6. Therefore, come and curse this people, for they are stronger than I am. If only, in some way, I might be able to strike them and to drive them from my land. For I know that he whom you bless shall be blessed, and he whom you curse shall be cursed."
7. And the elders of Moab, and those greater by birth of Midian, continued on, holding the price of divination in their hands. And when they had come to Balaam, and had explained to him all the words of Balak,
8. he responded, "Remain for this night, and I will answer with whatever the Lord will say to me." And while they stayed with Balaam, God came and said to him,
9. "What do these men want with you?"
10. He responded, "Balak, the son of Zippor, the king of the Moabites has sent to me,
11. saying: 'Behold, a people, which has gone forth from Egypt, has covered the face of the earth. Come and curse them, so that, in some way, I may be able to fight them and drive them away.' "
12. And God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them, and do not curse the people, for they are blessed."
13. And he, rising up in the morning, said to the leaders, "Go into your own land, for the Lord has prohibited me from going with you."
14. Returning, the leaders said to Balak, "Balaam was not willing to come with us."
15. Again, he sent many more persons, and these were more noble than those he had sent before.
16. And when these had come to Balaam, they said: "So says Balak, the son of Zippor. Do not hesitate to come to me.
17. For I am ready to honor you, and whatever you would want, I shall give to you. Come and curse this people."
18. Balaam responded: "Even if Balak were to give to me his own house, filled with silver and gold, I still would not be able to change the word of the Lord my God, neither to say more, nor to say less.
19. I beg you to remain for this night also, so that I may know what the Lord will answer me again."
20. Therefore, God came to Balaam in the night, and said to him: "If these men have arrived to call you, then rise up and go with them; yet only in so far as you shall do what I will command you."
21. Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddling his donkey, he set out with them.
22. And God was angry. And an Angel of the Lord stood in the way opposite Balaam, who was sitting on the donkey, and he had two servants with him.
23. The donkey, discerning that the Angel was standing in the way with a drawn sword, turned herself from the road and went through a field. And when Balaam beat her and intended to return her to the path,
24. the Angel stood in a narrow place between the two walls, with which the vineyards were enclosed.
25. And the donkey, seeing this, drew herself close to the wall and scraped the foot of the rider. So he beat her again.