Numbers 24

Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel,^e he did not resort to divination^f as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness.^g When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him^h and he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,

the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,ⁱ

the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,^j

who sees a vision from the Almighty,^k

who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

“How beautiful are your tents,^l Jacob,

your dwelling places, Israel!

“Like valleys they spread out,

like gardens beside a river,^m

like aloesⁿ planted by the Lord,

like cedars beside the waters.^o

Water will flow from their buckets;

their seed will have abundant water.

“Their king will be greater than Agag;^p

their kingdom will be exalted.^q

“God brought them out of Egypt;

they have the strength of a wild ox.

They devour hostile nations

and break their bones in pieces;^r

with their arrows they pierce them.^s

Like a lion they crouch and lie down,

like a lioness^t—who dares to rouse them?

“May those who bless you be blessed^u

and those who curse you be cursed!”^v

Then Balak’s anger burned^w against Balaam. He struck his hands together^x and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies,^y but you have blessed them^z these three times.^a Now leave at once and go home!^b I said I would reward you handsomely,^c but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”

Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me,^d ‘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 Lord^e—and I must say only what the Lord says’?^f 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.”^g

Balaam’s Fourth Message

Then he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,

the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,

the prophecy of one who hears the words^a of God,

who has knowledge from the Most High,^b

who sees a vision from the Almighty,

who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

“I see him, but not now;

I behold him, but not near.^c

A star will come out of Jacob;^d

a scepter will rise out of Israel.^e

He will crush the foreheads of Moab,^f

the skulls^g of all the people of Sheth.

Edom^h will be conquered;

Seir,ⁱ his enemy, will be conquered,^j

but Israel^k will grow strong.

A ruler will come out of Jacob^l

and destroy the survivors of the city.”

Balaam’s Fifth Message

Then Balaam saw Amalek^a and spoke his message:

“Amalek was first among the nations,

but they will come to ruin at last.”^b

Balaam’s Sixth Message

Then he saw the Kenites^a and spoke his message:

“Your dwelling place is secure,^b

your nest is set in a rock;

yet you Kenites will be destroyed

when Ashur^c takes you captive.”

Balaam’s Seventh Message

Then he spoke his message:

“Ah, who can live when God does this?

Ships will come from the shores of Cyprus;^a

they will subdue Ashur^b and Eber,^c

but they too will come to ruin.^d”

Then Balaam^e got up and returned home, and Balak went his own way.