And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

And Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now will this multitude lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.

And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand, and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.

And Balaam said to God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, [saying],

And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the rulers of Balak, Get into your land, for LORD refuses to give me leave to go with you.

And the rulers of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, Balaam refuses to come with us.

And Balak sent yet again rulers, more, and more honorable than they.

And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming to me.

And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of LORD my God, to do less or more.

And the agent of LORD said to Balaam, Go with the men, but only the word that I shall speak to thee, that thou shall speak. So Balaam went with the rulers of Balak.

And when Balak heard that Balaam came, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the outmost part of the border.

And Balak said to Balaam, Did I not earnestly send to thee to call thee? Why did thou not come to me? Am I not able indeed to promote thee to honor?

And Balaam said to Balak, Lo, I have come to thee. Have I now any power at all to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.

And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.

And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the rulers that were with him.

And it came to pass in the morning, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, and he saw from there the outmost part of the people.

And Balaam said to Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

And Balak did as Balaam had spoken. And Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.

And Balaam said to Balak, Stand by thy burnt-offering, and I will go. Perhaps LORD will come to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell thee. And he went to a bare height.

And LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus thou shall speak.

And he took up his parable, and said, From Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East. Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, defy Israel.

And Balak said to Balaam, What have thou done to me? I took thee to curse my enemies, and, behold, thou have blessed them altogether.

And Balak said to him, Come, I pray thee, with me to another place, from where thou may see them. Thou shall see but the outmost part of them, and shall not see them all, and curse them for me from there.

And he said to Balak, Stand here by thy burnt-offering, while I meet [LORD] yonder.

And LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus shall thou speak.

And he came to him. And, lo, he was standing by his burnt-offering, and the rulers of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, What has LORD spoken?

And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear. Hearken to me, thou son of Zippor.

And Balak said to Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

But Balaam answered and said to Balak, Did I not tell thee, saying, All that LORD speaks, that I must do?

And Balak said to Balaam, Come now, I will take thee to another place. Perhaps it will please God that thou may curse them for me from there.

And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks down upon the desert.

And Balaam said to Balak, Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.

And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, I called thee to curse my enemies, and, behold, thou have altogether blessed them these three times.

And Balaam said to Balak, Did I not also speak to thy messengers that thou sent to me, saying,

If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of LORD, to do either good or bad of my own mind. What LORD speaks, that I will speak?

And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place, and Balak also went his way.