he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people. Balak said to him: “Look, a people has come out of Egypt; they cover the surface of the land and are living right across from me.

The elders of Moab and Midian departed with fees for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and reported Balak’s words to him.

He said to them, “Spend the night here, and I will give you the answer the Lord tells me.” So the officials of Moab stayed with Balaam.

Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”

Balaam replied to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent this message to me:

Then God said to Balaam, “You are not to go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.”

So Balaam got up the next morning and said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your land, because the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”

The officials of Moab arose, returned to Balak, and reported, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

They came to Balaam and said to him, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Let nothing keep you from coming to me,

But Balaam responded to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go against the command of the Lord my God to do anything small or great.

God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you.”

When he got up in the morning, Balaam saddled his donkey and went with the officials of Moab.

But God was incensed that Balaam was going, and the Angel of the Lord took His stand on the path to oppose him. Balaam was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

When the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing on the path with a drawn sword in His hand, she turned off the path and went into the field. So Balaam hit her to return her to the path.

The donkey saw the Angel of the Lord and pressed herself against the wall, squeezing Balaam’s foot against it. So he hit her once again.

When the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she crouched down under Balaam. So he became furious and beat the donkey with his stick.

Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and she asked Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”

Balaam answered the donkey, “You made me look like a fool. If I had a sword in my hand, I’d kill you now!”

Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the path with a drawn sword in His hand. Balaam knelt and bowed with his face to the ground.

Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that You were standing in the path to confront me. And now, if it is evil in Your sight, I will go back.”

Then the Angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you are to say only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.

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

Balak asked Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?”

Balaam said to him, “Look, I have come to you, but can I say anything I want? I must speak only the message God puts in my mouth.”

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

Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent for Balaam and the officials who were with him.

In the morning, Balak took Balaam and brought him to Bamoth-baal. From there he saw the outskirts of the people’s camp.

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

So Balak did as Balaam directed, and they offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone. Maybe the Lord will meet with me. I will tell you whatever He reveals to me.” So he went to a barren hill.

God met with him and Balaam said to Him, “I have arranged seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.”

Then the Lord put a message in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak and say what I tell you.”

Balaam proclaimed his poem:

Balak brought me from Aram;
the king of Moab, from the eastern mountains:
“Come, put a curse on Jacob for me;
come, denounce Israel!”

“What have you done to me?” Balak asked Balaam. “I brought you to curse my enemies, but look, you have only blessed them!”

Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here by your burnt offering while I seek the Lord over there.”

The Lord met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth. Then He said, “Return to Balak and say what I tell you.”

Balaam proclaimed his poem:

Balak, get up and listen;
son of Zippor, pay attention to what I say!

Then Balak told Balaam, “Don’t curse them and don’t bless them!”

But Balaam answered him, “Didn’t I tell you: Whatever the Lord says, I must do?”

Again Balak said to Balaam, “Please come. I will take you to another place. Maybe it will be agreeable to God that you can put a curse on them for me there.”

So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the wasteland.

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

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

Since Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go to seek omens as on previous occasions, but turned toward the wilderness.

When Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him,

and he proclaimed his poem:

The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eyes are opened,

Then Balak became furious with Balaam, struck his hands together, and said to him, “I summoned you to put a curse on my enemies, but instead, you have blessed them these three times.

Balaam answered Balak, “Didn’t I previously tell the messengers you sent me:

Then he proclaimed his poem:

The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eyes are opened;

Then Balaam saw Amalek and proclaimed his poem:

Amalek was first among the nations,
but his future is destruction.

Balaam then arose and went back to his homeland, and Balak also went his way.

Along with the others slain by them, they killed the Midianite kings—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

“Yet they are the ones who, at Balaam’s advice, incited the Israelites to unfaithfulness against the Lord in the Peor incident, so that the plague came against the Lord’s community.

This is because they did not meet you with food and water on the journey after you came out of Egypt, and because Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram-naharaim was hired to curse you.

Yet the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam, but He turned the curse into a blessing for you because the Lord your God loves you.

Along with those the Israelites put to death, they also killed the diviner, Balaam son of Beor, with the sword.

Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, set out to fight against Israel. He sent for Balaam son of Beor to curse you,

but I would not listen to Balaam. Instead, he repeatedly blessed you, and I delivered you from his hand.

because they did not meet the Israelites with food and water. Instead, they hired Balaam against them to curse them, but our God turned the curse into a blessing.

My people,
remember what Balak king of Moab proposed,
what Balaam son of Beor answered him,
and what happened from the Acacia Grove to Gilgal
so that you may acknowledge
the Lord’s righteous acts.

They have gone astray by abandoning the straight path and have followed the path of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness

Woe to them! For they have traveled in the way of Cain, have abandoned themselves to the error of Balaam for profit, and have perished in Korah’s rebellion.

But I have a few things against you. You have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block in front of the Israelites: to eat meat sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.