Then the people of Israel went to the plains of Moab, and they camped near the Jordan River across from Jericho.
Balak son of Zippor saw everything the Israelites had done to the Amorites. And Moab was scared of so many Israelites; truly, Moab was terrified by them.
The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “These people will take everything around us like an ox eating grass.”
Balak son of Zippor was the king of Moab at this time. He sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, near the Euphrates River in his native land. Balak said, “A nation has come out of Egypt that covers the land. They have camped next to me, and they are too powerful for me. So come and put a curse on them. Maybe then I can defeat them and make them leave the area. I know that if you bless someone, the blessings happen, and if you put a curse on someone, it happens.”
The elders of Moab and Midian went with payment in their hands. When they found Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.
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.
God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
Balaam said to God, “The king of Moab, Balak son of Zippor, sent them to me with this message: ‘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.’ ”
But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. Don’t put a curse on those people, because I have blessed them.”
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.”
So the Moabite leaders went back to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
So Balak sent other leaders—this time there were more of them, and they were more important. They went to Balaam and said, “Balak son of Zippor says this: Please don’t let anything stop you from coming to me. I will pay you very well, and I will do what you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me.”
But Balaam answered Balak’s servants, “King Balak could give me his palace full of silver and gold, but I cannot disobey the LORD my God in anything, great or small. You stay here tonight as the other men did, and I will find out what more the LORD tells me.”
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