Balaam’s Fourth Oracle

15 Then he proclaimed his poem:

The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eyes are opened;[a]
16 the oracle of one who hears the sayings of God
and has knowledge from the Most High,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
who falls into a trance with his eyes uncovered:(A)
17 I see him,[b] but not now;
I perceive him,[c] but not near.
A star will come from Jacob,
and a scepter will arise from Israel.(B)
He will smash the forehead[d] of Moab
and strike down[e] all the Shethites.[f]

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 24:15 LXX reads true; Vg reads closed
  2. Numbers 24:17 Or Him
  3. Numbers 24:17 Or Him
  4. Numbers 24:17 Or frontiers
  5. Numbers 24:17 Sam reads and the skulls of; Jr 48:45
  6. Numbers 24:17 Or Sethites

Balaam’s Fourth Message

15 Then he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
    the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
16 the prophecy of one who hears the words(A) of God,
    who has knowledge from the Most High,(B)
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
    who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

17 “I see him, but not now;
    I behold him, but not near.(C)
A star will come out of Jacob;(D)
    a scepter will rise out of Israel.(E)
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,(F)
    the skulls[a](G) of[b] all the people of Sheth.[c]

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 24:17 Samaritan Pentateuch (see also Jer. 48:45); the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
  2. Numbers 24:17 Or possibly Moab, / batter
  3. Numbers 24:17 Or all the noisy boasters