Numbers 24
Living Bible
24 Balaam realized by now that Jehovah planned to bless Israel, so he didn’t even go to meet the Lord as he had earlier. Instead, he went at once and looked out toward the camp of Israel 2 which stretched away across the plains, divided by tribal areas.
Then the Spirit of God came upon him, 3-9 and he spoke this prophecy concerning them:
“Balaam the son of Beor says—
The man whose eyes are open says—
‘I have listened to the word of God,
I have seen what God Almighty showed me;
I fell, and my eyes were opened:
Oh, the joys awaiting Israel,
Joys in the homes of Jacob.
I see them spread before me as green valleys,
And fruitful gardens by the riverside;
As aloes planted by the Lord himself;
As cedar trees beside the waters.
They shall be blessed with an abundance of water,
And they shall live in many places.
Their king will be greater than Agag;
Their kingdom is exalted.
God has brought them from Egypt.
Israel has the strength of a wild ox,
And shall eat up the nations that oppose him;
He shall break their bones in pieces,
And shall shoot them with many arrows.
Israel sleeps as a lion or a lioness—
Who dares arouse him?
Blessed is everyone who blesses you, O Israel,
And curses shall fall upon everyone who curses you.’”
10 King Balak was livid with rage by now. Striking his hands together in anger and disgust he shouted, “I called you to curse my enemies and instead you have blessed them three times. 11 Get out of here! Go back home! I had planned to promote you to great honor, but Jehovah has kept you from it!”
12 Balaam replied, “Didn’t I tell your messengers 13 that even if you gave me a palace filled with silver and gold, I could not go beyond the words of Jehovah, and could not say a word of my own? I said that I would say only what Jehovah says! 14 Yes, I shall return now to my own people. But first, let me tell you what the Israelites are going to do to your people!”
15-19 So he spoke this prophecy to him:
“Balaam the son of Beor is the man
Whose eyes are open!
He hears the words of God
And has knowledge from the Most High;
He sees what Almighty God has shown him;
He fell, and his eyes were opened:
I see in the future of Israel,
Far down the distant trail,
That there shall come a star from Jacob!
This ruler of Israel
Shall smite the people of Moab,
And destroy the sons of Sheth.
Israel shall possess all Edom and Seir.
They shall overcome their enemies.
Jacob shall arise in power
And shall destroy many cities.”
20 Then Balaam looked over at the homes of the people of Amalek and prophesied:
“Amalek was the first of the nations,
But its destiny is destruction!”
21-22 Then he looked over at the Kenites:
“Yes, you are strongly situated,
Your nest is set in the rocks!
But the Kenites shall be destroyed,
And the mighty army of the king of Assyria shall deport you from this land!”
23-24 He concluded his prophecies by saying:
“Alas, who can live when God does this?
Ships shall come from the coasts of Cyprus,
And shall oppress both Eber and Assyria.
They too must be destroyed.”
25 So Balaam and Balak returned to their homes.[a]
Footnotes
- Numbers 24:25 So Balaam and Balak returned to their homes. But not before Balaam gave insidious advice that brought about the situation described in 25:1-3. See 31:16.
Numbers 24
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. 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel (B)camping tribe by tribe. And (C)the Spirit of God came upon him, 3 and 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]
4 the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
(E)falling down with his eyes uncovered:
5 How lovely are your tents, O Jacob,
your encampments, O Israel!
6 Like 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.
7 Water 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.
8 God 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.
9 He 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.”
10 And 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. 11 Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, (S)‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the Lord has held you back from honor.” 12 And 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’? 14 And 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.”
Balaam's Final Oracle
15 (X)And he took up his discourse and said,
“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
16 the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
and knows the knowledge of (Y)the Most High,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
(Z)falling down with his eyes uncovered:
17 (AA)I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near:
(AB)a star shall come out of Jacob,
and (AC)a scepter shall rise out of Israel;
it shall (AD)crush the forehead[c] of Moab
and break down all the sons of Sheth.
18 (AE)Edom shall be dispossessed;
(AF)Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed.
Israel is doing valiantly.
19 And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion
and destroy the survivors of cities!”
20 Then he looked on Amalek and (AG)took up his discourse and said,
“Amalek was the first among the nations,
(AH)but its end is utter destruction.”
21 And 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.
22 Nevertheless, Kain shall be burned
when Asshur takes you away captive.”
23 And he took up his discourse and said,
“Alas, who shall live when God does this?
24 But ships shall come from (AI)Kittim
and shall afflict Asshur and (AJ)Eber;
and he too (AK)shall come to utter destruction.”
25 Then Balaam rose and (AL)went back to his place. And Balak also went his way.
Footnotes
- Numbers 24:3 Or closed, or perfect; also verse 15
- Numbers 24:6 Or valleys
- Numbers 24:17 Hebrew corners [of the head]
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
