Numbers 22:5-21 And he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor which is beside the River of the land of the sons of his people, to call for him, saying, Behold! A people has come out of Egypt. Behold! it has covered the face of the earth, and it is setting next to me.

VIN⁽ⁱ⁾ ⁵ And he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor which is beside the River of the land of the sons of his people, to call for him, saying, Behold! A people has come out of Egypt. Behold! it has covered the face of the earth, and it is setting next to me. ⁶ Now, please go, curse this people for me because they are stronger than me; perhaps I will be able to strike them and drive them out from the land because I know whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you cursed is cursed." ⁷ The elders of Moab and Midian left. They took money with them to pay for Balaam's services. They came to Balaam and told him what Balak had said. ⁸ "Spend the night here," Balaam said to them, "and I will report to you what the LORD tells me." So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. ⁹ God came to Balaam and asked: "Who are these men with you?" ¹⁰ And Balaam said to God, Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent them to me, saying, ¹¹ 'Behold, the people that has come out of Egypt covers the surface of the earth. Now, come curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.'” ¹² God said to Balaam, "You will not go with them; you will not curse the people, because they are blessed." ¹³ When Balaam got up in the morning, he said to Balak's princes: "Go back to your own country. the LORD has refused to let me go with you." ¹⁴ The Moabite princes went back to Balak and said: "Balaam refused to come with us." ¹⁵ Then Balak again sent princes, more in number and more honorable than these. ¹⁶ When they came to Balaam they said to him: "This is what Balak son of Zippor says: 'Do not let anything keep you from coming to me. ¹⁷ because I will surely honor you greatly, and all that you say to me I will do. Please, come; curse this people for me.'" ¹⁸ Balaam answered Balak's servants: "Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not disobey the command of the LORD my God no matter whether the request was important or not. ¹⁹ "Now, please stay here tonight, as the others did, and I will find out what else the LORD may have to tell me." ²⁰ That night God came to Balaam and said: "If these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you." ²¹ Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.