10 Then Balak’s anger burnedx against Balaam. He struck his hands togethery and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies,z but you have blessed thema these three times.b 11 Now leave at once and go home!c I said I would reward you handsomely,d but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”

12 Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me,e 13 ‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lordf—and I must say only what the Lord says’?g 14 Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”h

Balaam’s Fourth Message

15 Then he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,

the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,

16 the prophecy of one who hears the wordsi of God,

who has knowledge from the Most High,j

who sees a vision from the Almighty,

who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

17 “I see him, but not now;

I behold him, but not near.k

A star will come out of Jacob;l

a scepter will rise out of Israel.m

He will crush the foreheads of Moab,n

the skullsb o ofc all the people of Sheth.d

18 Edomp will be conquered;

Seir,q his enemy, will be conquered,r

but Israels will grow strong.

19 A ruler will come out of Jacobt

and destroy the survivors of the city.”