5 The lord gave Balaam a message for King Balak. Then he said, “Go back to Balak and give him my message.”
6 So Balaam returned and found the king standing beside his burnt offerings with all the officials of Moab.
7 This was the message Balaam delivered:“Balak summoned me to come from Aram;the king of Moab brought me from the eastern hills.‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me!Come and announce Israel’s doom.’
8 But how can I curse thosewhom God has not cursed?How can I condemn thosewhom the lord has not condemned?
9 I see them from the cliff tops;I watch them from the hills.I see a people who live by themselves,set apart from other nations.
10 Who can count Jacob’s descendants, as numerous as dust?Who can count even a fourth of Israel’s people?Let me die like the righteous;let my life end like theirs.”
11 Then King Balak demanded of Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies. Instead, you have blessed them!”