Numbers 22
How to read this: this is a word-for-word rendering straight from the original Hebrew, not a copyrighted translation — the top of each chip is the original word, the bottom is its plain-English sense. Faded chips mark words the Hebrew implies but wouldn't literally be spoken in English. Click any word for its full Strong's dictionary entry.
1
2
3
4
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand it saidמוֹאָ֜בMoabאֶל־toזִקְנֵ֣יthe elders ofמִדְיָ֗ןMidianעַתָּ֞הnowיְלַחֲכ֤וּthey will lick upהַקָּהָל֙the companyאֶת־obj.כָּל־allסְבִ֣יבֹתֵ֔ינוּaround usכִּלְחֹ֣ךְas licks upהַשּׁ֔וֹרthe oxאֵ֖תobj.יֶ֣רֶקthe greenery ofהַשָּׂדֶ֑הthe fieldוּבָלָ֧קand Balakבֶּן־the son ofצִפּ֛וֹרZipporמֶ֥לֶךְwas kingלְמוֹאָ֖בof Moabבָּעֵ֥תat the timeהַהִֽוא׃the that
5
וַיִּשְׁלַ֨חand he sentמַלְאָכִ֜יםmessengersאֶל־toבִּלְעָ֣םBalaamבֶּן־the son ofבְּע֗וֹרBeorפְּ֠תוֹרָהPethor towardsאֲשֶׁ֧רwhichעַל־was atהַנָּהָ֛רthe riverאֶ֥רֶץthe land ofבְּנֵי־the sons ofעַמּ֖וֹpeople hisלִקְרֹא־to summonל֑וֹto the himלֵאמֹ֗רto sayingהִ֠נֵּהhere!עַ֣םa peopleיָצָ֤אit has come outמִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙from Egyptהִנֵּ֤הhere!כִסָּה֙it has coveredאֶת־obj.עֵ֣יןthe eye ofהָאָ֔רֶץthe landוְה֥וּאand itיֹשֵׁ֖בis dwellingמִמֻּלִֽי׃from in front of me
6
וְעַתָּה֩and thereforeלְכָה־come !נָּ֨אpleaseאָֽרָה־curse !לִּ֜יfor the meאֶת־obj.הָעָ֣םthe peopleהַזֶּ֗הthe thisכִּֽי־forעָצ֥וּםis too mightyהוּא֙itמִמֶּ֔נִּיfor meאוּלַ֤יperhapsאוּכַל֙I will be ableנַכֶּה־to strikeבּ֔וֹin the itוַאֲגָרְשֶׁ֖נּוּand I will drive out itמִן־fromהָאָ֑רֶץthe landכִּ֣יforיָדַ֗עְתִּיI knowאֵ֤תobj.אֲשֶׁר־the one whomתְּבָרֵךְ֙you blessמְבֹרָ֔ךְis blessedוַאֲשֶׁ֥רand the one whomתָּאֹ֖רyou curseיוּאָֽר׃he is cursed
7
8
9
10
11
הִנֵּ֤הhere!הָעָם֙the peopleהַיֹּצֵ֣אwhich has come outמִמִּצְרַ֔יִםfrom Egyptוַיְכַ֖סand it has coveredאֶת־obj.עֵ֣יןthe eye ofהָאָ֑רֶץthe landעַתָּ֗הnowלְכָ֤הcome !קָֽבָה־curse !לִּי֙for the meאֹת֔וֹobj. itאוּלַ֥יperhapsאוּכַ֛לI will be ableלְהִלָּ֥חֶםto engage in battleבּ֖וֹagainst the itוְגֵרַשְׁתִּֽיו׃and I will drive out it
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
וַיַּ֣עַןand he answeredבִּלְעָ֗םBalaamוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙and he saidאֶל־toעַבְדֵ֣יthe servants ofבָלָ֔קBalakאִם־ifיִתֶּן־he will giveלִ֥יto the meבָלָ֛קBalakמְלֹ֥אthe fullness ofבֵית֖וֹhouse hisכֶּ֣סֶףsilverוְזָהָ֑בand goldלֹ֣אnotאוּכַ֗לI will be ableלַעֲבֹר֙to transgressאֶת־obj.פִּי֙the mouth ofיְהוָ֣הYahwehאֱלֹהָ֔יGod myלַעֲשׂ֥וֹתby doingקְטַנָּ֖הa small thingא֥וֹorגְדוֹלָֽה׃a large thing
