Balak

And Balac the son of Sephor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorrhite,

He said to the elders of Madian: So will this people destroy all that dwell in our borders, as the ox is wont to eat the grass to the very roots. Now he was at that time king in Moab.

And the ancients of Moab, and the elders of Madian, went with the price of divination in their hands. And where they were come to Balaam, and had told him all the words of Balac:

He answered: Balac the son of Sephor king of the Moabites hath sent to me,

And he rose in the morning and said to the princes: Go into your country, because the Lord hath forbid me to come with you.

The princes returning, said to Balac: Balaam would not come with us.

Then he sent many more and more noble than he had sent before:

Who, when they were come to Balaam, said: Thus saith Balac the son of Sephor, Delay not to come to me:

Balaam answered: If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot alter the word of the Lord my God, to speak either more or less.

The angel said: Go with these men, and see thou speak no other thing than what I shall command thee. He went therefore with the princes.

And when Balac heard it he came forth to meet him in a town of the Moabites, that is situate in the uttermost borders of Arnon.

And he said to Balaam: I sent messengers to call thee, why didst thou not come immediately to me? was it because I am not able to reward thy coming?

He answered him: Lo, here I am: shall I have power to speak any other thing but that which God shall put in my mouth?

So they went on together, and came into a city, that was in the uttermost borders of his kingdom.

And when Balac had killed oxen and sheep, he sent presents to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.

And when morning was come, he brought him to the high places of Baal, and he beheld the uttermost part of the people.

And Balaam said to Balac: Build me here seven altars, and prepare as many calves, and the same number of rams.

And when he had done according to the word of Balaam, they laid together a calf and a ram upon every altar.

And Balaam said to Balac: Stand a while by thy burnt offering, until I go, to see if perhaps the Lord will meet me, and whatsoever he shall command, I will speak to thee.

And the Lord put the word in his mouth, and said: Return to Balac, and thus shalt thou speak.

And taking up his parable, he said: Balac king of the Moabites hath brought me from Aram, from the mountains of the east: Come, said he, and curse Jacob: make haste and detest Israel.

And Balac said to Balaam: What is this that thou dost? I sent for thee to curse my enemies: and thou contrariwise blessest them.

Balac therefore said: Come with me to another place from whence thou mayest see part of Israel, and canst not see them all: curse them from thence.

He said to Balac: Stand here by thy burnt offering while I go to meet him.

And when the Lord had met him, and had put the word in his mouth, he said: Return to Balac, and thus shalt thou say to him.