Numbers 24

Balaam’s Third Oracle

1When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, as at aother times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. 2And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel bcamping tribe by tribe. And cthe Spirit of God came upon him, 3and he dtook up his discourse and said,

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
Or closed, or perfect; also verse 15

4the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
ffalling down with his eyes uncovered:
5How lovely are your tents, O Jacob,
your encampments, O Israel!
6Like palm groves
Or valleys
that stretch afar,
like gardens beside a river,
hlike aloes ithat the Lord has planted,
like cedar trees beside the waters.
7Water shall flow from his buckets,
and his seed shall be jin many waters;
his king shall be higher than kAgag,
and lhis kingdom shall be exalted.
8God brings him out of Egypt
and is for him like the mhorns of the wild ox;
he shall neat up the nations, his adversaries,
and shall obreak their bones in pieces
and ppierce them through with his arrows.
9He crouched, he lay down like a lion
and qlike a lioness; who will rouse him up?
rBlessed are those who bless you,
and cursed are those who curse you.”
10And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he sstruck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, t“I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. 11Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, u‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the Lord has held you back from honor.” 12And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 13 vIf 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 wof my own will. What the Lord speaks, that will I speak’? 14And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, xI will let you know what this people will do to your people yin the latter days.”

Balaam’s Final Oracle

15 zAnd he took up his discourse and said,

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
16the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
and knows the knowledge of aathe Most High,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
abfalling down with his eyes uncovered:
17 acI see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near:
ada star shall come out of Jacob,
and aea scepter shall rise out of Israel;
it shall afcrush the forehead
Hebrew corners [of the head]
of Moab
and break down all the sons of Sheth.
18 ahEdom shall be dispossessed;
aiSeir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed.
Israel is doing valiantly.
19And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion
and destroy the survivors of cities!”
20Then he looked on Amalek and ajtook up his discourse and said,

Amalek was the first among the nations,
akbut its end is utter destruction.”
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 alKittim
and shall afflict Asshur and amEber;
and he too anshall come to utter destruction.”
25Then Balaam rose and aowent back to his place. And Balak also went his way.

Copyright information for ESV