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and he spoke his oracle-message: Decree of Balaam son of Beor, yes, decree of a man with 20/20 vision;
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Decree of a man who hears God speak, who sees what The Strong God shows him, Who falls on his face in worship, who sees what's really going on.
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What beautiful tents, Jacob, oh, your homes, Israel!
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Like valleys stretching out in the distance, like gardens planted by rivers, Like sweet herbs planted by the gardener God, like red cedars by pools and springs,
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Their buckets will brim with water, their seed will spread life everywhere. Their king will tower over Agag and his ilk, their kingdom surpassingly majestic.
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God brought them out of Egypt, rampaging like a wild ox, Gulping enemies like morsels of meat, crushing their bones, snapping their arrows.
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Israel crouches like a lion and naps, king-of-the-beasts - who dares disturb him? Whoever blesses you is blessed, whoever curses you is cursed.
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Balak lost his temper with Balaam. He shook his fist. He said to Balaam: "I got you in here to curse my enemies and what have you done? Blessed them! Blessed them three times!
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Get out of here! Go home! I told you I would pay you well, but you're getting nothing. You can blame God."
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Balaam said to Balak, "Didn't I tell you up front when you sent your emissaries,
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'Even if Balak gave me his palace stuffed with silver and gold, I couldn't do anything on my own, whether good or bad, that went against God's command'?