10. Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent me this message:
11. ‘Look, a vast horde of people has arrived from Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come and curse these people for me. Then perhaps I will be able to stand up to them and drive them from the land.’”
12. But God told Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse these people, for they have been blessed!”
13. The next morning Balaam got up and told Balak’s officials, “Go on home! The lord will not let me go with you.”
14. So the Moabite officials returned to King Balak and reported, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
15. Then Balak tried again. This time he sent a larger number of even more distinguished officials than those he had sent the first time.
16. They went to Balaam and delivered this message to him:“This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Please don’t let anything stop you from coming to help me.
17. I will pay you very well and do whatever you tell me. Just come and curse these people for me!”
18. But Balaam responded to Balak’s messengers, “Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the lord my God.
19. But stay here one more night, and I will see if the lord has anything else to say to me.”
20. That night God came to Balaam and told him, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But do only what I tell you to do.”
21. So the next morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started off with the Moabite officials.