Nevertheless, I have against thee, a few things,—that thou hast there, such as hold fast the teaching of Balaam,—who went on to teach Balak to throw a cause of stumbling before the sons of Israel, to eat idol-sacrifices and to commit lewdness:
Alas for them! because—in the way of Cain have they gone, and, in the error of Balaam’s wage, have they run riot, and, in the gainsaying of Korah, have they perished.
Lo! they, became unto the sons of Israel, by the advice of Balaam, the cause of daring acts of treachery against Yahweh, over the affair of Peor,—and then came the plague against the assembly of Yahweh!
because they met not the sons of Israel, with bread and with water,—but hired against them Balaam, to curse them, although our God turned the curse into a blessing.
O my people! remember, I pray you, what Balak king of Moab, counseled, and what Balaam son of Beer, answered him,—from the Acacias as far as Gilgal, that ye may know the righteousness of Yahweh.
Doing wrong themselves, for a reward of wrong, accounting, a delight, their day-time delicacy, spots and blemishes, indulging in delicacies with their stratagems, as they carouse together with you,
Said—O full of all guile, and all recklessness! Son of an adversary! Enemy of all righteousness!—Wilt thou not cease to pervert the straight ways of the Lord?
This man therefore had possessed himself of a field out of the reward of unrighteousness,—and falling headlong burst asunder in the midst, and forth gushed all his bowels;
Ephraim saith —What to me any more are idols? I, have answered, and have closely observed him, I, am like a fir-tree that is green, From me, is thy fruit found.
And the ass saw the messenger of Yahweh stationed in the road with his drawn sword in his hand, so the ass turned aside out of the road and went into the field,—and Balaam smote the ass, to make her turn back into the road.
And he said—Very jealous, have I been, for Yahweh, God of hosts, because the sons of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thine altars, have they thrown down, thy prophets, also have they slain with the sword,—and, I alone, am left, and they have sought my life, to take it.
And the messenger of Yahweh said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass, these three times? Lo! I, myself, am come forth to withstand thee, because headlong was thy way before me.