21Balaam rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.22God's anger burned because he was going, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road as an adversary to him while he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him.23The donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, so the donkey turned aside from the road and went into the field; Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back to the road.24The angel of the LORD stood in the passage of the vineyards, a wall on this side and a wall on that side.25The donkey saw the angel of the LORD and pressed herself against the wall, pressing Balaam's foot against the wall; he struck her again.26The angel of the LORD again passed on and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn right or left.27The donkey saw the angel of the LORD and lay down under Balaam; Balaam's anger burned and he struck the donkey with the rod.28Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you that you have struck me these three times?"29Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have made a fool of me; if there were a sword in my hand, I would have killed you now."30The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden from your beginning until this day? Have I been accustomed to do thus to you?" He said, "No."31The LORD uncovered Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand; he bowed and prostrated himself on his face.32The angel of the LORD said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary because the way is perverse before me.33The donkey saw me and turned aside from me these three times; if she had not turned aside from me, I would surely have killed you now and let her live."34Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing to meet me in the road; now, if it is evil in your eyes, I will turn back."35The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but the word that I speak to you, that you shall speak." So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.36When Balak heard that Balaam had arrived, he went out to meet him at the Moabite city on the Arnon border at the edge of the territory.37Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not send for you to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I really unable to reward you?"38Balaam answered Balak, "I have now come to you, but I cannot speak anything at all. I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth."39Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.40Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep and sent portions to Balaam and to the princes who were with him.41The next morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal, and from there he saw the extent of the people.