¹⁶ They came to Balaam and said:

⁴ For they did not come to meet you with bread and water^(A) on your way when you came out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam^(B) son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim^[a](C) to pronounce a curse on you.^{(D) 5} However, the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse^(E) into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves^(F) you.

⁹ When Balak son of Zippor,^(A) the king of Moab, prepared to fight against Israel, he sent for Balaam son of Beor^(B) to put a curse on you.^{(C) 10} But I would not listen to Balaam, so he blessed you^(D) again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand.

¹⁵ They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam^(A) son of Bezer,^[a] who loved the wages of wickedness.

¹¹ Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain;^(A) they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error;^(B) they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.^(C)