Balaam’s Third Oracle

1And when Balaam saw that it pleased God to bless Israel, he did not go according to his custom to meet the omens, but turned his face toward the wilderness. 2And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and sees Israel encamped by their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

3And he took up his parable and said, Balaam son of Beor says, the man who sees truly says,

4he says who hears the oracle of the Mighty One, who saw a vision of God in sleep; his eyes were opened:

5How goodly are thy habitations, Jacob, and thy tents, Israel!

6as shady groves, and as gardens by a river, and as tents which God pitched, and as cedars by the waters.

7There shall come a man out of his seed, and he shall rule over many nations; and the kingdom of Gog shall be exalted, and his kingdom shall be increased.

8God led him out of Egypt; he has as it were the glory of a unicorn: he shall consume the nations of his enemies, and he shall drain their marrow, and with his darts he shall shoot through the enemy.

9He lay down, he rested as a lion, and as a young lion; who shall stir him up? they that bless thee are blessed, and they that curse thee are cursed.

Balak Dismisses Balaam

10And Balac was angry with Balaam, and clapped his hands together; and Balac said to Balaam, I called thee to curse my enemy, and behold thou hast decidedly blessed him this third time. 11Now therefore flee to thy place: I said, I will honour thee, but now the Lord has deprived thee of glory. 12And Balaam said to Balac, Did I not speak to thy messengers also whom thou sentest to me, saying, 13If Balac should give me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to transgress the word of the Lord to make it good or bad by myself; whatsoever things God shall say, them will I speak. 14And now, behold, I return to my place; come, I will advise thee of what this people shall do to thy people in the last days.

Balaam’s Fourth Oracle

15And he took up his parable and said, Balaam the son of Beor says, the man who sees truly says,

16hearing the oracles of God, receiving knowledge from the Most High, and having seen a vision of God in sleep; his eyes were opened.

17I will point to him, but not now; I bless him, but he draws not near: a star shall rise out of Jacob, a man shall spring out of Israel; and shall crush the princes of Moab, and shall spoil all the sons of Seth.

18And Edom shall be an inheritance, and Esau his enemy shall be an inheritance of Israel, and Israel wrought valiantly.

19And one shall arise out of Jacob, and destroy out of the city him that escapes.

Balaam’s Final Three Oracles

20And having seen Amalec, he took up his parable and said, Amalec is the first of the nations; yet his seed shall perish.

21And having seen the Kenite, he took up his parable and said, thy dwelling-place is strong; yet though thou shouldest put thy nest in a rock,

22and though Beor should have a skillfully contrived hiding-place, the Assyrians shall carry thee away captive.

23And he looked upon Og, and took up his parable and said, Oh, oh, who shall live, when God shall do these things?

24And one shall come forth from the hands of the Citians, and shall afflict Assur, and shall afflict the Hebrews, and they shall perish together.

25And Balaam rose up and departed and returned to his place, and Balac went to his own home.