Numbers 22:4–20

⁴The Moabites^t said to the elders of Midian,^u “This horde is going to lick up everything^v around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.^w”

So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, ⁵sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor,^x who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River,^y in his native land. Balak said:

“A people has come out of Egypt;^z they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. ⁶Now come and put a curse^a 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 land.^b For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”

⁷The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination.^c When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.

⁸“Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I will report back to you with the answer the Lord gives me.^d” So the Moabite officials stayed with him.

⁹God came to Balaam^e and asked,^f “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.^g”

¹³The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your own country, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”

¹⁴So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

¹⁵Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished 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^h and do whatever you say. Come and put a curseⁱ on these people for me.”

¹⁸But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God.^{j 19}Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the Lord will tell me.^k”

²⁰That night God came to Balaam^l and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”^m