[23:27] Balak said, “Come with me, and I will take you to another place. Perhaps God will be willing to let you curse them for me from there.”
[23:28] So he took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor overlooking the desert.
[23:29] Balaam said to him, “Build seven altars for me here and bring me seven bulls and seven rams.”
[23:30] Balak did as he was told, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
[24:1] By now Balaam knew that the Lord wanted him to bless the people of Israel, so he did not go to look for omens, as he had done before. He turned toward the desert
[24:2] and saw the people of Israel camped tribe by tribe. The spirit of God took control of him,
[24:3] and he uttered this prophecy: “The message of Balaam son of Beor, The words of the man who can see clearly,
[24:4] Who can hear what God is saying. With staring eyes I see in a trance A vision from Almighty God.
[24:5] The tents of Israel are beautiful,
[24:6] Like long rows of palms Or gardens beside a river, Like aloes planted by the Lord Or cedars beside the water.
[24:7] They will have abundant rainfall And plant their seed in well-watered fields. Their king shall be greater than Agag, And his rule shall be extended far and wide.
[24:8] God brought them out of Egypt; He fights for them like a wild ox. They devour their enemies, Crush their bones, smash their arrows.
[24:9] The nation is like a mighty lion; When it is sleeping, no one dares wake it. Whoever blesses Israel will be blessed, And whoever curses Israel will be cursed.”
[24:10] Balak clenched his fists in anger and said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but three times now you have blessed them instead.
[24:11] Now get on home! I promised to reward you, but the Lord has kept you from getting the reward.”
[24:12] Balaam answered, “I told the messengers you sent to me that
[24:13] even if you gave me all the silver and gold in your palace, I could not disobey the command of the Lord by doing anything of myself. I will say only what the Lord tells me to say.”