¹The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.

¹Derefter brød Israelitterne op derfra og slog Lejer på Moabs Sletter hinsides Jordan over for Jeriko.

²Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

²Da Balak, Zippors Søn, så alt, hvad Israel havde gjort ved Amoriterne,

³Moab was very afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

³grebes Moab af Rædsel for Folket, fordi det var så talrigt, og Moab gruede for Israelitterne.

⁴Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this multitude will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.

⁴Da sagde Moab til Midjaniternes Ældste: "Nu vil denne Menneskemasse opæde alt, hvad der er rundt omkring os, som Okserne opæder Græsset på Marken!" På den Tid var Balak, Zippors Søn, Konge over Moab.

⁵He sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, “Behold, there is a people who came out from Egypt. Behold, they cover the surface of the earth, and they are staying opposite me.

⁵Han sendte nu Sendebud til Bileam, Beors Søn, i Petor, der ligger ved Floden, til Ammoniternes Land, og bad ham komme til sig, idet han lod sige: "Se, et Folk er udvandret fra Ægypten; se, det har oversvømmet Landet og slået sig ned lige over for mig.

⁶Please come now therefore curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: perhaps I shall prevail, that we may strike 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.”

⁶Kom nu og forband mig det Folk, thi det er mig for mægtigt: måske jeg da kan slå det og jage det ud af Landet. Thi jeg ved, at den, du velsigner, er velsignet, og den, du forbander, forbandet!"

⁷The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.

⁷Da gav Moabs og Midjans Ældste sig på Vej, forsynede med Spåmandsløn, og da de kom til Bileam, overbragte de ham Balaks Ord.

⁸He said to them, “Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as Yahweh shall speak to me.” The princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

⁸Han sagde til dem: "Bliv her Natten over, så skal jeg give eder Svar, efter som HERREN vil tale til mig!" Moabs Høvdinger blev da hos Bileam.

⁹God came to Balaam, and said, “Who are these men with you?”

⁹Men Gud kom til Bileam og spurgte: "Hvem er de Mænd, som er hos dig?"

¹⁰Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has said to me,

¹⁰Men Bileam svarede Gud: "Zippors Søn, Kong Balak af Moab, har sendt mig det Bud:

¹¹‘Behold, the people that has come out of Egypt, it covers the surface of the earth: now, come curse me them; perhaps I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.’”

¹¹Se, et Folk er udvandret fra Ægypten og har oversvømmet Landet! Kom nu og forband mig det, måske jeg da kan overvinde det og jage det bort!"

¹²God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people; for they are blessed.”

¹²Men Gud sagde til Bileam: "Du må ikke gå med dem, du må ikke forbande det Folk, thi det er velsignet!"

¹³Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land; for Yahweh refuses to permit me to go with you.”

¹³Næste Morgen stod Bileam op og sagde til Balaks Høvdinger: "Vend tilbage til eders Land, thi HERREN vægrer sig ved at give mig Tilladelse til at følge med eder!"

¹⁴The princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

¹⁴Da brød Moabs Høvdinger op, og de kom til Balak og meldte: "Bileam vægrede sig ved at følge med os!"

¹⁵Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they.

¹⁵Men Balak sendte på ny Høvdinger af Sted, flere og mere ansete end de forrige;

¹⁶They came to Balaam, and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me:

¹⁶og de kom til Bileam og sagde til ham: "Således siger Balak, Zippors Søn: Undslå dig ikke for at komme til mig!

¹⁷for I will promote you to very great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Please come therefore, and curse this people for me.’”

¹⁷Jeg vil lønne dig rigeligt og gøre alt, hvad du kræver af mig. Kom nu og forband mig det Folk!"

¹⁸Balaam answered the servants of Balak, “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond the word of Yahweh my God, to do less or more.

¹⁸Men Bileam svarede Balaks Folk: "Om Balak så giver mig alt det Sølv og Guld, han har i sit Hus, formår jeg dog hverken at gøre lidt eller meget imod HERREN min Guds Befaling;

¹⁹Now therefore, please wait also here this night, that I may know what Yahweh will speak to me more.”

¹⁹bliv derfor også I her Natten over, for at jeg kan få at vide, hvad HERREN yderligere vil tale til mig!"

²⁰God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak to you, that you shall do.”

²⁰Da kom Gud om Natten til Bileam og sagde til ham: "Er disse Mænd kommet til dig for at hente dig, så følg med dem; men du må ikke gøre andet, end hvad jeg siger dig!"

²¹Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

²¹Så stod Bileam op næste Morgen og sadlede sit Æsel og fulgte med Moabs Høvdinger.

