12. But God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people. I have blessed them."
13. The next morning Balaam got up. He said to Balak's princes, "Go back to your own country. The Lord won't let me go with you."
14. So the princes of Moab returned to Balak. They said, "Balaam wouldn't come with us."
15. Then Balak sent other princes. They were more important than the first ones. And there were more of them.
16. They came to Balaam. They said, "Balak, the son of Zippor, says, 'Don't let anything keep you from coming to me.
17. I'll make you very rich. I'll do anything you say. Come. Put a curse on those people for me.' "
18. But Balaam gave them his answer. He said, "Balak could give me his palace filled with silver and gold. Even then, I still couldn't do anything at all that goes beyond what the Lord my God commands.
19. Stay here tonight, just as the others did. I'll find out what else the Lord will tell me."