4. God did meet with Balaam. Balaam said, “I’ve set up seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.”
5. Then God gave Balaam a message: “Return to Balak and give him this message.”
6-10. He went back and found him stationed beside his Whole-Burnt-Offering and with him all the nobles of Moab. Then Balaam spoke his message-oracle:Balak led me here from Aram,the king of Moab all the way from the eastern mountains.“Go, curse Jacob for me;go, damn Israel.”How can I curse whom God has not cursed?How can I damn whom God has not damned?From rock pinnacles I see them,from hilltops I survey them:Look! a people camping off by themselves,thinking themselves outsiders among nations.But who could ever count the dust of Jacobor take a census of cloud-of-dust Israel?I want to die like these right-living people!I want an end just like theirs!
11. Balak said to Balaam, “What’s this? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and all you’ve done is bless them.”
12. Balaam answered, “Don’t I have to be careful to say what God gives me to say?”