Numbers 24:1-14
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Balaam’s Third Oracle
24 Now Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, so he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens but set his face toward the wilderness.(A) 2 Balaam looked up and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. Then the spirit of God came upon him,(B) 3 and he uttered his oracle, saying,
“The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eye is clear,[a](C)
4 the oracle of one who hears the words of God,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,[b]
who falls down but with eyes uncovered:(D)
5 How fair are your tents, O Jacob,
your encampments, O Israel!
6 Like palm groves that stretch far away,
like gardens beside a river,
like aloes that the Lord has planted,
like cedar trees beside the waters.(E)
7 Water shall flow from his buckets,
and his seed shall have abundant water;
his king shall be higher than Agag,
and his kingdom shall be exalted.(F)
8 God, who brings him out of Egypt,
is like the horns of a wild ox for him;
he shall devour the nations that are his foes
and break their bones.
He shall strike with his arrows.[c](G)
9 He crouched; he lay down like a lion
and like a lioness; who will rouse him up?
Blessed is everyone who blesses you,
and cursed is everyone who curses you.”(H)
10 Then Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but instead you have blessed them these three times. 11 Now be off with you! Go home! I said, ‘I will reward you richly,’ but the Lord has denied you any reward.”(I) 12 And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not speak to your messengers whom you sent to me, saying, 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 says, that is what I will say’?(J) 14 So now, I am going to my people; let me advise you what this people will do to your people in days to come.”(K)
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Numbers 24:1-14
Evangelical Heritage Version
24 When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go to look for omens as he had done at the other times, but he set his face toward the wilderness. 2 When Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes, the Spirit of God was upon him. 3 He took up his oracle and said:
The declaration of Balaam son of Beor,
the declaration of the man whose eye is open,
4 the declaration of the one who hears the words of God,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
who is falling down, but his eyes are wide open:
5 How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob,
and your dwelling places, O Israel!
6 Like rows of palm trees[a] they stretch out,
like gardens by the riverside,
like aloes which the Lord has planted,
like cedar trees beside the waters.
7 Water will flow from his buckets.
His seed[b] will have abundant waters.
His king will be higher than Agag.
His kingdom will be lifted up.
8 God brings him out of Egypt.
God is like the horns of a wild ox for him.
He will eat up the nations who are his adversaries.
He will gnaw on their bones.
He will pierce them through with his arrows.
9 He crouches like a lion.
He lies down like a lioness.
Who will rouse him?
The one who blesses you is blessed.
The one who curses you is cursed.
10 Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he slapped his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but look, all you have done is bless them these three times. 11 Now get out of here. Go to your own place! I said I would really reward you, but look, the Lord has denied you a reward.”
12 Balaam said to Balak, “Didn’t I tell the messengers you sent to me, ‘I will say what the Lord says. 13 Even if Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go against the command of the Lord by doing anything good or bad of my own will’?[c] 14 Yes, I am going back to my people, but pay attention now—I will tell you what this people will do to your people in days to come.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Numbers 24:6 Or streams
- Numbers 24:7 Here seed may refer both to literal seed and to offspring.
- Numbers 24:13 Literally of my heart
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.