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Balak Summons Balaam
Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.
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Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,
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The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time,
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sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River, in his native land. Balak said: “A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me.
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The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.
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Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:
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The 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.”
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So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
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Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first.
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They came to Balaam and said: “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me,
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But 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.
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The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.
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When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.
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Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?”
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Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth.
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Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and gave some to Balaam and the officials who were with him.
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The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp.
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Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
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Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet with me. Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you.” Then he went off to a barren height.
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The Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”
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Then Balaam spoke his message: “Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel.’
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Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!”
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Balaam’s Second Message
Then Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place where you can see them; you will not see them all but only the outskirts of their camp. And from there, curse them for me.”
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Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering while I meet with him over there.”
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The Lord met with Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”
