Numbers 22:11-19

¹¹Behold the people that is come out of Egypt, it covereth the face of the earth; now, come curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.'

¹²And God said unto Balaam: 'Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people; for they are blessed.'

¹³And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak: 'Get you into your land; for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.'

¹⁴And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said: 'Balaam refuseth to come with us.'

¹⁵And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.

¹⁶And they came to Balaam, and said to him: 'Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor: Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me;

¹⁷for I will promote thee unto very great honour, and whatsoever thou sayest unto me I will do; come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.'

¹⁸And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak: 'If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do any thing, small or great.

¹⁹Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will speak unto me more.'