Numbers 22:1–6

Balak Sends for Balaam

22Then ^athe children of Israel moved, and camped in the plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan across from Jericho.

²Now ^bBalak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. ³And ^cMoab was exceedingly afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was sick with dread because of the children of Israel. ⁴So Moab said to ^dthe elders of Midian, “Now this company will ¹lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. ⁵Then ^ehe sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at ^fPethor, which is near ²the River in the land of ³the sons of his people, to call him, saying: “Look, a people has come from Egypt. See, they cover the face of the earth, and are settling next to me! ^6gTherefore please come at once, ^hcurse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”