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."
20. That night God came to Balaam. He said, "These men have come to get you. So go with them. But do only what I tell you to do."
21. Balaam got up in the morning. He put a saddle on his donkey. Then he went with the princes of Moab.
22. But God was very angry when Balaam went. So the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey. His two servants were with him.
23. The donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road. The angel was holding a sword. He was ready for battle. So the donkey left the road and went into a field. Balaam hit the donkey. He wanted to get it back on the road.
24. Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path. The path went between two vineyards. There were walls on both sides.
25. The donkey saw the angel of the Lord. So it moved close to the wall. It crushed Balaam's foot against the wall. He hit the donkey again.
26. Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead. He stood in a narrow place. There was no room to turn, either right or left.