³ Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous,^(A) and Moab dreaded the Israelites. ⁴ So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will devour everything around us like an ox eats up the green plants in the field.”

Since Balak son of Zippor was Moab’s king at that time, ⁵ he sent messengers to Balaam^(B) son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people.^[a][b] Balak said to him, “Look, a people has come out of Egypt; they cover the surface of the land^(C) and are living right across from me.