1. Then the people of Israel traveled to the plains of Moab and camped east of the Jordan River, across from Jericho.
2. Balak son of Zippor, the Moabite king, had seen everything the Israelites did to the Amorites.
3. And when the people of Moab saw how many Israelites there were, they were terrified.
4. The king of Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This mob will devour everything in sight, like an ox devours grass in the field!”So Balak, king of Moab,
5. sent messengers to call Balaam son of Beor, who was living in his native land of Pethor near the Euphrates River. His message said:“Look, a vast horde of people has arrived from Egypt. They cover the face of the earth and are threatening me.