ocked me: I would
there were a sword in mine hand, for now I had killed thee."

And the ass said unto Balaam, "Am not I thine ass, upon which thou
hast ridden all thy life long unto this day? was I ever wont to do so
unto thee?"

And he said, "No."

Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the
Lord standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand: and he
bowed his head, and fell on his face.

And the angel of the Lord said unto him, "Wherefore {261} hast thou
smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I am come forth for an
adversary, because thy way is perverse before me: and the ass saw me,
and turned aside before me these three times: unless she had turned
aside from me, surely now I had even slain thee, and saved her alive."

And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, "I have sinned; for I knew
not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it
displease thee, 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 thee, that thou shalt speak."

So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. And when Balak heard that
Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto the city of Moab, which
is on the border of Arnon.

And Balak said unto Balaam, "Did I not earnestly send unto thee to
call thee? wherefore earnest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to
promote thee to honor?"

And Balaam said unto Balak, "Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any
power at all to speak anything? the word that God putteth in my mouth,
that shall I speak."

And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kiriath-huzoth. And
Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the
princes that were with him. And it came to pass in the morning, that
Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of {262}
Baal, and he saw from thence the utmost part of the people.

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 spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on
every altar a bullock and a ram.

And Balaam said unto Balak, "Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will
go; peradventure the Lord will come to meet me: and whatsoever he
showeth me I will tell thee." And he went to a bare summit.

And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, "I have prepared the seven
altars, and I have offered up a bullock and a ram on every a