13. And Bil‛am rose in the morning and said to the heads of Balaq, “Go back to your land, for יהוה has refused to allow me to go with you.”
14. And the heads of Mo’aḇ arose and went to Balaq, and said, “Bil‛am refuses to come with us.”
15. Then Balaq again sent heads, more numerous and more esteemed than they.
16. And they came to Bil‛am and said to him, “This is what Balaq son of Tsippor said: ‘Do not be withheld from coming to me, please,
17. for I esteem you very greatly, and whatever you say to me, I do. Therefore please come, curse this people for me.’ ”
18. And Bil‛am answered and said to the servants of Balaq, “Though Balaq were to give me his house filled with silver and gold, I am unable to go beyond the word of יהוה my Elohim, to do less or more.
19. “And now, please, you also stay here tonight, and let me find out what more יהוה says to me.”
20. And Elohim came to Bil‛am at night and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them, but only the word which I speak to you that you do.”
21. And Bil‛am rose in the morning and saddled his donkey, and went with the heads of Mo’aḇ.
22. But the displeasure of Elohim burned because he went, and the Messenger of יהוה stationed Himself in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
23. And the donkey saw the Messenger of יהוה standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Bil‛am beat the donkey to turn her back onto the way.
24. Then the Messenger of יהוה stood in a narrow passage between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side.
25. And when the donkey saw the Messenger of יהוה, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Bil‛am’s foot against the wall, so he beat her again.