- Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as at other times, but turned his face towards the desert.
- When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him
- and he uttered his oracle: The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly,
- the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
- How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling-places, O Israel!
- Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the Lord, like cedars beside the waters.
- Water will flow from their buckets; their seed will have abundant water. Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted.
- God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. They devour hostile nations and break their bones in pieces; with their arrows they pierce them.
- Like a lion they crouch and lie down, like a lioness, who dares to rouse them? May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!
- Then Balak's anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times.
- Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.
- Balaam answered Balak, Did I not tell the messengers you sent me,
- 'Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord, and I must say only what the Lord says'?
- Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.
- Then he uttered his oracle: The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly,
- the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
- I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a sceptre will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth.
- Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong.
- A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.
- Then Balaam saw Amalek and uttered his oracle: Amalek was first among the nations, but he will come to ruin at last.
- Then he saw the Kenites and uttered his oracle: Your dwelling-place is secure, your nest is set in a rock;
- yet you Kenites will be destroyed when Asshur takes you captive.
- Then he uttered his oracle: Ah, who can live when God does this?
- Ships will come from the shores of Kittim; they will subdue Asshur and Eber, but they too will come to ruin.
- Then Balaam got up and returned home and Balak went his own way.
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