Numbers 24:4-19

⁴“This is the prophecy of Balaam, son of Beor, the prophecy of a man who sees with eyes are wide open, the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees the vision given by Almighty, who bows down in respect with open eyes.

⁵How well set out your tents are, Jacob; the places where you live, Israel!

⁶They look like wooded valleys, like gardens beside a river, like aloe trees the Lord has planted, like cedars at the water's edge.

⁷The Israelites will pour out bucketfuls of water; their descendants will have plenty of water. Their king will be greater than King Agag; their kingdom will be glorious.

⁸God led them out of Egypt with great power, as strong as an ox, destroying enemy nations, breaking their bones, piercing them with arrows.

⁹They are like a lion that crouches and lies down. They are like a lioness that nobody dares to disturb. Those who bless you will be blessed; those who curse you will be cursed.”

¹⁰Balak got angry with Balaam, and beat his fists together. He told Balaam, “I brought you here to curse my enemies, and now look! You keep on blessing them, doing it three times.

¹¹Leave right now! Go home! I promised to pay you well, but the Lord has made sure you wouldn't receive any payment.”

¹²But Balaam said to Balak, “Didn't I already explain to the messengers you sent

¹³that even if you gave me your whole palace full of silver and gold, I couldn't do anything I wanted or disobey the command of the Lord my God in any way? I can only say what the Lord tells me.

¹⁴Listen! I'm going back home now to my own people, but first let me warn you what these Israelites are going to do to your people in the future.”

¹⁵Then Balaam gave a declaration, saying, “This is the prophecy of Balaam, son of Beor, the prophecy of a man whose eyes are wide open

¹⁶the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who receives knowledge from the Most High, who sees the vision given by Almighty, who bows down in respect with open eyes.

¹⁷I see him, but this isn't now. I observe him, but this isn't close at hand. In the future a leader like a star will come from Jacob, a ruler with a scepter will come to power from Israel. He will crush the heads of the Moabites, and destroy all the people of Seth.

¹⁸The country of Edom will be conquered, his enemy Seir will be conquered, and the Israelites will be victorious.

¹⁹A ruler from Jacob will come and destroy those left in the city.”