Numbers 23:27–24:9

27 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Please, come, I will take you to another place; perhaps ⌊it will be acceptable to⌋k God, and you will curse for me from there.” 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which looks down on the face of the Jeshimon.l 29 And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me these seven altars, and prepare for me these seven bulls and seven rams.” 30 Balak did just as Balaam said, and he offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Balaam Continues to Utter Oracles

24 And Balaam saw that ⌊it pleased⌋a Yahweh to bless Israel, and he did not go ⌊as other times⌋b ⌊to seek out⌋c sorcery; instead, he set his face toward the desert. 2 Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to its tribes, and the spirit of God was upon him. 3 He ⌊uttered⌋e his oracle and said,

“The declaration of Balaam son Beor,

the declaration of the man whose eyes are closed,

4 the declaration of the hearer of God’s words,f

who sees the revelation of Shaddai,g

falling down but whose eyes are uncovered.

5 How good are your tents, O Jacob,

your dwellings, O Israel!

6 They are spread out like valleys,

like gardens on a river,

like aloes planted by Yahweh,

like cedars at the waters.

7 He will pour water from his buckets,

and his offspring will be like many waters;

his king will be higher than Agag,

and his kingdom will be exalted.

8 God, who brings him out from Egypt,

is like the strengthh of a wild ox for him.

He will devour the nations who are his enemies;

he will break their bones;

he will pierce them with his arrows.

9 He crouches, he lies down like a lion,

and like a lioness, who will rouse him?

They who bless you will be blessed,

and they who curse you will be cursed.”