Balaam's Third Oracle

Now when Balaam saw
that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel,
he did not resort to sorcery as at other times,
but turned his face toward the desert.
When Balaam looked out,
and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe,
the Spirit of God came upon him
and he uttered his oracle:

"The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,
the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly,
the oracle of one who hears the words of God,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
who falls prostrate,
and whose eyes are opened:

"How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob,
your dwelling places, O Israel!

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

"Their king will be greater than Agag;
their kingdom will be exalted.

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

"May those who bless you be blessed
and those who curse you be cursed!"

Then Balak's anger burned against Balaam.
He struck his hands together and said to him,
"I summoned you to curse my enemies,
but you have blessed them these three times.
Now leave at once and go home!
I said I would reward you handsomely,
but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded."

Balaam answered Balak,
"Did I not tell the messengers you sent me,
'Even if Balak gave me his palace
filled with silver and gold,
I could not do anything of my own accord,
good or bad,
to go beyond the command of he Lord --
and I must say only what the Lord says'?
Now I am going back to my people,
but come, let me warn you
of what this people will do to your people
in days to come."

(Numbers 24:1-14)