He answered, I have not troubled Yisra'el; but you, and your father's house, in that you have forsaken the mitzvot of the LORD, and you have followed the Ba`alim.
He said, I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God Tzeva'ot; for the children of Yisra'el have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword: and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
because they didn't meet the children of Yisra'el with bread and with water, but hired Bil`am against them, to curse them: however our God turned the curse into a blessing.
My people, remember now what Balak king of Mo'av devised, and what Bil`am the son of Be'or answered him from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the LORD.*
The donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Bil`am struck the donkey, to turn her into the way.
The angel of the LORD said to him, Why have you struck your donkey these three times? behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because your way is perverse before me:
Behold, these caused the children of Yisra'el, through the counsel of Bil`am, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Pe`or, and so the plague was among the congregation of the LORD.
and said, *Full of all deceit and all cunning, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
receiving the wages of unrighteousness; people who count it pleasure to revel in the daytime, spots and blemishes, reveling in their deceit while they feast with you;
But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Bil`am, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Yisra'el, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.
Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and the right way.