“”The Lord gave Balaam a message from King Balak. Then He said, “Go back to Balak and give Him My message.”
So Balam returned and found the king standing beside his burnt offerings with all the officials of Moab. 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.’
“But how can I curse those who God has not cursed How can I condemn those whom the Lord has not condemned?
I see them from the cliff tops; I watch them from the hills.
I see people who live by themselves, set apart from other nations.
Who can count Jacob’s descendants, as numerous as dust?
Who can count even a forth of Israel’s people?
Let me die like the righteous; let my life end like theirs.”
Then King Balak demanded of Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies. Instead, you have blessed them!”
But Balaam replied, “I will speak only the message that the Lord puts in my mouth.”” (Numbers 23: vv.5-12, NLT)