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Oracle of Balaam

15 Then he took up his discourse and said,

(A)The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
And the oracle of the man whose eye is uncovered,
16 The oracle of him who hears the [a]words of God,
And knows the knowledge of the [b]Most High,
Who beholds the vision of the [c]Almighty,
Falling down, yet having his eyes opened.
17 I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near;
A star shall come forth from Jacob,
(B)A scepter shall rise from Israel,
(C)And shall crush through the [d]forehead of Moab,
And [e]tear down all the sons of [f]Sheth.
18 (D)And Edom shall be a possession,
(E)Seir, its enemies, also will be a possession,
While Israel performs valiantly.
19 And one from Jacob shall have dominion,
And will make the survivor perish from the city.”

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 24:16 Lit sayings
  2. Numbers 24:16 Heb Elyon
  3. Numbers 24:16 Heb Shaddai
  4. Numbers 24:17 Lit corners
  5. Numbers 24:17 Or the skull of the head of
  6. Numbers 24:17 Lit tumult

Balaam’s Final Messages

15 This is the message Balaam delivered:

“This is the message of Balaam son of Beor,
    the message of the man whose eyes see clearly,
16 the message of one who hears the words of God,
    who has knowledge from the Most High,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
    who bows down with eyes wide open:
17 I see him, but not here and now.
    I perceive him, but far in the distant future.
A star will rise from Jacob;
    a scepter will emerge from Israel.
It will crush the heads of Moab’s people,
    cracking the skulls[a] of the people of Sheth.
18 Edom will be taken over,
    and Seir, its enemy, will be conquered,
    while Israel marches on in triumph.
19 A ruler will rise in Jacob
    who will destroy the survivors of Ir.”

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Footnotes

  1. 24:17 As in Samaritan Pentateuch; the meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain.