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Numbers 22

²And Balak son of Zippor saw everything that Israel had done to the Amorites, ³so Moab was afraid of the people and because they were so numerous, and they were overwhelmed by the children of Israel. ⁴The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, "This crowd is going to lick up all that's around us, like an ox licks up the grass of the field. Now Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. ⁵And [Balak] sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor to Pethor by the Euphrates River, which was his native land, to call for help. He said, "Look! A group of people has come out of Egypt and they're covering the face of the ground, and they're staying in my territory! ⁶So come now and curse these people for me, because they are too strong for me. Maybe then I'll be able to smite them and remove them from the land, because I know that whatever you bless is really blessed, and whatever you curse has really been cursed. ⁷And the elders of Moab and of Midian went with their divination devices in hand, and they came to Balaam and gave him Balaam's message.

⁸Balaam said to them, "Stay here overnight, and I will return word to you as YHWH tells me." So the rulers of Moab stayed with Balaam. ⁹And God came to Balaam and said, "Who are these men who are staying with you?" ¹⁰And Balaam told God, "Balak son of Zippor king of Moab sent a message to me which said, ¹¹"Look! This group of people that is coming out of Egypt has covered the face of the ground. Now come, put a magic curse on them. Perhaps then I can make war on them and drive them out."

¹²And God said to Balaam, "Don't go with them. Don't curse these people, because they are blessed." ¹³So Balaam got up in the morning and said to the Balak's rulers, "Go to your land, because YHWH has refused to allow me to go with you." ¹⁴And the rulers of Moab got up and went to Balak, and said, "Balaam refused to come with us."

¹⁵So Balaam sent more important leaders than those, ¹⁶and they came to Balaam and told him, "This is what Balak son of Zippor says, 'Don't refuse to come to me, ¹⁷because I can truly give you great honor, and I will do everything you tell me. So come, lay a magic curse for me on thes people.'" ¹⁸And Balaam answered the servants of Balak, "Even if Balak gave me his whole house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of YHWH my God in doing something small or big. ¹⁹But now you also stay tonight, and I will find out what more God will say to me. ²⁰And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "Since these men have come to get you, get up and go with them, but you will do only what I tell you."

Average revision: 3 (Draft # 1 by individual translator)