Numbers 24:1-14
Spirit of God Comes upon Balaam
24And Balaam saw that it was good in the eyes of Yahweh to bless Israel, so he did not go as at other times to 1encounter aomens, but he set his face toward the bwilderness. 2And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel dwelling tribe by tribe; and athe Spirit of God came upon him. 3Then he took up his 1discourse and said, “aThe oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,And the oracle of the man whose eye is uncovered;
4The oracle of him who ahears the 1words of God,Who beholds the bvision of 2the Almighty,Falling down, yet having his eyes opened,5How fair are your tents, O Jacob,Your dwellings, O Israel!6“Like 1valleys that stretch out,Like gardens beside the river,Like aaloes planted by Yahweh,Like bcedars beside the waters.7“Water will flow from his buckets,And his seed will be by many waters,And his king shall be lifted up higher than aAgag,bAnd his kingdom shall be exalted.8“aGod brings him out of Egypt,He is for him like the horns of the wild ox.bHe will devour the nations who are his adversaries,And will gnaw their bones in pieces,And 1shatter them with his carrows.9“aHe 1crouches, he lies down as a lion,And as a 2lion, who 3dares rouse him?bBlessed is everyone who blesses you,And cursed is everyone who curses you.”10Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his 1hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have blessed them repeatedly these three times! 11“So now, 1flee to your place. I said I would honor you greatly, but behold, Yahweh has held you back from honor.” 12And Balaam said to Balak, “aDid I not tell your messengers whom you had sent to me, saying, 13‘Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything to trespass the 1command of Yahweh, either good or bad, aof my own 2accord. bWhat Yahweh speaks, that I will speak’? 14“So now, behold, aI am going to my people; come, and I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the last days.”