1. And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
2. And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.
3. And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, And the man whose eye was closed saith:
4. He saith, which heareth the words of God, Which seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:
5. How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, Thy tabernacles, O Israel!
6. As valleys are they spread forth, As gardens by the river side, As lign-aloes which the LORD hath planted, As cedar trees beside the waters.
7. Water shall flow from his buckets, And his seed shall be in many waters, And his king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted.
8. God bringeth him forth out of Egypt; He hath as it were the strength of the wild-ox: He shall eat up the nations his adversaries, And shall break their bones in pieces, And smite them through with his arrows.
9. He couched, he lay down as a lion, And as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Blessed be every one that blesseth thee, And cursed be every one that curseth thee.