5. The Lord told Balaam what he should say. Then the Lord said, “Go back to Balak and give him this message.”
6. So Balaam went back to Balak. Balak and all the leaders of Moab were still standing beside his burnt offering.
7. Then Balaam gave them this message:“Balak brought me here from Aram.The king of Moab brought me from the eastern mountains.Balak said, ‘Come, put a curse on the people of Jacob for me.Come, wish evil on the people of Israel.’
8. But God has not cursed them.So I cannot curse them.The Lord has not wished evil on them.So I cannot wish evil on them.
9. I see them from the mountains.I see them from the hills.I see a people who live alone.They think they are different from other nations.
10. No one can number the people of Jacob.No one can count a fourth of Israel.Let me die like good men.Let me end up like them!”
11. Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies. But you have only blessed them!”
12. But Balaam answered, “I must say what the Lord tells me to say.”
13. Then Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place. There you can also see the people. But you can only see part of them, not all of them. Curse them for me from there.”
14. So Balak took Balaam to the field of Zophim. This was on top of Mount Pisgah. There Balak built seven altars. And he offered a bull and a male sheep on each altar.
15. So Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here by your burnt offering. I will meet with God over there.”