Numbers 23 - 25

Balaam speaks out at the request of king Balak.  Instead of the expected curses against Israel, Balaam pronounces blessings three times; he tells Balak that he can only pronounce what God gives him to say about the nations.  Balak finally learns from Balaam that Israel will be weakened only when they neglect to follow and worship God as He has commanded.  When Israel begins to sin, a plague breaks out against the nation.  A zealous man named Phineas takes drastic action to stop the sin-caused plague and halts the divine punishment in its tracks.