Numbers 22:4–20

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.”

⁷So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with ⁱthe diviner’s fee in their hand, and they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak. ⁸And he said to them, ^j“Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

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

¹⁰So Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, ¹¹‘Look, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come now, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to overpower them and drive them out.’ ”

¹²And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for ^lthey are blessed.”

¹³So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go back to your land, for the Lord has refused to give me permission to go with you.”

¹⁴And the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

¹⁵Then Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more ⁴honorable than they. ¹⁶And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me; ¹⁷for I will certainly ^mhonor you greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. ⁿTherefore please come, curse this people for me.’ ”

¹⁸Then Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, ^o“Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, ^pI could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more. ¹⁹Now therefore, please, you also ^qstay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.”

^20rAnd God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but ^sonly the word which I speak to you—that you shall do.”