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Balaam now realized that Yahweh wanted to bless the Israelite people, not curse them. So he did not use magic like a shaman would do to find out what Yahweh wanted, as he often did. Instead, he turned toward the desert.
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He saw the Israelite people camped there in their tents, with each tribe gathered in one group. Then the Spirit of God came upon him,
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and this is the prophetic message that he gave to Balak: “I, Balaam son of Beor, am giving this prophecy. This prophecy that I speak is as a man who sees what will happen in the future clearly speaks.
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I hear this message from God. I see a vision from the one who is all-powerful. My eyes are open as I prostrate myself in front of him.
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You descendants of Jacob, your tents are very beautiful! The places where you live are lovely!
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Your tents are spread out in front of me like groves of palm trees in valleys, like gardens alongside a river. They are like strong aloe trees that Yahweh has planted, like strong cedar trees that grow along the rivers.
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Your water buckets will always be full. The seeds that you plant will always have plenty of water to make them grow. The Israelites’ king will be greater than King Agag. The kingdom that he rules will be honored.
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God brought them out of Egypt, leading them along with his great power that is like a wild ox. God devastates all the nations that oppose him. He breaks all those people’s bones into pieces, and shoots them with his arrows.
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The Israelites are like lions that crouch and lie down, ready to spring on their prey, like lionesses that are resting. No one would dare to arouse them! God will bless everyone who blesses you Israelites, and he will curse everyone who curses you.”
Balak Dismisses Balaam
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Then King Balak was extremely angry with Balaam. He showed with his hands that he was very angry, and he shouted, saying, “I summoned you here to curse my enemies! Instead, you have blessed them three times!
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So now, get out of here! Go back home! I said that I would pay you a lot of money if you cursed them, but Yahweh has prevented you from getting any pay!”
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Balaam said to Balak, “Do you not remember what I told the messengers that you sent to me? I said,
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‘Even if Balak would give me a palace filled with silver and gold, I would not disobey Yahweh. I cannot do anything bad or anything that is good that he does not approve of.’ And I told you that I could say only what Yahweh says to me.
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So yes, I will return to my people, but first, allow me to tell you what will happen to you Moab people in the future.”
Balaam’s Fourth Oracle
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Then Balaam said this to Balak: “I, Balaam, son of Beor, am again giving a prophecy. This prophecy that I speak is again as a man who sees what will happen in the future clearly speaks.
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I hear a message from God; I know things that God, who lives in heaven, has revealed to me. I see a vision from the one who is all-powerful. My eyes are open as I prostrate myself in front of him.
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The things that I see in the vision are not going to happen now. I see things that God will cause to happen in the future. A man who is a descendant of Jacob will appear like a star; a king who holds a scepter will be one of the Israelite people. He will crush the heads of you people of Moab; he will wipe out the descendants of Seth.
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The Israelites will occupy Edom, and they will conquer their enemies who live near Mount Seir. The Israelite people will be victorious.
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A ruler will come who is a descendant of Jacob. He will get rid of the people who still live in the city where Balaam first met Balak.”
Balaam’s Final Three Oracles
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Then Balaam looked out over where the Amalek people group lived, and he prophesied this, “The Amalek people group were the greatest nation, but they will be wiped out.”
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Then he looked out over the area where the Kenite people group lived, and he prophesied this, “You think that the place where you live is secure like a nest that is made in the cliffs,
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but you will be wiped out when the army of Assyria conquers you.”
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Balaam ended his prophecies by saying, “Also, who can survive when God does all these things?
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Ships will come from the Island of Cyprus, and the men in those ships will defeat the armies of Assyria and Eber. But God will get rid of those men, too.”
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Then Balaam and Balak returned to their homes.
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