16From there they marched to Beer, the well where the LORD said to Moses, "Gather the people, and I'll give them water."17Then the Israelites sang this song:
"Well, flow up!
Sing about it!
18The well that the officials dug,
that the officials of the people hollowed out
with the ruler's scepter and their staffs."
They marched from the desert to Mattanah; 19from Mattanah to Nahaliel; from Nahaliel to Bamoth; 20from Bamoth to the valley in the Moabite countryside, to the top of Pisgah overlooking Jeshimon.g
Wars against Sihon and Og
21Then the Israelites sent messengers to Sihon the Amorite king: 22"Let us pass through your land. We won't turn aside into a field or vineyard. We won't drink water from a well. We will walk on the King's Highway until we cross your border."
23But Sihon wouldn't allow the Israelites to cross his border. Sihon gathered all his people and went out to meet the Israelites in the desert. When he came to Jahaz, he attacked the Israelites. 24The Israelites struck him down with their swords and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the Ammonites, for the border of the Ammonites was fortified. 25The Israelites took all these cities. Then the Israelites settled in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon and all its villages.
26Now Heshbon was the city of Sihon the Amorite king who had fought against the former king of Moab. He had taken all his land from him as far as the Arnon. 27Therefore, the poets say:
"Come to Heshbon, let it be built.
Let the city of Sihon be established.
28Fire went out from Heshbon,
flame from Sihon's city.
It consumed Ar of Moab
and swallowed up the shrines of the Arnon.
29You are doomed, Moab!
You are destroyed, people of Chemosh!
He gave his sons as fugitives,
and his daughters as captives
to the Amorite king Sihon.
30Yet we have thrown them down,
destroying themh
from Heshbon to Dibon.
We brought ruin until Nophah,
which is by Medeba."
31Israel settled in the land of the Amorites. 32Moses sent spies to Jazer. They captured its villages and took possession of the Amorites who were there. 33Then they turned and ascended the road of Bashan. Og, Bashan's king, came out at Edrei to meet them in battle, he and all his people. 34The LORD said to Moses: Don't be afraid of him, for I have handed over all his people and his land. Do to him as you did to Sihon the Amorite king who ruled in Heshbon.
35They slaughtered Og, his sons, and all his people until there were no survivors. Then they took possession of his land.
Balak summons Balaam to curse the Israelites
Numbers 22The Israelites marched and camped in the plains of Moab across the Jordan from Jericho. 2Balak, Zippor's son, saw everything that the Israelites did to the Amorites. 3The Moabites greatly feared the people, for they were so numerous. The Moabites were terrified of the Israelites. 4The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, "Now this assembly will devour everything around us, as an ox eats up the grass in the field."
Balak, Zippor's son, was king of Moab at that time. 5He sent messengers to Balaam, Beor's son, at Pethor, which is by the river in the land of his people,i to summon him: "A people has come out of Egypt, and they have now covered the land. They have settled next to me. 6Now please come and curse this people for me because they are stronger than I am. Perhaps I'll be able to destroy them and drive them from the land, for I know that whomever you bless is blessed and whomever you curse is cursed."
7So the elders of Moab and Midian went with the payment for divination in their hands. They came to Balaam and told him Balak's words. 8He said to them, "Spend the night here and I'll bring back to you a word exactly as the LORD speaks to me." So the officials of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9God came to Balaam and said, "Who are these men with you?"
10Balaam said to God, "Moab's King Balak, Zippor's son, sent them to me with the message,11'A people has come out of Egypt and covered the land. Now come and curse them for me. Perhaps I'll be able to fight against them and drive them out.'"
12God said to Balaam, "Don't go with them. Don't curse the people, because they are blessed."
13Then Balaam arose in the morning and said to Balak's officials, "Go to your land, for the LORD has refused to allow me to go with you."
14The officials of Moab arose, they went to Balak, and they said, "Balaam refused to come with us."
15Balak continued to send other officials more numerous and important than these. 16They came to Balaam and said to him, "This is what Balak, Zippor's son, says: 'Please let nothing hold you back from coming to me,17for I'll greatly honor you and I'll do anything you ask of me. Please come and curse this people for me.'"
18Balaam answered and said to Balak's servants, "If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I wouldn't be able to do anything, small or great, to break the command of the LORD my God. 19Now you also must remain the night here so that I may know what else the LORD may say to me."
20God came to Balaam in the night and said to him, "If the men have come to summon you, arise and go with them. But you must do only what I tell you to do."21So Balaam arose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the officials of Moab.
Balaam and the LORD's messenger
22Then God became angry because he went. So while he was riding on his donkey accompanied by his two servants, the LORD's messenger stood in the road as his adversary. 23The donkey saw the LORD's messenger standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, so the donkey turned from the road and went into the field. Balaam struck the donkey in order to turn him back onto the road. 24Then the LORD's messenger stood in the narrow path between vineyards with a stone wall on each side. 25When the donkey saw the LORD's messenger, it leaned against the wall and squeezed Balaam's foot against the wall, so he continued to beat it. 26The LORD's messenger persisted and crossed over and stood in a narrow place, where it wasn't possible to turn either right or left. 27The donkey saw the LORD's messenger and lay down underneath Balaam. Balaam became angry and beat the donkey with the rod. 28Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth and it said to Balaam, "What have I done to you that you've beaten me these three times?"
29Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you've tormented me. If I had a sword in my hand, I'd kill you now."
30The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey, on whom you've often ridden to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?"
Balaam said, "No."
31Then the LORD uncovered Balaam's eyes, and Balaam saw the LORD's messenger standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand. Then he bowed low and worshipped. 32The LORD's messenger said to him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I've come out here as an adversary, because you took the road recklessly in front of me. 33The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it hadn't turned away from me, I would just now have