Numbers 24

¹Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not resort to divination as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness. ²When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him ³and he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,

the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,

⁴the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,

who sees a vision from the Almighty,

who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

⁵“How beautiful are your tents, Jacob,

your dwelling places, Israel!

⁶“Like valleys they spread out,

like gardens beside a river,

like aloes planted by the Lord,

like cedars beside the waters.

⁷Water will flow from their buckets;

their seed will have abundant water.

“Their king will be greater than Agag;

their kingdom will be exalted.

⁸“God brought them out of Egypt;

they have the strength of a wild ox.

They devour hostile nations

and break their bones in pieces;

with their arrows they pierce them.

⁹Like a lion they crouch and lie down,

like a lioness—who dares to rouse them?

“May those who bless you be blessed

and those who curse you be cursed!”

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

¹²Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me, 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 Lord—and I must say only what the Lord says’? ¹⁴Now 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.”

Balaam’s Fourth Message

¹⁵Then he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,

the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,

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

who has knowledge from the Most High,

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.

A star will come out of Jacob;

a scepter will rise out of Israel.

He will crush the foreheads of Moab,

the skulls of all the people of Sheth.

¹⁸Edom will be conquered;

Seir, his enemy, will be conquered,

but Israel will grow strong.

¹⁹A ruler will come out of Jacob

and destroy the survivors of the city.”

Balaam’s Fifth Message

²⁰Then Balaam saw Amalek and spoke his message:

“Amalek was first among the nations,

but their end will be utter destruction.”

Balaam’s Sixth Message

²¹Then he saw the Kenites and spoke his message:

“Your dwelling place is secure,

your nest is set in a rock;

²²yet you Kenites will be destroyed

when Ashur takes you captive.”

Balaam’s Seventh Message

²³Then he spoke his message:

“Alas! Who can live when God does this?

²⁴Ships will come from the shores of Cyprus;

they will subdue Ashur and Eber,

but they too will come to ruin.”

²⁵Then Balaam got up and returned home, and Balak went his own way.