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.
26. And the Messenger of יהוה went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn aside, right or left.
27. And when the donkey saw the Messenger of יהוה, she lay down under Bil‛am. So Bil‛am’s displeasure burned, and he beat the donkey with his staff.
28. Then יהוה opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Bil‛am, “What have I done to you, that you have beaten me these three times?”
29. And Bil‛am said to the donkey, “Because you have mocked me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for I would have killed you by now!”
30. And the donkey said to Bil‛am, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever known to do so to you?” And he said, “No.”