KJV ORIGINAL
Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Look, there's a nation that came out of Egypt, and they cover the whole land like a blanket. Come now and put a curse on them for me. Maybe then I'll be able to defeat them and drive them away.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
King Balak is asking the prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites because he's afraid of their great numbers and wants God's people defeated.
📚 Historical Context
This is King Balak of Moab speaking to the prophet Balaam around 1400 BC. The Israelites had just defeated several neighboring kingdoms and were camped near Moab's territory. Balak was terrified of this massive group of people and sought supernatural help to defeat them through curses.
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