Numbers 24:4-16

⁴He speaks and hears God's words. He sees a vision from the Almighty, Before whom he bows down with his eyes open.

⁵How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, the place where you live, Israel!

⁶Like valleys they spread out, like gardens by the riverside, like aloes planted by Yahweh, like cedars beside the waters.

⁷Water flows from their buckets, and their seed is well-watered. Their king is to be higher than Agag, and their kingdom will be honored.

⁸God brings him out of Egypt, with strength like a wild ox. He will eat up the nations who fight against him. He will break their bones to pieces. He will shoot them with his arrows.

⁹He crouches down like a lion, like a lioness. Who dares disturb him? May everyone who blesses him be blessed; may everyone who curses him be cursed.”

¹⁰Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam and he struck his hands together in anger. Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but look, you have blessed them three times.

¹¹So leave me right now and go home. I said I would greatly reward you, but Yahweh has kept you from getting any reward.”

¹²Then Balaam replied to Balak, “I said to the messengers that you sent to me,

¹³'Even if Balak gave me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond Yahweh's word and anything bad or good, or anything at all that I might want to do. I can say only what Yahweh tells me to say.' Did I not say this to them?

¹⁴So now, look, I will go back to my people. But first let me warn you what this people will do to your people in the days ahead.”

¹⁵Balaam began this prophecy. He said, “Balaam son of Beor speaks, The man whose eyes are wide open.

¹⁶This is a prophecy of someone who hears words from God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who has visions from the Almighty, Before whom he bows down with open eyes.