Our ancestors went down to Egypt, where we lived for many years. But the Egyptians treated us and our ancestors viciously.

In response, the LORD sent poisonous serpents among the people to bite them. As a result, many people of Israel died.

So come right now and curse this people for me, because there are too many of them for me to handle. Perhaps I'll be able to strike them down and drive them out of the land, since I know that whomever you bless is blessed and whomever you curse is cursed."