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, ^wbut 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. ^x14Now 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; ^y

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: ^z

¹⁷I see him, ^abut not now;

I perceive him, ^bbut not near.

A star will come from Jacob,

and a scepter will arise from Israel. ^c

He will smash the forehead ^dof Moab

and strike down ^eall the Shethites. ^f

¹⁸Edom will become a possession;

Seir ^gwill 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.