For I will honor you greatly, and whatever you tell me I will do. So come, put a curse on this nation for me.’”

Then on the next morning Balak took Balaam, and brought him up to Bamoth Baal. From there he saw the extent of the nation.

For from the top of the rocks I see them; from the hills I watch them. Indeed, a nation that lives alone, and it will not be reckoned among the nations.

Indeed, the people will rise up like a lioness, and like a lion raises himself up; they will not lie down until they eat their prey, and drink the blood of the slain.”

So Moses spoke to the people: “Arm men from among you for the war, to attack the Midianites and to execute the Lord’s vengeance on Midian.

The spoil that remained of the plunder which the fighting men had gathered was 675,000 sheep,

Instruct these people as follows: ‘You are about to cross the border of your relatives the descendants of Esau, who inhabit Seir. They will be afraid of you, so watch yourselves carefully.

This very day I will begin to fill all the people of the earth with dread and to terrify them when they hear about you. They will shiver and shake in anticipation of your approach.”

Next we set out on the route to Bashan, but King Og of Bashan and his whole army came out to meet us in battle at Edrei.

So the Lord our God did indeed give over to us King Og of Bashan and his whole army and we struck them down until not a single survivor was left.

Commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, because he will lead these people over and will enable them to inherit the land you will see.”

You, however, the Lord has selected and brought from Egypt, that iron-smelting furnace, to be his special people as you are today.

Then the Lord will scatter you among the peoples and there will be very few of you among the nations where the Lord will drive you.

They include the Anakites, a numerous and tall people whom you know about and of whom it is said, “Who is able to resist the Anakites?”

Understand, therefore, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is about to give you this good land as a possession, for you are a stubborn people!

I prayed to him: O, Lord God, do not destroy your people, your valued property that you have powerfully redeemed, whom you brought out of Egypt by your strength.

Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; ignore the stubbornness, wickedness, and sin of these people.

Then he said to me, “Get up, set out leading the people so they may go and possess the land I promised to give to their ancestors.”

However, only to your ancestors did he show his loving favor, and he chose you, their descendants, from all peoples – as is apparent today.

the gods of the surrounding people (whether near you or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other).