Numbers 22:5-21 And he sent messengers unto Bil’am the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river, in the land of the children of his people, to have him called; saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt; behold, it covereth the surface of the earth, and it is abiding opposite to me:

Leeser⁽ⁱ⁾ ⁵ And he sent messengers unto Bil’am the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river, in the land of the children of his people, to have him called; saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt; behold, it covereth the surface of the earth, and it is abiding opposite to me: ⁶ And now do but come, curse me this people; for it is too mighty for me; peradventure I may be able to smite it, that I may drive it out of the land; for I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed. ⁷ And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Bil’am, and spoke unto him the words of Balak. ⁸ And he said unto them, Remain you here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the Lord may speak unto me; and the princes of Moab abode with Bil’am. ⁹ And God came unto Bil’am, and said, Who are these men with thee? ¹⁰ And Bil’am said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, the king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying, ¹¹ Behold, there is the people that is come out of Egypt, and covereth the face of the earth: now come, denounce it for me; peradventure I shall be able to fight against it, and drive it away. ¹² And God said unto Bil’am, Thou shalt not go with them: thou shalt not curse the people; for it is blessed. ¹³ And Bil’am rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Go back to your land; for the Lord refuseth to give me leave to go with you. ¹⁴ And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Bil’am refuseth to come with us. ¹⁵ And Balak sent yet again princes, more in number, and more honorable than those. ¹⁶ And they came to Bil’am, and said to him, Thus hath said Balak the son of Zippor, Do not suffer thyself, I pray thee, to be prevented from coming unto me; ¹⁷ For I will honor thee greatly, and whatsoever thou mayest say unto me will I do: and only come, I pray thee, denounce me this people. ¹⁸ And Bil’am answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the order of the Lord my God, to do a small or a great thing. ¹⁹ And now, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will farther speak with me. ²⁰ And God came unto Bil’am at night, and said unto him, If to call thee the men have come, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I shall speak unto thee, that shalt thou do. ²¹ And Bil’am rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.