recipitated and they become as clear as crystal, with an
intensely green tint.
[End illustration]

{259}

And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak,
"Get you into your land: for the Lord refuseth to give me leave to go
with you."

And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said,
"Balaam refuseth to come with us."

And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they.
And they came to Balaam, and said to him, "Thus saith Balak the son of
Zippor, 'Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:
for I will promote thee unto very great honor, and whatsoever thou
sayest unto me I will do: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this
people.'"

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, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will
speak unto me more."

And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, "If the men be
come to call thee, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I
speak unto thee, that shalt thou do."

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 placed himself 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,
with his sword drawn in his hand: {260} 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.

Then the angel of the Lord stood in a hollow place between the
vineyards, a fence being on this side, and a fence on that side. And
the ass saw the angel of the Lord, and 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 the ass saw the angel of the Lord, and she lay down under Balaam:
and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with his staff.

And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam,
"What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three
times?"

And Balaam said unto the ass, "Because thou hast m