Numbers 23:7-15

⁷Then Balaam began to speak his prophecy and said, “Balak has brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains. 'Come, curse Jacob for me,' he said. 'Come, defy Israel.'

⁸How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I oppose those whom Yahweh does not oppose?

⁹For from the top of the rocks I see him; from the hills I look at him. See, there is a people who live alone and do not consider themselves as just an ordinary nation.

¹⁰Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even only one-fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of a righteous person, and let my life's end be like his!”

¹¹Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but look, you have blessed them.”

¹²Balaam answered and said, “Should I not be careful to say only what Yahweh puts in my mouth?”

¹³So Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place where you can see them. You will only see the nearest of them, not all of them. There you will curse them for me.”

¹⁴So he took Balaam into the field of Zophim, to the top of Mount Pisgah, and built seven more altars. He offered up a bull and a ram on each altar.

¹⁵Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering, while I meet with Yahweh over there.”