Numbers 24

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Balaam, leaving divinations, speaks as a prophet the happiness of Israel

Now when Balaam saw that it was the Lord's pleasure to give his blessing to Israel, he did not, as at other times, make use of secret arts, but turning his face to the waste land, And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
And lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel there, with their tents in the order of their tribes: and the spirit of God came on him. And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.
And moved by the spirit, he said, These are the words of Balaam, son of Beor, the words of the man whose eyes are open: And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
He says, whose ears are open to the words of God, who has seen the vision of the Ruler of all, falling down, but having his eyes open: He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
How fair are your tents, O Jacob, your houses, O Israel! How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!
They are stretched out like valleys, like gardens by the riverside, like flowering trees planted by the Lord, like cedar-trees by the waters. As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.
Peoples will be in fear before his strength, his arm will be on great nations: his king will be higher than Agag, and his kingdom made great in honour. He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.
It is God who has taken him out of Egypt; his horns are like those of the mountain ox; the nations warring against him will be his food, their bones will be broken, they will be wounded with his arrows. God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.
He took his sleep stretched out like a lion, and like a she-lion: by whom will his rest be broken? May a blessing be on everyone who gives you blessing, and a curse on everyone by whom you are cursed. He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.

Balak dismisses Balaam in anger

Then Balak was full of wrath against Balaam, and angrily waving his hands he said to Balaam, I sent for you so that those who are against me might be cursed, but now, see, three times you have given them a blessing. And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.
Go back quickly to the place you came from: it was my purpose to give you a place of honour, but now the Lord has kept you back from honour. Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.
Then Balaam said to Balak, Did I not say to the men you sent to me, And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,
Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, it would not be possible for me to go outside the orders of the Lord, doing good or evil at the impulse of my mind; whatever the Lord says I will say? If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?
So now I will go back to my people: but first let me make clear to you what this people will do to your people in days to come. And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.

Balaam's prophecies

Then he went on with his story and said, These are the words of Balaam, the son of Beor, the words of him whose eyes are open: And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
He says, whose ear is open to the words of God, who has knowledge of the Most High, who has seen the vision of the Ruler of all, falling down and having his eyes open: He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
I see him, but not now: looking on him, but not near: a star will come out of Jacob, and a rod of authority out of Israel, sending destruction to the farthest limits of Moab and on the head of all the sons of Sheth. I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
Edom will be his heritage, and he will put an end to the last of the people of Seir. And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
And Israel will go on in strength, and Jacob will have rule over his haters. Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.
Then, turning his eyes to Amalek, he went on with his story and said, Amalek was the first of the nations, but his part will be destruction for ever. And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.
And looking on the Kenites he went on with his story and said, Strong is your living-place, and your secret place is safe in the rock. And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.
But still the Kenites will be wasted, till Asshur takes you away prisoner. Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
Then he went on with his story and said, But who may keep his life when God does this? And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!
But ships will come from the direction of Kittim, troubling Asshur and troubling Eber, and like the others their fate will be destruction. And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.
Then Balaam got up and went back to his place: and Balak went away. And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.
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