Numbers 22:7-22

⁷And the elders of Moab and of Midian went, with the (price of) divinations in their hands, and came to Bileam, and told him the words of Balak.

⁸And he said to them, Lodge here for the night, and I will return you word, according as the Lord speaketh with me. And the princes of Moab tarried with Bileam.

⁹And a word from before the Lord came unto Bileam, and said, Who are these men who are with thee?

¹⁰And Bileam said before the Lord, Balak bar Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent to me.

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.

¹⁹But now I beg you tarry here this night, that I may know what yet the Lord will speak unto me.

²⁰And word came from before the Lord unto Bileam by night, and said to him: If the men come to call thee, arise and go with them; nevertheless the word that I speak with thee, that thou shalt do.

²¹And Bileam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

²²But the displeasure of the Lord was provoked because he (so) went; and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to withstand him: and he was riding upon his ass, and his two young men with him.