Numbers 24:1-14

English Standard Version

Balaam's Third Oracle

24 When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, as at ^(A)other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. ²And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel ^(B)camping tribe by tribe. And ^(C)the Spirit of God came upon him, ³and he ^(D)took up his discourse and said,

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
    the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,^[a]
⁴the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
    who sees the vision of the Almighty,
    ^(E)falling down with his eyes uncovered:
⁵How lovely are your tents, O Jacob,
    your encampments, O Israel!
⁶Like palm groves^[b] that stretch afar,
    like gardens beside a river,
^(F)like aloes ^(G)that the Lord has planted,
    like cedar trees beside the waters.
⁷Water shall flow from his buckets,
    and his seed shall be ^(H)in many waters;
his king shall be higher than ^(I)Agag,
    and ^(J)his kingdom shall be exalted.
⁸God brings him out of Egypt
    and is for him like the ^(K)horns of the wild ox;
he shall ^(L)eat up the nations, his adversaries,
    and shall ^(M)break their bones in pieces
    and ^(N)pierce them through with his arrows.
⁹He crouched, he lay down like a lion
    and ^(O)like a lioness; who will rouse him up?
^(P)Blessed are those who bless you,
    and cursed are those who curse you.”

¹⁰And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he ^(Q)struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, ^(R)“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, ^(S)‘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^(T)‘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 ^(U)of my own will. What the Lord speaks, that will I speak’? ¹⁴And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, ^(V)I will let you know what this people will do to your people ^(W)in the latter days.”