Numbers 24:1–9
Since Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go to seek omens as on previous occasions, but turnedB toward the wilderness. 2 When Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of Godc came on him, 3 and he proclaimed his poem:
The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eyes are opened,
4 the oracle of one who hears the sayings of God,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,d
who falls into a trance with his eyes uncovered:
5 How beautiful are your tents, Jacob,
your dwellings, Israel.
6 They stretch out like river valleys,C
like gardens beside a stream,
like aloes the Lord has planted,
like cedars beside the water.
7 Water will flow from his buckets,
and his seed will be by abundant water.
His king will be greater than Agag,e
and his kingdom will be exalted.
8 God brought him out of Egypt;
he is likeD the horns of a wild ox for them.f
He will feed on enemy nations
and gnaw their bones;
he will strike them with his arrows.
9 He crouches, he lies down like a lion
or a lioness—who dares to rouse him?g
Those who bless you will be blessed,
and those who curse you will be cursed.h