So Balak's officials got up, returned to Balak and reported, "Balaam refused to come with us."

Balaam responded to Balak's entourage by saying, "Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I won't double-cross the command of the LORD my God in even the slightest way.

So accompanied by Balaam and Balak's officials, Balak traveled to Kiriath-huzoth,

So the elders of Moab and Midian left to visit Balaam, bringing an honorarium with them, and communicated Balak's concerns to him.

So Balaam got up the next morning and told Balak's officials, "Go back to your homeland, because the LORD has refused me permission to go with you."

But the angel of the LORD told Balaam, "Go with the men, but deliver only the message that I'm going to give you." So Balaam went with Balak's officials.

So Balak did just as Balaam instructed. Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

So Balaam returned to where Balak had been standing, that is, next to his offerings, accompanied by the Moabite officials. "What did the LORD say?" Balak asked him.

At that time, Zippor's son Balak was the king of Moab. He sent messengers to Beor's son Balaam in Pethor, near the Euphrates River, the land where the descendants of his people originated, to summon his aid. He said, "Look! A group of people have escaped from Egypt. They cover the surface of the whole earth, and are sitting here right in front of me.

Zippor's son Balak saw everything that Israel had done to the Amorites.

Then Balaam told God, "Zippor's son Balak, king of Moab, sent them to me and said,

who approached Balaam with this message: "This is what Zippor's son Balak says: "Don't let anything get in the way of your coming to me.

So Balak exhorted Balaam, "Let's go right now! I'll take you to another place. Maybe God will agree to have you curse them for me from there."

In response, Balak sent more officers higher ranking ones, at that!

When Balak heard that Balaam had arrived, he went out to meet him in the city of Moab on the border of Arnon at the extreme end of his territory.

Balak asked Balaam, "Didn't I repeatedly send for you to summon you? Why didn't you come to me? I can pay you well, can't I?"

Balaam answered Balak, "Well, I'm here now. I've come to you, but I can't just say anything, can I? I'll speak only what God puts in my mouth to say."

The next day, Balak brought Balaam up to Bamoth-baal, where he could see part of the community of Israel.

Balaam told Balak, "Build for me here seven altars and prepare here for me seven bulls and seven rams."

Then Balaam instructed Balak, "Stand by your offering and leave me alone by myself. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet me. I'll tell you whatever he reveals to me."

Then the LORD gave Balaam this message. "Return to Balak and speak to him."

So Balaam returned to where Balak had been standing, that is, next to his offerings, accompanied by all the Moabite officials.

Then Balaam uttered this prophetic statement: "King Balak of Moab brought me from Aram, from the eastern mountains, and told me, "Come and curse Jacob for me. Come and curse Israel.'

"What are you doing to me?" Balak asked Balaam. "I brought you to curse my enemies, not pronounce a blessing!"

"Come with me to another place where you can see them," Balak replied. "You'll only see a portion of them, because you won't be able to see them completely. Come and curse them from there for me."

So Balak took him to the field of Zophim, and from there to the top of Mount Pisgah, where he built seven altars and then offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Then he told Balak, "Stand by your offering while I go alone to meet the LORD."

Then the LORD met with Balaam and gave a message to him. "Now go back to Balak and speak to him."

In response, Balaam uttered this prophetic statement: "Stand up, Balak, and pay attention! Listen to me, you son of Zippor!

Then Balak told Balaam, "Don't curse them or bless them!"

"Didn't I tell you," Balaam responded to Balak, "that I'll say whatever the LORD tells me to say?"

So Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor, which overlooks the open wilderness.

Balaam told Balak, "Build seven altars for me right here. Then prepare seven bulls and seven rams."

Balak did just what Balaam had instructed he offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Balak flew into a rage and he started hitting his fists together. "I called you to curse my enemies," he yelled at Balaam. "But look here! You've blessed them three times!

But Balaam replied to Balak, "I told your messengers,

"Even if Balak gives me his palace full of silver and gold, I won't double-cross the command of the LORD and do anything whether good or evil on my own initiative, because I'm going to say whatever the LORD says.'

Then Balaam got up, returned to his country, and Balak went on his way.

"From Joseph's descendants through Ephraim: Ammihud's son Elishama. From Manasseh: Pedahzur's son Gamaliel.

Now Izhar's son Korah, the grandson of Kohath, a descendant of Levi, along with Eliab's sons Dathan and Abiram, and Peleth's son On, a descendant of Reuben, took charge