Nevertheless the LORD your God wouldn't listen to Bil`am; but the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing to you, because the LORD your God loved you.
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.
Now when I passed by you, and looked at you, behold, your time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over you, and covered your nakedness: yes, I swore to you, and entered into a covenant with you, says the Lord GOD, and you became mine.
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 angel of the LORD said to Bil`am, Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak to you, that you shall speak. So Bil`am went with the princes of Balak.
He sent messengers to Bil`am the son of Be'or, to Petor, which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the surface of the earth, and they abide over against me.
as the children of Esav who dwell in Se`ir, and the Mo`avim who dwell in `Ar, did to me; until I shall pass over the Yarden into the land which the LORD our God gives us.