1. When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as at the other times to seek for omens, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
2. When Balaam lifted up his eyes, he saw Israel camped tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came upon him.
3. Then he uttered this oracle: “The oracle of Balaam son of Beor;the oracle of the man whose eyes are open;
4. the oracle of the one who hears the words of God,who sees a vision from the Almighty,although falling flat on the ground with eyes open:
5. ‘How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob,and your dwelling places, O Israel!
6. They are like valleys stretched forth,like gardens by the river’s side,like aloes that the Lord has planted,and like cedar trees beside the waters.
7. He will pour the water out of his buckets,and their descendants will be like abundant water;their king will be greater than Agag,and their kingdom will be exalted.
8. God brought them out of Egypt.They have, as it were, the strength of a young bull;they will devour hostile peopleand will break their bonesand will pierce them through with arrows.
9. They crouch and lie down like a lion,and as a lioness, who can stir him?Blessed is the one who blesses you,and cursed is the one who curses you!’”
10. Then Balak became very angry at Balaam, and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have done nothing but bless them these three times!