15. Again, he sent many more persons, and these were more noble than those he had sent before.
16. And when these had come to Balaam, they said: "So says Balak, the son of Zippor. Do not hesitate to come to me.
17. For I am ready to honor you, and whatever you would want, I shall give to you. Come and curse this people."
18. Balaam responded: "Even if Balak were to give to me his own house, filled with silver and gold, I still would not be able to change the word of the Lord my God, neither to say more, nor to say less.
19. I beg you to remain for this night also, so that I may know what the Lord will answer me again."
20. Therefore, God came to Balaam in the night, and said to him: "If these men have arrived to call you, then rise up and go with them; yet only in so far as you shall do what I will command you."
21. Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddling his donkey, he set out with them.
22. And God was angry. And an Angel of the Lord stood in the way opposite Balaam, who was sitting on the donkey, and he had two servants with him.
23. The donkey, discerning that the Angel was standing in the way with a drawn sword, turned herself from the road and went through a field. And when Balaam beat her and intended to return her to the path,
24. the Angel stood in a narrow place between the two walls, with which the vineyards were enclosed.
25. And the donkey, seeing this, drew herself close to the wall and scraped the foot of the rider. So he beat her again.
26. And, nevertheless, the Angel passing on to a narrow place, where one would not be able to deviate either to the right or to the left, stood to meet him.
27. And when the donkey had seen the Angel standing there, she fell under the feet of the rider, who, being angry, struck her sides more vehemently with a club.
28. And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said: "What have I done to you? Why do strike you me, behold now, for the third time?"
29. Balaam responded, "Because you have deserved it, and you have mistreated me. If only I had a sword, so that I might pierce you."