19
20
וַיָּבֹ֨אand he cameאֱלֹהִ֥ים׀Godאֶל־toבִּלְעָם֮Balaamלַיְלָה֒nightוַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he saidל֗וֹto the himאִם־ifלִקְרֹ֤אto summonלְךָ֙to the youבָּ֣אוּthey have comeהָאֲנָשִׁ֔יםthe menק֖וּםariseלֵ֣ךְgoאִתָּ֑םwith themוְאַ֗ךְand onlyאֶת־obj.הַדָּבָ֛רthe wordאֲשֶׁר־whichאֲדַבֵּ֥רI will speakאֵלֶ֖יךָto youאֹת֥וֹobj. itתַעֲשֶֽׂה׃you will do
21
22
וַיִּֽחַר־and it burnedאַ֣ףthe anger ofאֱלֹהִים֮Godכִּֽי־forהוֹלֵ֣ךְwas goingהוּא֒heוַיִּתְיַצֵּ֞בand he stoodמַלְאַ֧ךְthe angel ofיְהוָ֛הYahwehבַּדֶּ֖רֶךְin the roadלְשָׂטָ֣ןto an adversaryל֑וֹto the himוְהוּא֙and heרֹכֵ֣בwas ridingעַל־onאֲתֹנ֔וֹdonkey hisוּשְׁנֵ֥יand two ofנְעָרָ֖יוservants hisעִמּֽוֹ׃were with him
23
וַתֵּ֣רֶאand it sawהָאָתוֹן֩the donkeyאֶת־obj.מַלְאַ֨ךְthe angel ofיְהוָ֜הYahwehנִצָּ֣בstandingבַּדֶּ֗רֶךְin the roadוְחַרְבּ֤וֹand sword hisשְׁלוּפָה֙was drawnבְּיָד֔וֹin hand hisוַתֵּ֤טand it turned asideהָֽאָתוֹן֙the donkeyמִן־fromהַדֶּ֔רֶךְthe roadוַתֵּ֖לֶךְand it wentבַּשָּׂדֶ֑הin the fieldוַיַּ֤ךְand he struckבִּלְעָם֙Balaamאֶת־obj.הָ֣אָת֔וֹןthe donkeyלְהַטֹּתָ֖הּto turn itהַדָּֽרֶךְ׃the road
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
וַתֹּ֨אמֶרand it saidהָאָת֜וֹןthe donkeyאֶל־toבִּלְעָ֗םBalaamהֲלוֹא֩¿ notאָנֹכִ֨יam Iאֲתֹֽנְךָ֜donkey yourאֲשֶׁר־whichרָכַ֣בְתָּyou have riddenעָלַ֗יon meמֵעֽוֹדְךָ֙from duration yourעַד־untilהַיּ֣וֹםthe dayהַזֶּ֔הthe thisהַֽהַסְכֵּ֣ן¿ really to have the habitהִסְכַּ֔נְתִּיhave I had the habitלַעֲשׂ֥וֹתto doלְךָ֖to the youכֹּ֑הthusוַיֹּ֖אמֶרand he saidלֹֽא׃no
31
וַיְגַ֣לand he uncoveredיְהוָה֮Yahwehאֶת־obj.עֵינֵ֣יthe eyes ofבִלְעָם֒Balaamוַיַּ֞רְאand he sawאֶת־obj.מַלְאַ֤ךְthe angel ofיְהוָה֙Yahwehנִצָּ֣בstandingבַּדֶּ֔רֶךְin the roadוְחַרְבּ֥וֹand sword hisשְׁלֻפָ֖הwas drawnבְּיָד֑וֹin hand hisוַיִּקֹּ֥דand he bowed lowוַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּand he bowed downלְאַפָּֽיו׃to face his
32
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרand he saidאֵלָיו֙to himמַלְאַ֣ךְthe angel ofיְהוָ֔הYahwehעַל־concerningמָ֗הwhat?הִכִּ֙יתָ֙did you strikeאֶת־obj.אֲתֹ֣נְךָ֔female donkey yourזֶ֖הthisשָׁל֣וֹשׁthreeרְגָלִ֑יםfeetהִנֵּ֤הhere!אָנֹכִי֙Iיָצָ֣אתִיI came outלְשָׂטָ֔ןto an adversaryכִּֽי־forיָרַ֥טit is precipitateהַדֶּ֖רֶךְthe wayלְנֶגְדִּֽי׃to before me
