10
So Balaam said to God, "Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,
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'Look, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come now, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to overpower them and drive them out.' "
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And God said to Balaam, "You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed."
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So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, "Go back to your land, for the Lord has refused to give me permission to go with you."
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And the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, "Balaam refuses to come with us."
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Then Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more honorable than they.
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And they came to Balaam and said to him, "Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: 'Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me;
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for I will certainly honor you greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Therefore please come, curse this people for me.' "
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Then Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, "Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.
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Now therefore, please, you also stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me."
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And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you--that you shall do."