Numbers 22:11-18

¹¹Behold, a people are come out of Mizraim, and hide the glance of the sun from the earth. Now come, curse him for me, that I may be able to fight him, and drive him away.

¹²And the Lord said to Bileam, Thou shalt not go with them: thou shalt not curse the people, for he is blessed.

¹³And Bileam arose in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, Go back to your country; for it is not pleasing before the Lord to permit me to go with you.

¹⁴And the princes of Moab arose and came to Balak, and said, Bileam refuseth to come with us.

¹⁵But Balak added to send princes more (in number) and nobler than those.

¹⁶And they came to Bileam, and said to him: Thus saith Balak bar Zippor: Be not, I beseech thee, hindered from coming to me;

¹⁷For I will greatly honour thee with honour, and will do all that thou shalt bid me. Come, then, curse me this people.

¹⁸Bileam responded, and said to the servants of Balak: If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I have no power to transgress the decree of the Word of the Lord my God, to do either little or great.