Numbers 民数记22

22Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.
2Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,
3and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread¹ because of the Israelites.
4The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, "This horde² is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field." So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time,
5sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the River, in his native land. Balak said: "A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me.
6Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the country. For I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed."
7The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination³. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.
8"Spend the night here," Balaam said to them, "and I will bring you back the answer the Lord gives me." So the Moabite princes stayed with him.
9God came to Balaam and asked, "Who are these men with you?"
10Balaam said to God, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:
11'A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.' "
12But God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed."
13The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's princes, "Go back to your own country, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you."
14So the Moabite princes returned to Balak and said, "Balaam refused to come with us."
15Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished⁴ than the first.
16They came to Balaam and said: "This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me,
17because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me."
18But Balaam answered them, "Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God.
19Now stay here tonight as the others did, and I will find out what else the Lord will tell me."
20That night God came to Balaam and said, "Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you."
21Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.
22But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
23When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing⁵ in the road with a drawn⁶ sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road.
24Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between two vineyards, with walls on both sides.
25When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord , she pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam's foot against it. So he beat her again.
26Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left.
27When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord , she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff.
28Then the Lord opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?"
29Balaam answered the donkey, "You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now."
30The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?" "No," he said.
31Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.
32The angel of the Lord asked him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.
33The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her."
34Balaam said to the angel of the Lord , "I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased⁷, I will go back."
35The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you." So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
36When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.
37Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn't you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?"
38"Well, I have come to you now," Balaam replied. "But can I say just anything? I must speak only what God puts in my mouth."
39Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth.
40Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and gave some to Balaam and the princes who were with him.
41The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he saw part of the people.

1 dread   

vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧

参考例句：

• We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
• Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。

2 horde   

n.群众，一大群

参考例句：

• A horde of children ran over the office building.一大群孩子在办公大楼里到处奔跑。
• Two women were quarrelling on the street,surrounded by horde of people.有两个妇人在街上争吵，被一大群人围住了。

3 divination   

n.占卜，预测

参考例句：

• Divination is made up of a little error and superstition,plus a lot of fraud.占卜是由一些谬误和迷信构成，再加上大量的欺骗。
• Katherine McCormack goes beyond horoscopes and provides a quick guide to other forms of divination.凯瑟琳·麦考马克超越了占星并给其它形式的预言提供了快速的指导。

4 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

5 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

6 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

7 displeased   

a.不快的

参考例句：

• The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。
• He was displeased about the whole affair. 他对整个事情感到很不高兴。