5. How pleasant are your tents, Jacob;your encampments, Israel!
6. Like palm trees spread out,like gardens beside a river,Like aloes the Lord planted,like cedars beside water;
7. Water will drip from their buckets,their seed will have plentiful water;Their king will rise higher than Agagand their dominion will be exalted.
8. They have the like of a wild ox’s horns:God who brought them out of Egypt.They will devour hostile nations,break their bones, and crush their loins.
9. Crouching, they lie like a lion,or like a lioness; who will arouse them?Blessed are those who bless you,and cursed are those who curse you!
10. In a blaze of anger at Balaam, Balak clapped his hands and said to him, “It was to lay a curse on my foes that I summoned you here; yet three times now you have actually blessed them!
11. Now flee to your home. I promised to reward you richly, but the Lord has withheld the reward from you!”
12. Balaam replied to Balak, “Did I not even tell the messengers whom you sent to me,
13. ‘Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not of my own accord do anything, good or evil, contrary to the command of the Lord’? Whatever the Lord says I must say.
14. “But now that I am about to go to my own people, let me warn you what this people will do to your people in the days to come.”