⁴ And Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Now Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.^{(A) 5} He sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is on the Euphrates,^[a] in the land of Amaw,^[b] to summon him, saying, “A people has come out of Egypt; they have spread over the face of the earth, and they have settled next to me.^{(B) 6} Come now, curse this people for me, since they are stronger than I; perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that whomever you bless is blessed, and whomever you curse is cursed.”^(C)