¹ Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not resort to divination as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness. ² When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him ³ and he spoke his message: “The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly, ⁴ the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened: ⁵ “How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel! ⁶ “Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the Lord, like cedars beside the waters. ⁷ Water will flow from their buckets; their seed will have abundant water. “Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted. ⁸ “God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. They devour hostile nations and break their bones in pieces; with their arrows they pierce them.