² Now Balak^(A) son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. ³ Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous, and Moab dreaded the Israelites. ⁴ So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will devour everything around us like an ox eats up the green plants in the field.”

Since Balak son of Zippor was Moab’s king at that time, ⁵ he sent messengers to Balaam^(B) son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people.^[a][b] Balak said to him: “Look, a people has come out of Egypt; they cover the surface of the land and are living right across from me. ⁶ Please come and put a curse on these people for me because they are more powerful than I am. I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that those you bless are blessed and those you curse are cursed.”

⁷ The elders of Moab and Midian departed with fees for divination in hand.^(C) They came to Balaam and reported Balak’s words to him. ⁸ He said to them, “Spend the night here, and I will give you the answer the Lord tells me.” So the officials of Moab stayed with Balaam.

⁹ Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”

¹⁰ Balaam replied to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent this message to me: ¹¹ ‘Look, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the surface of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. I may be able to fight against them and drive them away.’”

Balaam’s First Oracle

⁷ Balaam proclaimed his poem:

¹⁰ Then Balak became furious with Balaam, struck his hands together, and said to him, “I summoned you to put a curse on my enemies, but instead, you have blessed them these three times.

³ No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the Lord’s assembly;^(A) none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, may ever enter the Lord’s assembly. ⁴ This is because they did not meet you with food and water on the journey after you came out of Egypt, and because Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram-naharaim was hired to curse you.^{(B) 5} Yet the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam, but He turned the curse into a blessing for you because the Lord your God loves^(C) you.^(D)