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15 He took up his parable, and said,

“Balaam the son of Beor says,
    the man whose eyes are open says;
16     he says, who hears the words of God,
    knows the knowledge of the Most High,
    and who sees the vision of the Almighty,
    falling down, and having his eyes open:
17 I see him, but not now.
    I see him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob.
    A scepter will rise out of Israel,
and shall strike through the corners of Moab,
    and crush all the sons of Sheth.
18 Edom shall be a possession.
    Seir, his enemy, also shall be a possession,
    while Israel does valiantly.
19 Out of Jacob shall one have dominion,
    and shall destroy the remnant from the city.”

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Balaam’s Fourth Oracle

15 Then he proclaimed his poem:

The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eyes are opened;
16 the oracle of one who hears the sayings of God
and has knowledge from the Most High,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
who falls into a trance with his eyes uncovered:(A)
17 I see him, but not now;
I perceive him, but not near.
A star will come from Jacob,
and a scepter will arise from Israel.(B)
He will smash the forehead[a] of Moab
and strike down[b] all the Shethites.[c]
18 Edom will become a possession;
Seir(C) will become a possession of its enemies,
but Israel will be triumphant.
19 One who comes from Jacob will rule;
he will destroy the city’s survivors.

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Footnotes

  1. 24:17 Or frontiers
  2. 24:17 Sam reads and the skulls of; Jr 48:45
  3. 24:17 Or Sethites