So ¹  now, please come and curse this nation ²  for me, for they are too powerful for me. Perhaps I will prevail so that we may conquer them ³  and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, ⁴  and whoever you curse is cursed.”

For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you will fall by the sword. Because you have turned away from the Lord, the Lord will not be with you.”

Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord that he would take away ¹  the snakes from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

So we have brought as an offering for the Lord what each man found: gold ornaments, armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and necklaces, to make atonement for ourselves ¹  before the Lord.” ² 

And Aaron did so; he set up the lamps to face toward the front of the lampstand, as the Lord commanded Moses.

So Moses said to them, “Remain ¹  here and I will hear ²  what the Lord will command concerning you.”

When the people cried to Moses, he ¹  prayed to the Lord, and the fire died out. ² 

So now, let the power of my Lord ¹  be great, just as you have said,

And now, I am about to go ¹  back to my own people. Come now, and I will advise you as to what this people will do to your people in the future.” ² 

Why should the name of our father be lost from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession ¹  among the relatives ²  of our father.”

So they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, ¹  let this land be given to your servants for our inheritance. Do not have us cross ²  the Jordan River.” ³ 

¹ The Lord said to Moses, “Gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know are elders of the people and officials ²  over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting; let them take their position there with you.

So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and each of their leaders gave him a staff, one for each leader, ¹  according to their tribes ²  – twelve staffs; the staff of Aaron was among their staffs.

Thus you are to offer up a raised offering to the Lord of all your tithes which you receive from the Israelites; and you must give the Lord’s raised offering from it to Aaron the priest.

And he sent messengers to Balaam ¹  son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates River ²  in the land of Amaw, ³  to summon him, saying, “Look, a nation has come out of Egypt. They cover the face ⁴  of the earth, and they are settling next to me.