12. God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them! Do not curse them, for they are blessed!”
13. So Balaam got up in the morning and said to the officials of Balak, “Go back to your country, for Adonai has refused to let me go with you.”
14. So the Moabite officials got up, went back to Balak, and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
15. Balak again sent other dignitaries, more numerous and honored than these previous ones.
16. They also came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak son of Zippor: Please let nothing keep you from coming to me!
17. I will richly reward you, and everything you tell me I will do! Just come now and curse this people for me!”
18. But Balaam answered Balak’s servants, “Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot cross beyond the mouth of Adonai my God, to do anything small or great!
19. But now, you may spend the night here, too. Then I may find out anything else Adonai may say to me.”
20. God came to Balaam by night and said to him, “Since the men came to you to summon you, arise and go with them. However, only the word I tell you are you to do!”
21. So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the Moabite princes.
22. But the anger of God burned because he was going. The angel of Adonai stood in the road to oppose him—he was riding on his donkey and two of his servants were with him—
23. when the donkey saw the angel of Adonai standing in the road with his drawn sword in his hand, the donkey turned off the road and went into the field. So Balaam beat the donkey to get her back onto the road.