Indeed, I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

“The Lord bless you and protect you;

Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!”

They crouch and lie down like a lion, and as a lioness, who can stir him? Blessed is the one who blesses you, and cursed is the one who curses you!’”

Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but on the contrary you have only blessed them!”

So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

So now, please come and curse this nation for me, for they are too powerful for me. Perhaps I will prevail so that we may conquer them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”

Then Balak became very angry at Balaam, and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have done nothing but bless them these three times!

“Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is the way you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

But God said to Balaam, “You must not go with them; you must not curse the people, for they are blessed.”

When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as at the other times to seek for omens, but he set his face toward the wilderness.