33
וַתִּרְאַ֙נִי֙and it saw meהָֽאָת֔וֹןthe donkeyוַתֵּ֣טand it turned asideלְפָנַ֔יto before meזֶ֖הthisשָׁלֹ֣שׁthreeרְגָלִ֑יםfeetאוּלַי֙perhapsנָטְתָ֣הit had turned asideמִפָּנַ֔יfrom before meכִּ֥יifעַתָּ֛הnowגַּם־alsoאֹתְכָ֥הobj. youהָרַ֖גְתִּיI killedוְאוֹתָ֥הּand obj. itהֶחֱיֵֽיתִי׃I preserved alive
34
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand he saidבִּלְעָ֜םBalaamאֶל־toמַלְאַ֤ךְthe angel ofיְהוָה֙Yahwehחָטָ֔אתִיI have sinnedכִּ֚יforלֹ֣אnotיָדַ֔עְתִּיI knewכִּ֥יthatאַתָּ֛הyouנִצָּ֥בwere standingלִקְרָאתִ֖יto meet meבַּדָּ֑רֶךְin the roadוְעַתָּ֛הand thereforeאִם־ifרַ֥עit is displeasingבְּעֵינֶ֖יךָin view yourאָשׁ֥וּבָהI will turn backלִּֽי׃for the myself
35
וַיֹּאמֶר֩and he saidמַלְאַ֨ךְthe angel ofיְהוָ֜הYahwehאֶל־toבִּלְעָ֗םBalaamלֵ֚ךְgoעִם־withהָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔יםthe menוְאֶ֗פֶסand onlyאֶת־obj.הַדָּבָ֛רthe wordאֲשֶׁר־whichאֲדַבֵּ֥רI will speakאֵלֶ֖יךָto youאֹת֣וֹobj. itתְדַבֵּ֑רyou will speakוַיֵּ֥לֶךְand he wentבִּלְעָ֖םBalaamעִם־withשָׂרֵ֥יthe leaders ofבָלָֽק׃Balak
36
37
38
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand he saidבִּלְעָ֜םBalaamאֶל־toבָּלָ֗קBalakהִֽנֵּה־here!בָ֙אתִי֙I have comeאֵלֶ֔יךָto youעַתָּ֕הnowהֲיָכ֥וֹל¿ certainly to ableאוּכַ֖לam I ableדַּבֵּ֣רto speakמְא֑וּמָהanythingהַדָּבָ֗רthe wordאֲשֶׁ֨רwhichיָשִׂ֧יםhe will putאֱלֹהִ֛יםGodבְּפִ֖יin mouth myאֹת֥וֹobj. itאֲדַבֵּֽר׃I will speak
39
40
Frequently asked questions
Is this a Bible translation?
No — it's a word-for-word rendering of the original Hebrew text, tagged with Strong's numbers, so you can see exactly which original word underlies each part of the verse. For a devotional reading, see our Bible verses by topic section, which uses the King James Version.
What do the faded (italic) words mean?
They're words the Hebrew implies grammatically but that wouldn't be spoken as a separate word in natural English — shown here so nothing from the original text is hidden.
How do I look up what a word means?
Click any word — it links straight to that word's entry in our Strong's Concordance, with the full definition and how it's used elsewhere in the Bible.
Need a different tool?
Explore the whole Calcs family here.
Think we tagged a word wrong?