24:1 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.
24:2 When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him
24:3 and he uttered his oracle: The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly,
24:4 the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, [Hebrew Shaddai also in verse 16] who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
24:5 How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellingplaces, O Israel!
24:6 Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the LORD, like cedars beside the waters.
24:7 Water will flow from their buckets their seed will have abundant water. Their king will be greater than Agag their kingdom will be exalted.
24:8 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.
24:9 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!
24:10 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.
24:11 Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the LORD has kept you from being rewarded.
24:12 Balaam answered Balak, Did I not tell the messengers you sent me,
24:13 ‘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’?
24:14 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.
24:15 Then he uttered his oracle: The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly,
24:16 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:
24:17 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 [Samaritan Pentateuch (see also Jer. 48:45) the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Tex
24:18 Edom will be conquered Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong.
24:19 A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.
24:20 Then Balaam saw Amalek and uttered his oracle: Amalek was first among the nations, but he will come to ruin at last.
24:21 Then he saw the Kenites and uttered his oracle: Your dwelling-place is secure, your nest is set in a rock
24:22 yet you Kenites will be destroyed when Asshur takes you captive.
24:23 Then he uttered his oracle: Ah, who can live when God does this? [Masoretic Text with a different word division of the Hebrew A people will gather from the north.]
24:24 Ships will come from the shores of Kittim they will subdue Asshur and Eber, but they too will come to ruin.
24:25 Then Balaam got up and returned home and Balak went his own way.