Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt which covers the face of the earth. Come now, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to overcome them and drive them out. And God said unto Balaam, You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed. And Balaam rose up in the morning and said unto the princes of Balak, Depart into your land, for the Lord refuses to give me leave to go with you. And the princes of Moab rose up and they went unto Balak and said, Balaam refused to come with us.
- And Balak sent yet again princes — more, and more distinguished, than they. And they came to Balaam and said to him, Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: Let nothing, I pray you, hinder you from coming unto me; for I will promote you unto very great honor, and I will do whatever you say unto me. Come, therefore, I pray you, curse this people for me. 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. Now, therefore, I pray you, stay also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more. And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call you, rise up if you will go with them; but yet, the word which I shall say unto you shall you speak.
- And Balaam rose up in the morning and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto you that you have smitten me these three times? And Balaam said unto the ass, Because you have mocked me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you. And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I your ass, upon which you have ridden ever since I was yours unto this day? Was I ever accustomed to do so unto you? And he said, Nay.
- 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. And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Why have you smitten your ass these three times? Behold, I went out to withstand you because your way is perverse before me. And the ass saw me and turned from me these three times. Unless she had turned from me, surely now also I would have slain you, and saved her alive. And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned, for I knew not that you stood in the way against me. Now therefore if it displeases you, I will get me back again. And the angel of the Lord said unto Balaam, Go with the men, but only the word that I shall speak unto you, that you shall speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
- And when Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him, unto a city of Moab which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the outermost border. And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto you to call you? Why did you not come unto me? Am I not able indeed to promote you to honor? And Balaam said unto Balak, Behold, I have come unto you; have I now any power at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak. And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kiriath-Huzoth. And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam and to the princes that were with him.
- And it came to pass, on the next day, that Balak took Balaam and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that from there he might see the utmost part of the people. And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams. And Balak did as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram. And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatever he shows me, I will tell you. And he went to a high place. And God met Balaam, and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram. And the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus you shall speak. And he returned unto him, and behold, he stood by his burnt sacrifice — he and all the princes of Moab.
- And he took up his parable and said, Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, defy Israel. How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? Or how shall I defy whom the Lord has not defied? For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him; behold, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his.
- And Balak said unto Balaam, What have you done unto me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them altogether. And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord has put in my mouth? And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray you, with me unto another place, from where you may see them. You shall see but the utmost part of them, and shall not see them all, and curse them for me from there.
- And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar. And he said unto Balak, Stand here by your burnt offering while I meet the Lord over there. And the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak and say thus. And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What has the Lord spoken?
- And he took up his parable and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; listen unto me, you son of Zippor: God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and shall he not do it? Or has he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Behold, I have received commandment to bless, and he has blessed, and I cannot reverse it. He has not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither has he seen perverseness in Israel. The Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them. God brought them out of Egypt; he has the strength as of a re’em. Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel. According to this time, it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What has God wrought! Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion and lift up himself as a young lion; he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey and drink the blood of the slain.
- And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all. But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Did not I tell you, saying, All that the Lord speaks, that I must do? And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray you, I will bring you unto another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me them from there. And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looks toward Jeshimon. And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams. And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.
- And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he went not as at other times to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness. And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling in his tents according to their tribes, and the spirit of God came upon him.
- And he took up his parable and said, Balaam the son of Beor has said, and the man whose eyes are open has said, he has said (who heard the words of God, who saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance but having his eyes open): How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, and your tabernacles, O Israel! As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side, as the trees of lign aloes which the Lord has planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters. He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. God brought him forth out of Egypt; he has the strength as of a re’em. He shall eat up the nations, his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows. He crouched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion, who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesses you, and cursed is he that curses you.
- And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together. And Balak said unto Balaam, I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have altogether blessed them these three times. Therefore, now flee to your place. I thought to promote you unto great honor, but behold, the Lord has kept you back from honor.
- And Balaam said unto Balak, spoke I not also to your messengers whom you sent unto me? — saying, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own mind; but what the Lord says, that will I speak. And now behold, I go unto my people. Come, therefore, and I will advise you what this people shall do to your people in the latter days.
- And he took up his parable and said, Balaam the son of Beor has said, and the man whose eyes are open has said, he has said (who heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the Most High; who saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance but having his eyes open): I shall see him, but not now. I shall behold him, but not near. There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab and destroy all the children of Seth. And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly. Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remains of the city.
- And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable and said, Amalek was the first of the nations, but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.
- And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable and said, Strong is your dwelling place, and you put your nest in a rock. Nevertheless, the Kenite shall be wasted, until Assyria shall carry you away captive.
- And he took up his parable and said, Alas, who shall live when God does this? And ships shall come from the coast of Kittim, and shall afflict Assyria, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.
- And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.
Chapter 10