2-3 When King Balak of Moab and his people heard how many Israelites there were and what they had done to the Amorites, he and the Moabites were terrified and panicked.
4 They said to the Midianite leaders, “Those Israelites will wipe out everything in sight, like a bull eating grass in a field.”So King Balak
5 sent a message to Balaam son of Beor who lived among his relatives in the town of Pethor near the River Euphrates. It said:I need your help. A huge group of people has come here from Egypt and settled near my territory.
6 They are too powerful for us to defeat, so would you come and place a curse on them? Perhaps then we can drive them out. I know that anyone you bless will be successful, but anyone you curse will fail.
7 The leaders of Moab and Midian left and took along money to pay Balaam for his work. When they got to his house, they gave him Balak's message.
8 “Spend the night here,” Balaam replied, “and tomorrow I will tell you the Lord's answer.” So the officials stayed at his house.
9 During the night, God asked Balaam, “Who are these people at your house?”