³⁵ But the angel of Yahweh said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but ^(A)you shall speak only the word which I ^[a]tell you.” So Balaam went along with the leaders of Balak.

⁵ Then Yahweh ^(A)put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and you shall speak thus.”

¹² And he replied, “Must I not be careful to speak ^(A)what Yahweh puts in my mouth?”

¹⁶ Then Yahweh met Balaam and ^(A)put a word in his mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.”

²⁶ But Balaam replied to Balak, “Did I not tell you, saying, ‘^(A)Whatever Yahweh speaks, that I must do’?”

¹³ ‘Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything to trespass the ^[a]command of Yahweh, either good or bad, ^(A)of my own ^[b]accord. ^(B)What Yahweh speaks, that I will speak’?