¶ And when Balaam saw¹ that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times², to seek for enchantments³, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding⁴ in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit⁵ of God came upon him.

And he took up⁶ his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said⁷:

He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw⁸ the vision of the Almighty, falling⁹ into a trance, but having his eyes open:

How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!

As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens¹⁰ by the river's side, as the trees¹¹ of lign aloes which the¹² LORD hath planted, and as cedar¹³ trees beside the waters.

He shall pour¹⁴ the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters¹⁵, and his king¹⁶ shall be higher than Agag¹⁷, and his kingdom¹⁸ shall be exalted.

God¹⁹ brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat²⁰ up the nations his enemies, and shall break²¹ their bones, and pierce²² them through with his arrows.

He couched²³, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall²⁴ stir him up? Blessed²⁵ is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.

¶ And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote²⁶ his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called²⁷ thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.

Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought²⁸ to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD²⁹ hath kept thee back from honour.

³⁰And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,

If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?

And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise³¹ thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter³² days.

¶³³And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:

³⁴He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

I shall see him,³⁵ but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star³⁶ out of Jacob, and a Sceptre³⁷ shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab³⁸, and destroy all the children⁴⁰ of Sheth.

⁴²And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.

Out of Jacob⁴³ shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy⁴⁴ him that remaineth of the city.

¶ And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations⁴⁵; but his latter end⁴⁶ shall be that he perish for ever⁴⁷.

And he looked on the Kenites⁴⁸, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.

Nevertheless the Kenite⁴⁹ shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.

And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God⁵⁰ doeth this!

And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim⁵¹, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber⁵², and he also⁵³ shall perish for ever.

⁵⁴And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.