Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee.

Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you:

O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD.

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, {whom} the LORD hath not defied?

How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, {and} thy tabernacles, O Israel!

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done {it} unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done {it} unto me.

Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.

And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they {were} many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.

And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed {them} altogether.

Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.

Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam {the son} of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed {them} these three times.

Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they {are} too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, {that} we may smite them, and {that} I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest {is} blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.