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וישבו שרי מואב עם בלעם. וזקני מדין להיכן הלכו כיון דאמר להו לינו פה הלילה וגו' הלכו להם אמרו כלום יש אב ששונא בנו: וישבו שרי מואב עם בלעם, “the emissaries of Moav spent the night with Bileam.” This raises the question of why the elders of Midian did not remain there also? When they heard that Bileam was going to consult with the G–d of the Israelites about how to conduct himself, they reasoned that a father (G–d as Israel’s father-figure) will not display hatred for his son, so what possible answer could Bileam expect from him asking permission to curse G–d’s son? They therefore left.