1 Then the people of Israel traveled to the plains of Moab and camped east of the Jordan River, across from Jericho. 2 Balak son of Zippor, the Moabite king, had seen everything the Israelites did to the Amorites. 3 And when the people of Moab saw how many Israelites there were, they were terrified. 4 The king of Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This mob will devour everything in sight, like an ox devours grass in the field!” So Balak, king of Moab, 5 sent messengers to call Balaam son of Beor, who was living in his native land of Pethor 1 near the Euphrates River. 2 His message said: “Look, a vast horde of people has arrived from Egypt. They cover the face of the earth and are threatening me. 6 Please come and curse these people for me because they are too powerful for me. Then perhaps I will be able to conquer them and drive them from the land. I know that blessings fall on any people you bless, and curses fall on people you curse.”
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Balak’s messengers, who were elders of Moab and Midian, set out with money to pay Balaam to place a curse upon Israel. 3 They went to Balaam and delivered Balak’s message to him.
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“Stay here overnight,” Balaam said. “In the morning I will tell you whatever the Lord directs me to say.” So the officials from Moab stayed there with Balaam.
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That night God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men visiting you?”
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Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent me this message:
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‘Look, a vast horde of people has arrived from Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come and curse these people for me. Then perhaps I will be able to stand up to them and drive them from the land.’”
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But God told Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse these people, for they have been blessed!”
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The next morning Balaam got up and told Balak’s officials, “Go on home! The Lord will not let me go with you.”
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So the Moabite officials returned to King Balak and reported, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
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Then Balak tried again. This time he sent a larger number of even more distinguished officials than those he had sent the first time.
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They went to Balaam and delivered this message to him: “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Please don’t let anything stop you from coming to help me.
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I will pay you very well and do whatever you tell me. Just come and curse these people for me!”
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But Balaam responded to Balak’s messengers, “Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord my God.
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But stay here one more night, and I will see if the Lord has anything else to say to me.”
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That night God came to Balaam and told him, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But do only what I tell you to do.”
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So the next morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started off with the Moabite officials.