Numbers 24:1-14

Holman Christian Standard Bible

24 Since Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go to seek omens as on previous occasions, but turned^[a] toward the wilderness. ²When Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God^(A) came on him, ³and he proclaimed his poem:

The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eyes are opened,^[b]
⁴the oracle of one who hears the sayings of God,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,^(B)
who falls into a trance with his eyes uncovered:
⁵How beautiful are your tents, Jacob,
your dwellings, Israel.
⁶They stretch out like river valleys,^[c]
like gardens beside a stream,
like aloes the Lord has planted,
like cedars beside the water.
⁷Water will flow from his buckets,
and his seed will be by abundant water.
His king will be greater than Agag,^[d]^(C)
and his kingdom will be exalted.
⁸God brought him out of Egypt;
He is like^[e] the horns of a wild ox for them.^(D)
He will feed on enemy nations
and gnaw their bones;
he will strike them with his arrows.
⁹He crouches, he lies down like a lion
or a lioness—who dares to rouse him?^(E)
Those who bless you will be blessed,
and those who curse you will be cursed.^(F)

¹⁰Then Balak became furious with Balaam, struck his hands together, and said to him, “I summoned you to put a curse on my enemies, but instead, you have blessed them these three times. ¹¹Now go to your home! I said I would reward you richly,^(G) but look, the Lord has denied you a reward.”

¹²Balaam answered Balak, “Didn’t I previously tell the messengers you sent me: ¹³If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go against the Lord’s command, to do anything good or bad of my own will? I will say whatever the Lord says.^(H) ¹⁴Now I am going back to my people, but first, let me warn you what these people will do to your people in the future.”

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