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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.

15 And he uttered[a] his oracle and said,

“The declaration of Balaam son of Beor,
    and the declaration of the man whose eye is closed,
16 the declaration of the hearer of God’s words,[b]
    and the knower of the knowledge of the Most High,
who sees the vision of Shaddai,[c]
    who is falling, and his eyes are revealed.
17 I see him, but not now;
    I behold him, but not near;
a star will go out from Jacob,
    and a scepter will rise from Israel;
it will crush the foreheads of Moab
    and destroy all the children of Seth.
18 Edom will be a captive;
    Seir, its enemies, will be a captive,
and Israel will be acting courageously.[d]
19     Someone[e] from Jacob will rule
and will destroy a remnant[f] from the city.”

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 24:15 Literally “lifted up”
  2. Numbers 24:16 Or “God’s sayings”
  3. Numbers 24:16 Often translated “the Almighty”
  4. Numbers 24:18 Literally “with physical strength”
  5. Numbers 24:19 Hebrew “He”
  6. Numbers 24:19 Or “survivor”