Numbers 23:26-24:8

New International Version

²⁶Balaam answered, “Did I not tell you I must do whatever the Lord says?”^(A)

Balaam’s Third Message

²⁷Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come, let me take you to another place.^(B) Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me^(C) from there.” ²⁸And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor,^(D) overlooking the wasteland.

²⁹Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” ³⁰Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.^(E)

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

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
    the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,^(J)
⁴the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,^(K)
    who sees a vision from the Almighty,^[a]^(L)
    who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

⁵“How beautiful are your tents,^(M) Jacob,
your dwelling places, Israel!

⁶“Like valleys they spread out,
    like gardens beside a river,^(N)
like aloes^(O) planted by the Lord,
    like cedars beside the waters.^(P)
⁷Water will flow from their buckets;
    their seed will have abundant water.

“Their king will be greater than Agag;^(Q)
their kingdom will be exalted.^(R)

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;^(S)
    with their arrows they pierce them.^(T)