6. But Balak being very angry that the Israelites were not
cursed, sent away Balaam without thinking him worthy of any
honor. Whereupon, when he was just upon his journey, in order to
pass the Euphrates, he sent for Balak, and for the princes of the
Midianites, and spake thus to them: - "O Balak, and you
Midianites that are here present, (for I am obliged even without
the will of God to gratify you,) it is true no entire destruction
can seize upon the nation of the Hebrews, neither by war, nor by
plague, nor by scarcity of the fruits of the earth, nor can any
other unexpected accident be their entire ruin; for the
providence of God is concerned to preserve them from such a
misfortune; nor will it permit any such calamity to come upon
them whereby they may all perish; but some small misfortunes, and
those for a short time, whereby they may appear to be brought
low, may still befall them; but after that they will flourish
again, to the terror of those that brought those mischiefs upon
them. So that if you have a mind to gain a victory over them for
a short space of time, you will obtain it by following my
directions: - Do you therefore set out the handsomest of such of
your daughters as are most eminent for beauty, (10) and proper to
force and conquer the modesty of those that behold them, and
these decked and trimmed to the highest degree able. Then do you
send them to be near camp, and give them in charge, that the
young men of the Hebrews desire their allow it them; and when
they see they are enamored of them, let them take leaves; and if
they entreat them to stay, let give their consent till they have
persuaded leave off their obedience to their own laws, the
worship of that God who established them to worship the gods of
the Midianites and for by this means God will be angry at them