“Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.”
'Come now, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me; perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that whomever you bless is blessed, and whomever you curse is cursed' — Balak's request is explicit: curse Israel. He believes that Balaam's curses have magical efficacy; blessings from Balaam benefit the blessed, curses harm the cursed. Balaam is renowned as a man whose words affect reality; his curse would weaken Israel militarily, allowing Moab to prevail.
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