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 towards the wilderness.2When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him3and 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,[1] 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 sceptre will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls[2] of[3] all the people of Sheth.[4] (Jer 48:45)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.’20Then Balaam saw Amalek and spoke his message: ‘Amalek was first among the nations, but their end will be utter destruction.’
Balaam’s fifth message 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?[5]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.
Numbers 24
English Standard Version
Balaam’s Third Oracle
1When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. (Nu 23:3; Nu 23:15)2And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, (Nu 2:22; Jud 3:10; 1Sa 19:20; 1Sa 19:23; 2Ch 15:1; 2Ch 20:14)3and he took up his discourse and said, “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,[1] (Nu 23:7)4the oracle of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered: (Eze 1:28; Eze 3:23; Re 1:10; Re 1:17)5How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel!6Like palm groves[2] that stretch afar, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that the Lord has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters. (Ps 1:3; Ps 104:16; Isa 61:3; Jer 17:8)7Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters; his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. (1Sa 15:8; 2Sa 5:12; 1Ch 14:2; Jer 51:13; Re 17:1)8God brings him out of Egypt and is for him like the horns of the wild ox; he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces and pierce them through with his arrows. (Nu 14:9; Nu 23:22; Nu 23:24; Ps 45:5; Isa 38:13; Jer 50:9; Jer 50:17)9He crouched, he lay down like a lion and like a lioness; who will rouse him up? Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you.” (Ge 12:3; Ge 27:29; Ge 49:9; Nu 23:24)10And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. (Nu 23:11; Job 27:23; La 2:15; Eze 21:14; Eze 21:17; Eze 22:13)11Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, ‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the Lord has held you back from honor.” (Nu 22:17; Nu 22:37)12And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me,13‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the Lord speaks, that will I speak’? (Nu 16:28; Nu 22:18)14And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.” (Ge 49:1; Mic 6:5; Re 2:14)
Balaam’s Final Oracle
15And he took up his discourse and said, “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, (Nu 21:27; Nu 23:7)16the oracle of him who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered: (Nu 24:4; Ac 7:48)17I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead[3] of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth. (Ge 49:10; Nu 23:9; 2Sa 8:2; Jer 48:45; Mt 2:2; Re 22:16)18Edom shall be dispossessed; Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed. Israel is doing valiantly. (Ge 32:3; Ge 36:8; 2Sa 8:14; Ps 60:8; Am 9:12)19And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion and destroy the survivors of cities!”20Then he looked on Amalek and took up his discourse and said, “Amalek was the first among the nations, but its end is utter destruction.” (Ex 17:14; Nu 23:7; 1Sa 15:3; 1Sa 15:8)21And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said, “Enduring is your dwelling place, and your nest is set in the rock.22Nevertheless, Kain shall be burned when Asshur takes you away captive.”23And he took up his discourse and said, “Alas, who shall live when God does this?24But ships shall come from Kittim and shall afflict Asshur and Eber; and he too shall come to utter destruction.” (Ge 10:4; Ge 10:21; Ge 10:25; Nu 24:20; Da 11:30)25Then Balaam rose and went back to his place. And Balak also went his way. (Nu 31:8)