¹⁵ Forsaking the right way, ^(A)they have gone astray. They have followed ^(B)the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved ^(C)gain from wrongdoing,

¹¹ Woe to them! For they walked in ^(A)the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain ^(B)to Balaam's error and ^(C)perished in Korah's rebellion.

¹⁴ But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of ^(A)Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might ^(B)eat food sacrificed to idols and ^(C)practice sexual immorality.

^5 (A)sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor ^(B)at Pethor, which is near the River^[a] in the land of the people of Amaw,^[b] to call him, saying, “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me. ^6 (C)Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

⁷ So the elders of Moab and ^(D)the elders of Midian departed with ^(E)the fees for divination in their hand. And they came to Balaam and gave him Balak's message.

^4 (A)because they did not meet you with bread and with water on the way, when you came out of Egypt, and because they ^(B)hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of ^(C)Mesopotamia, to curse you. ⁵ But the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam; instead the Lord your God turned ^(D)the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loved you.