Numbers 24:10–19

¹⁰Then Balak became furious with Balaam, struck his hands together, and said to him, “I summoned you to put a curse on my enemies, but instead, you have blessed them these three times. ¹¹Now go to your home! I said I would reward you richly,ⁱ but look, the Lord has denied you a reward.”

¹²Balaam answered Balak, “Didn’t I previously tell the messengers you sent me: ¹³If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go against the Lord’s command, to do anything good or bad of my own will? I will say whatever the Lord says.^{j 14}Now I am going back to my people, but first, let me warn you what these people will do to your people in the future.”

BALAAM’S FOURTH ORACLE

¹⁵Then he proclaimed his poem:

The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,

the oracle of the man whose eyes are opened;

¹⁶the oracle of one who hears the sayings of God

and has knowledge from the Most High,

who sees a vision from the Almighty,

who falls into a trance with his eyes uncovered:^k

¹⁷I see him, but not now;

I perceive him, but not near.

A star will come from Jacob,

and a scepter will arise from Israel.^l

He will smash the forehead^C of Moab

and strike down all the Shethites.^E

¹⁸Edom will become a possession;

Seir^m will become a possession of its enemies,

but Israel will be triumphant.

¹⁹One who comes from Jacob will rule;

he will destroy the city’s survivors.