²²God’s anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of Yahweh placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

²²Men Guds Vrede blussede op, fordi han fulgte med, og HERRENs Engel stillede sig på Vejen for at stå ham imod, da han kom ridende på sit Æsel fulgt af sine to Tjenere.

²³The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the way.

²³Da nu Æselet så HERRENs Engel stå på Vejen med draget Sværd i Hånden, veg det ud fra Vejen og gik ind på Marken; men Bileam slog Æselet for at tvinge det tilbage på Vejen.

²⁴Then the angel of Yahweh stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.

²⁴Da stillede HERRENs Engel sig i Hulvejen mellem Vingårdene, hvor der var Mure på begge Sider;

²⁵The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, and she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he struck her again.

²⁵og da Æselet så HERRENs Engel, trykkede det sig op til Muren, så det trykkede Bileams Fod op mod Muren, og han gav sig atter til at slå det.

²⁶The angel of Yahweh went further, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

²⁶HERRENs Engel gik nu længere frem og stillede sig i en Snævring, hvor det ikke var muligt at komme til Siden, hverken til højre eller venstre.

²⁷The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, and she lay down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

²⁷Da Æselet så HERRENs Engel, lagde det sig ned med Bileam. Da blussede Bileams Vrede op, og han gav sig til at slå Æselet med Stokken.

²⁸Yahweh opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”

²⁸Men HERREN åbnede Æselets Mund, og det sagde til Bileam: "Hvad har jeg gjort dig, siden du nu har slået mig tre Gange?"

²⁹Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have mocked me, I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would have killed you.”

²⁹Bileam svarede Æselet: "Du har drillet mig; havde jeg haft et Sværd i Hånden, havde jeg slået dig ihjel!"

³⁰The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Was I ever in the habit of doing so to you?” He said, “No.”

³⁰Men Æselet sagde til Bileam: "Er jeg ikke dit eget Æsel, som du har redet al din Tid indtil i Dag? Har jeg ellers haft for Vane at bære mig således ad over for dig?" Han svarede: "Nej!"

³¹Then Yahweh opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.

³¹Da åbnede HERREN Bileams Øjne, og han så HERRENs Engel stå på Vejen med draget Sværd i Hånden; og han bøjede sig og kastede sig ned på sit Ansigt.

³²The angel of Yahweh said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come forth as an adversary, because your way is perverse before me:

³²Men HERRENs Engel sagde til ham: "Hvorfor slog du dit Æsel de tre Gange? Se, jeg er gået ud for at stå dig imod, thi du handlede overilet ved at rejse imod min Vilje.

³³and the donkey saw me, and turned aside before me these three times. Unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I would have killed you, and saved her alive.”

³³Æselet så mig og veg tre Gange til Side for mig; og var det ikke veget til Side for mig, havde jeg slået dig ihjel, men skånet dets Liv!"

³⁴Balaam said to the angel of Yahweh, “I have sinned; for I didn’t know that you stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases you, I will go back again.”

³⁴Da sagde Bileam til HERRENs Engel: "Jeg har syndet, jeg vidste jo ikke, at det var dig, der trådte i Vejen for mig. Men hvis det er dig imod, vil jeg atter vende tilbage."

³⁵The angel of Yahweh said to Balaam, “Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak to you, that you shall speak.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

³⁵HERRENs Engel sagde til Bileam: "Følg blot med disse Mænd, men du må kun sige de Ord, jeg siger dig!" Så fulgte Bileam med Balaks Høvdinger.

³⁶When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.

³⁶Da Balak nu hørte, at Bileam var undervejs, gik han ham i Møde til Ar Moab ved den Grænse, Arnon danner, den yderste Grænse.

³⁷Balak said to Balaam, “Didn’t I earnestly send to you to call you? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?”

³⁷Og Balak sagde til Bileam: "Sendte jeg dig ikke Bud og bad dig komme? Hvorfor kom du da ikke til mig? Skulde jeg virkelig være ude af Stand til at lønne dig?"

³⁸Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you: have I now any power at all to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.”

³⁸Bileam sagde til Balak: "Se, nu er jeg kommet til dig; men mon det står i min Magt at sige noget? Det Ord, Gud lægger mig i Munden, må jeg tale!"

³⁹Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth.

³⁹Da fulgte Bileam med Balak, og de kom til Hirjat Huzot.

⁴⁰Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him.

⁴⁰Balak ofrede her Hornkvæg og Småkvæg og sendte noget til Bileam og Høvdingerne, der var hos ham.

⁴¹It happened in the morning, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw from there the utmost part of the people.

⁴¹Næste Morgen tog Balak Bileam med sig og førte ham op til Bamot Bål, hvorfra han kunde øjne den yderste Del af Folket.