¹When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel , he didn’t go , as at the other times , to use divination, but he set his face towards the wilderness .

²Balaam lifted up his eyes , and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes ; and the Spirit of God came on him .

³He took up his parable , and said ,

“Balaam the son of Beor says ,

the man whose eyes are open says ;

⁴he says , who hears the words of God,

who sees the vision of the Almighty ,

falling down , and having his eyes open :

⁵How goodly are your tents , Jacob ,

and your dwellings , Israel !

⁶As valleys they are spread out ,

as gardens by the riverside,

as aloes which the LORD has planted ,

as cedar trees beside the waters .

⁷Water shall flow from his buckets .

His seed shall be in many waters .

His king shall be higher than Agag.

His kingdom shall be exalted .

⁸God brings him out of Egypt .

He has as it were the strength of the wild ox .

He shall consume the nations his adversaries ,

shall break their bones in pieces,

and pierce them with his arrows .

⁹He couched , he lay down as a lion ,

as a lioness ;

who shall rouse him up ?

Everyone who blesses you is blessed .

Everyone who curses you is cursed .”

¹⁰Balak ’s anger burnt against Balaam , and he struck his hands together . Balak said to Balaam , “I called you to curse my enemies, and , behold , you have altogether blessed them these three times .

¹¹Therefore , flee to your place , now ! I thought to promote you to great honour ; but , behold , the LORD has kept you back from honour .”

¹²Balaam said to Balak , “Didn’t I also tell your messengers whom you sent to me , saying ,

¹³‘If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold , I can ’t go beyond the LORD ’s word , to do either good or bad from my own mind . I will say what the LORD says ’?

¹⁴Now , behold , I go to my people . Come , I will inform you what this people shall do to your people in the latter days .”

¹⁵He took up his parable , and said ,

“Balaam the son of Beor says ,

the man whose eyes are open says ;

¹⁶he says , who hears the words of God,

knows the knowledge of the Most High ,

and who sees the vision of the Almighty ,

falling down , and having his eyes open :

¹⁷I see him , but not now .

I see him , but not near .

A star will come out of Jacob .

A sceptre will rise out of Israel ,

and shall strike through the corners of Moab ,

and crush all the sons of Sheth.

¹⁸Edom shall be a possession .

Seir , his enemy, also shall be a possession ,

while Israel does valiantly .

¹⁹Out of Jacob shall one have dominion ,

and shall destroy the remnant from the city .”

²⁰He looked at Amalek , and took up his parable , and said,

“Amalek was the first of the nations ,

but his latter end shall come to destruction.”

²¹He looked at the Kenite , and took up his parable , and said,

“Your dwelling place is strong.

Your nest is set in the rock .

²²Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted ,

until Asshur carries you away captive .”

²³He took up his parable , and said,

“Alas, who shall live when God does this ?

²⁴But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim .

They shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber .

He also shall come to destruction.”

²⁵Balaam rose up , and went and returned to his place ; and Balak also went his way .