4. The Moabites spoke to the elders of Midian. They said, "This huge mob is going to lick up everything around us. They'll lick it up as an ox licks up all of the grass in the fields." Balak, the son of Zippor, was the king of Moab at that time.
5. He sent messengers to get Balaam. Balaam was the son of Beor. Balaam was at the city of Pethor near the Euphrates River. Pethor was in the land where Balaam had been born. Balak told the messengers to say to Balaam, "A nation has come out of Egypt. They are covering the face of the land. They've settled down next to me.
6. So come and put a curse on those people. They are too powerful for me. Maybe I'll be able to win the battle over them. Maybe I'll be able to drive them out of the country. I know that those you bless will be blessed. And I know that those you put a curse on will be cursed."
7. The elders of Moab and Midian left. They took with them the money they knew Balaam would ask for. They wanted him to use magic and figure things out for them. They came to where Balaam was. And they told him what Balak had said.
8. "Spend the night here," Balaam said to them. "I'll bring you back the answer the Lord gives me." So the princes of Moab stayed with him.
9. God came to Balaam. He asked, "Who are these men who are with you?"
10. Balaam said to God, "Balak king of Moab, the son of Zippor, sent me a message.
11. He said, 'A nation has come out of Egypt. They are covering the whole surface of the land. So come. Put a curse on them for me. Maybe I'll be able to fight them. Maybe I'll be able to drive them away.' "
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.' "