8. He said to them, “Spend the night here, and I will return, and I will return word to you, just as Yahweh speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9. And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”
10. And Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent word to me,
11. ‘Look! A people went out from Egypt. Look! They cover the surface of the land. Now, go, curse them for me. Perhaps I will be able to attack them and drive them out.”
12. God said to Balaam, “You will not go with them; you will not curse the people, because they are blessed.”
13. Balaam got up in the morning, and he said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land, because Yahweh refused to allow me to go with you.”
14. The princes of Moab got up and went to Balak, and they said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
15. Balak again sent many princes, who were more honored than the former.
16. They came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak son of Zippor, ‘Please, let nothing keep you from coming to me
17. because I will surely honor you greatly, and all that you say to me I will do. Please, come; curse this people for me.’ ”