Numbers 22:1–16

Balaam Is Hired to Curse Israel

¹Then the Israelites moved and set up camp across from Jericho, on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan River. 

²Balak, son of Zippor, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. ³The Moabites were very afraid because there were so many Israelites. Besides, the Moabites couldn’t stand these people. 

⁴So the Moabites said to the leaders of Midian, “All those people will eventually eat up everything around us the same way an ox eats up the grass in a field.” 

At that time Balak, son of Zippor, was king of Moab. ⁵He sent messengers to summon Balaam, son of Beor, who was at Pethor, on the Euphrates River, in the land where his people lived. Balak’s message was, “A nation has just come here from Egypt. They’ve spread out all over the countryside and are setting up their camp here in front of me. ⁶Please come and curse these people for me, because they are too strong for me. Maybe then I’ll be able to defeat them and force them out of the country. I know that whomever you bless is blessed and whomever you curse is cursed.” 

⁷The leaders of Moab and Midian left, taking money with them to pay for Balaam’s services. They came to Balaam and told him what Balak had said. 

⁸“Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I’ll report to you what the Lord tells me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. 

⁹God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?” 

¹⁰Balaam answered, “Balak, son of King Zippor of Moab, sent them with this message: ¹¹‘Some people have just come from Egypt and are spreading out all over the countryside. Now come and curse them for me. Maybe I’ll be able to fight them and force them out.’ ” 

¹²But God said to Balaam, “Don’t go with them! Don’t curse these people, because they are blessed.” 

¹³When Balaam got up in the morning, he said to Balak’s princes, “Go back to your own country, because the Lord has refused to let me go with you.” 

¹⁴So the Moabite princes went back to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.” 

¹⁵Balak sent a larger group of more highly respected princes. ¹⁶When they came to Balaam, they said to him, “This is what Balak, son of Zippor, says: Don’t let anything keep you from coming to me.