Balak Sends for Balaam

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

² Now ^(B)Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. ³ And ^(C)Moab was exceedingly afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was sick with dread because of the children of Israel. ⁴ So Moab said to ^(D)the elders of Midian, “Now this company will ^[a]lick 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. ⁵ Then ^(E)he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at ^(F)Pethor, which is near ^[b]the River in the land of ^[c]the 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! ^6 (G)Therefore please come at once, ^(H)curse 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.”

⁷ So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with ^(I)the diviner’s fee in their hand, and they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak. ⁸ And 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.

^9 (K)Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”

¹⁰ So 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.’ ”

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

¹³ So 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.”

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

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

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

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

The Prophecies of Balaam

23 Then Balaam said to Balak, ^(A)“Build seven altars for me here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”

² And Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam ^(B)offered a bull and a ram on each altar. ³ Then Balaam said to Balak, ^(C)“Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the Lord will come ^(D)to meet me, and whatever He shows me I will tell you.” So he went to a desolate height. ^4 (E)And God met Balaam, and he said to Him, “I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.”

⁵ Then the Lord ^(F)put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” ⁶ So he returned to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab.

⁷ And he ^(G)took up his ^[a]oracle and said:

¹¹ Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? ^(O)I took you to curse my enemies, and look, you have blessed them bountifully!”

¹² So he answered and said, ^(P)“Must I not take heed to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?”