Balaam’s Third Oracle
When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, as at aother times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel acamping tribe by tribe. And bthe Spirit of God came upon him, 3 and he atook up his discourse and said,
“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
4 the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
afalling down with his eyes uncovered:
5 How lovely are your tents, O Jacob,
your encampments, O Israel!
6 Like palm groves that stretch afar,
like gardens beside a river,
alike aloes bthat the Lord has planted,
like cedar trees beside the waters.
7 Water shall flow from his buckets,
and his seed shall be ain many waters;
his king shall be higher than bAgag,
and chis kingdom shall be exalted.
8 God brings him out of Egypt
and is for him like the ahorns of the wild ox;
he shall beat up the nations, his adversaries,
and shall cbreak their bones in pieces
and dpierce them through with his arrows.
9 He crouched, he lay down like a lion
and alike a lioness; who will rouse him up?
bBlessed are those who bless you,
and cursed are those who curse you.”
10 And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he astruck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, b“I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. 11 Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, a‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the Lord has held you back from honor.” 12 And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 13 a‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad bof my own will. What the Lord speaks, that will I speak’? 14 And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, aI will let you know what this people will do to your people bin the latter days.”
Balaam’s Final Oracle
15 aAnd he took up his discourse and said,
“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
16 the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
and knows the knowledge of athe Most High,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
bfalling down with his eyes uncovered:
17 aI see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near:
ba star shall come out of Jacob,
and ca scepter shall rise out of Israel;
it shall dcrush the forehead of Moab
and break down all the sons of Sheth.
18 aEdom shall be dispossessed;
bSeir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed.
Israel is doing valiantly.
19 And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion
and destroy the survivors of cities!”
20 Then he looked on Amalek and atook up his discourse and said,
“Amalek was the first among the nations,
bbut its end is utter destruction.”
21 And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said,
“Enduring is your dwelling place,
and your nest is set in the rock.
22 Nevertheless, Kain shall be burned
when Asshur takes you away captive.”
23 And he took up his discourse and said,
“Alas, who shall live when God does this?
24 But ships shall come from aKittim
and shall afflict Asshur and bEber;
and he too cshall come to utter destruction.”
25 Then Balaam rose and awent back to his place. And Balak also went his way.