od,
she made use of the voice of a man, and complained of Balaam as acting
unjustly to her; that whereas he had no fault find with her in her
former service to him, he now inflicted stripes upon her, as not
understanding that she was hindered from serving him in what he was
now going about, by the providence of God. And when he was disturbed
by reason of the voice of the ass, which was that of a man, the angel
plainly appeared to him, and blamed him for the stripes he had given his
ass; and informed him that the brute creature was not in fault, but that
he was himself come to obstruct his journey, as being contrary to the
will of God. Upon which Balaam was afraid, and was preparing to return
back again: yet did God excite him to go on his intended journey,
but added this injunction, that he should declare nothing but what he
himself should suggest to his mind.

4. When God had given him this charge, he came to Balak; and when the
king had entertained him in a magnificent manner, he desired him to go
to one of the mountains to take a view of the state of the camp of
the Hebrews. Balak himself also came to the mountain, and brought the
prophet along with him, with a royal attendance. This mountain lay over
their heads, and was distant sixty furlongs from the camp. Now when he
saw them, he desired the king to build him seven altars, and to bring
him as many bulls and rams; to which desire the king did presently
conform. He then slew the sacrifices, and offered them as
burnt-offerings, that he might observe some signal of the flight of the
Hebrews. Then said he, "Happy is this people, on whom God bestows
the possession of innumerable good things, and grants them his own
providence to be their assistant and their guide; so that there is not
any nation among mankind but you will be esteemed superior to them in
virtue, and in the earnest prosecution of the best rules of life, and
of such as are pure from wickedness, and will leave those rules to your
excellent children; and this out of the regard that God bears to you,
and the provision of such things for you as may render you happier than
any other people under the sun. You shall retain that land to which he
hath sent you, and it shall ever be under the command of your children;
and both all the earth, as well as the seas, shall be filled with your
glory: and you shall be sufficiently numerous to supply the world in
general, and every region of it in particular, with inhabita