⁵ sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor,^(A) who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River,^(B) in his native land. Balak said:

⁷ The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination.^(A) When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.

¹⁶ “They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice^(A) and enticed the Israelites to be unfaithful to the Lord in the Peor incident,^(B) so that a plague^(C) struck the Lord’s people.

⁴ For they did not come to meet you with bread and water^(A) on your way when you came out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam^(B) son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim^[a](C) to pronounce a curse on you.^(D)

Moab Seduces Israel

25 While Israel was staying in Shittim,^(A) the men began to indulge in sexual immorality^(B) with Moabite^(C) women,^{(D) 2} who invited them to the sacrifices^(E) to their gods.^(F) The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods. ³ So Israel yoked themselves to^(G) the Baal of Peor.^(H) And the Lord’s anger burned against them.