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

So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, "Now this mass of people will lick up everything around us, as the bull devours the grass of the field. Now Balak son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at this time.

So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fee for divination in their hand. They came to Balaam and reported to him the words of Balak.

Balaam said to God, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent a message to me, saying,

So Balaam got up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, "Go to your land, for the Lord has refused to permit me to go with you."

So the princes of Moab departed and went back to Balak and said, "Balaam refused to come with us."

Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first.

And they came to Balaam and said to him, "Thus says Balak son of Zippor: 'Please do not let anything hinder you from coming to me.

Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, "Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the commandment of the Lord my God to do less or more.

But the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but you may only speak the word that I will speak to you." So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at a city of Moab which was on the border of the Arnon at the boundary of his territory.

Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not send again and again to you to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?"

Balaam said to Balak, "Look, I have come to you. Now, am I able to speak just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth."

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

And Balak sacrificed bulls and sheep, and sent some to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him.

Then on the next morning Balak took Balaam, and brought him up to Bamoth Baal. From there he saw the extent of the nation.

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

So Balak did just as Balaam had said. Balak and Balaam then offered on each altar a bull and a ram.

Balaam said to Balak, "Station yourself by your burnt offering, and I will go off; perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatever he reveals to me I will tell you." Then he went to a deserted height.

Then the Lord put a message in Balaam's mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and speak what I tell you."

Then Balaam uttered his oracle, saying, "Balak, the king of Moab, brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, 'Come, pronounce a curse on Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel.'

Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but on the contrary you have only blessed them!"

Balak said to him, "Please come with me to another place from which you can observe them. You will see only a part of them, but you will not see all of them. Curse them for me from there."

So Balak brought Balaam to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, where he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

And Balaam said to Balak, "Station yourself here by your burnt offering, while I meet the Lord there.

Then the Lord met Balaam and put a message in his mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and speak what I tell you."

When Balaam came to him, he was still standing by his burnt offering, along with the princes of Moab. And Balak said to him, "What has the Lord spoken?"

Balaam uttered his oracle, and said, "Rise up, Balak, and hear; Listen to me, son of Zippor:

Balak said to Balaam, "Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!"

But Balaam replied to Balak, "Did I not tell you, 'All that the Lord speaks, I must do'?"

Balak said to Balaam, "Come, please; I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me from there."

So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks toward the wilderness.

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

So Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Then Balak became very angry at Balaam, and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have done nothing but bless them these three times!

Balaam said to Balak, "Did I not also tell your messengers whom you sent to me,

If Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord to do either good or evil of my own will, but whatever the Lord tells me I must speak'?

Balaam got up and departed and returned to his home, and Balak also went his way.