Numbers 22:7-14

New Century Version

⁷ The elders of Moab and Midian went with payment in their hands. When they found Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.

⁸ Balaam said to them, “Stay here for the night, and I will tell you what the Lord tells me.” So the Moabite leaders stayed with him.

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

¹⁰ Balaam said to God, “The king of Moab, Balak son of Zippor, sent them to me with this message: ¹¹ ‘A nation has come out of Egypt that covers the land. So come and put a curse on them, and maybe I can fight them and force them out of my land.’”

¹² But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. Don’t put a curse on those people, because I have blessed them.”

¹³ The next morning Balaam awoke and said to Balak’s leaders, “Go back to your own country; the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”

¹⁴ So the Moabite leaders went back to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”