1 Balaam was sure that the Lord would tell him to bless Israel again. So he did not use any magic to find out what the Lord wanted him to do, as he had the first two times. Instead, he looked out towards the desert
2 and saw the tribes of Israel camped below. Just then, God's Spirit took control of him,
3 and Balaam said:“I am the son of Beor,and my words are true,so listen to my message!
4 It comes from the Lord,the God All-Powerful.I bowed down to himand saw a vision of Israel.
5 “People of Israel,your camp is lovely.
6 It's like a grove of palm treesor a garden beside a river.You are like tall aloe treesthat the Lord has planted,or like cedarsgrowing near water.