Numbers 22:1-21

New American Standard Bible

Balak Sends for Balaam

22 ^(A)Then the sons of Israel journeyed on, and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan opposite Jericho.

²Now ^(B)Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. ³^(C)So Moab was in great fear because of the people, for they were numerous; and Moab was in dread of the sons of Israel. ⁴Moab said to the elders of ^(D)Midian, “Now this ^[a]horde will eat up all that is around us, as the ox eats up the grass of the field!” And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. ⁵So he sent messengers to ^(E)Balaam the son of Beor, at ^(F)Pethor, which is near the Euphrates River, in the land of the sons of his people, to call for him, saying, “Behold, a people came out of Egypt; behold, they have covered the surface of the land, and they are living opposite me. ⁶^(G)Now, therefore, please come, ^(H)curse this people for me since they are too ^[b]mighty for me; perhaps I will be able to ^[c]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.”

⁷So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian left with the fees for ^(I)divination in their hands; and they came to Balaam and ^[d]repeated Balak’s words to him. ⁸And he said to them, “Spend the night here, and I will bring word back to you just as the Lord may speak to me.” And the leaders of Moab stayed with Balaam. ⁹Then ^(J)God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” ¹⁰Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent word to me: ¹¹‘Behold, there is a people who came out of Egypt, and they cover the surface of the land; now come, curse them for me; perhaps I will be able to fight against them and drive them out.’” ¹²But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them; ^(K)you shall not curse the people, for they ^(L)are blessed.” ¹³So Balaam got up in the morning and said to Balak’s representatives, “Go back to your land, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.” ¹⁴And the representatives from Moab got up and went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

¹⁵Then Balak sent representatives once again, more numerous and more distinguished than ^[e]the previous. ¹⁶They came to Balaam and said to him, “This is what Balak the son of Zippor says: ‘I beg you, let nothing keep you from coming to me; ¹⁷for I will indeed honor you richly, and I will do whatever you tell me. ^(M)Please come then, curse this people for me.’” ¹⁸But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “^(N)Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, either small or great, contrary to the ^[f]command of the Lord my God. ¹⁹Now please, you also stay here tonight, and I will find out what else the Lord will say to me.” ²⁰And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise and go with them; but you shall do ^(O)only the thing that I tell you.”