When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him(A) and he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
    the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,(B)
the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,(C)
    who sees a vision from the Almighty,[a](D)
    who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

“How beautiful are your tents,(E) Jacob,
    your dwelling places, Israel!

“Like valleys they spread out,
    like gardens beside a river,(F)
like aloes(G) planted by the Lord,
    like cedars beside the waters.(H)
Water will flow from their buckets;
    their seed will have abundant water.

“Their king will be greater than Agag;(I)
    their kingdom will be exalted.(J)

“God brought them out of Egypt;
    they have the strength of a wild ox.
They devour hostile nations
    and break their bones in pieces;(K)
    with their arrows they pierce them.(L)
Like a lion they crouch and lie down,
    like a lioness(M)—who dares to rouse them?

“May those who bless you be blessed(N)
    and those who curse you be cursed!”(O)

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 24:4 Hebrew Shaddai; also in verse 16

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