Balaam's Final Oracle

15 (A)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 (B)the Most High,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
    (C)falling down with his eyes uncovered:
17 (D)I see him, but not now;
    I behold him, but not near:
(E)a star shall come out of Jacob,
    and (F)a scepter shall rise out of Israel;
it shall (G)crush the forehead[a] of Moab
    and break down all the sons of Sheth.
18 (H)Edom shall be dispossessed;
    (I)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!”

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 24:17 Hebrew corners [of the head]

15 He raised his voice and made his address:

“The oracle of Balaam, Beor’s son,
the oracle of a man whose eye is open.
16     The oracle of one who hears God’s speech,
    and understands the Most High’s[a] knowledge,
    who perceives the Almighty’s[b] visions,
    who falls down with eyes uncovered.
17 I see him, but not now;
    I look at him, but not nearby.
A star comes from Jacob;
    a scepter arises from Israel,
        smashing Moab’s forehead,
        the head of all the Sethites.
18 Edom will become a possession,
    Seir a possession of its enemies.
    But Israel acts powerfully.
19 Someone from Jacob will rule
    and destroy the survivors from Ir.”

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 24:16 Heb Elyon
  2. Numbers 24:16 Heb Shaddai or Mountain One