Balaam’s Third Oracle1Now Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, so he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. 2Balaam looked up and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. Then the spirit of God came upon him, 3and he uttered his oracle, saying: “The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, 10Then Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but instead you have blessed them these three times. 11Now be off with you! Go home! I said, ‘I will reward you richly,’ but the Lord has denied you any reward.” 12And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 13‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own will; what the Lord says, that is what I will say’? 14So now, I am going to my people; let me advise you what this people will do to your people in days to come.” Balaam’s Fourth Oracle15So he uttered his oracle, saying: “The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, 20Then he looked on Amalek, and uttered his oracle, saying: “First among the nations was Amalek, 21Then he looked on the Kenite, and uttered his oracle, saying: “Enduring is your dwelling place, 23Again he uttered his oracle, saying: “Alas, who shall live when God does this? 25Then Balaam got up and went back to his place, and Balak also went his way. Footnotes
Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Home |