What do Balaam's prophecies mean?

In Numbers 23-24, Balek seeks to use Balaam to undermine the Israelites by cursing them with their own diety. Balaam performs the rituals of the Israelites, and God comes to him. However, when Balaam comes back from his meeting with God, Balaam gives prophecies of good tidings for the Israelites instead of curses.

Balaam communicates with God

"From Aram Balak has brought me,
the King of Moab from the eastern mountains:
'Come, curse Jacob for me,
and come, denounce Israel!'..." (Numbers 23:7-10)

 The first prophecy, God through Balaam is blessing the population of the Israelites. The "dust of Jacob (Numbers 23:10)" is a reference to his covenant with Abraham that he will make Abraham's descendants numerous as the amount of dust on the earth. It also refers to "a people dwelling alone, and not counting itself among the nations! (Numbers 23:9)" to reference the holiness of the Israelites, who set themselves apart from the rest of humanity as God's chosen people.

"Rise, Balak, and hear:
Give ear to me, O son of Zippor:
God is not man, that he should lie,
or a son of man, that he should change his mind..." (Numbers 23:18-24)

Balaam states, in response to Balak's anger that Balaam blesses Israel rather than curse them, that God has given his blessing and that Balaam cannot revoke it. Balaam is powerless before Israel's God. God is with Israel as their king. In verse 21, God, through Balaam, is asking Balak why he should curse his own kingdom and its people. God insists that there can be no enchantment or divination against Israel, and that they will rise up as a lion to devour its prey.

Israelites Gathering Manna

"The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
falling down with his eyes uncovered:" (Numbers 24:3-9)

 In this prophecy, Balaam foresees that the people of Israel shall form a bountiful nation. The prophecy starts out ironically. The tents and encampments of the Israelites are "lovely (Numbers 24:5)." They are then compared to the planting of a garden, the seeds of which are carried by water to many distant parts of the land, and so the garden grows. One strange visual is that of cedars growing beside the waters, something cedar trees don't do normally, but it is used to illustrate that God's will allows the Israelites to live where they normally could not. One final reference to the covenant of Abraham is made in "Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you. (Numbers 24:9)"

Star of David

"I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near:
a star shall come out of Jacob,
and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;
it shall crush the forehead of Moab
and break down all the sons of Sheth." (Numbers 24:15-24)

With his final prophecy, Balaam foreshadows the coming of a "star" out of Jacob and a scepter rising out of Israel. While some scholars, such as Martin Luther, believed that these passages are not Messianic, most believe these are a reference to the coming of David later on. David will become King of Israel, hence the scepter. He will crush the "forehead" (Hebrew: corners of the head) of Moab. He will crush the enemies of Israel and "exercise dominion (Numbers 24:19)."

He then foretells of the destruction of two regional peoples as Kain will be burned as its people taken captive by Asshur and Amalek faces utter destruction (Numbers 24:19-22). He also foretells the coming of a naval invasion upon Asshur and Eber from Kittim, and the destruction of them all.

The Bible makes extensive use of prophecy to foreshadow events to come, and this is a literary device that has been copied even today. They can be quite complex because of the extensive use of symbols to represent people, and they reference places and peoples with which we may not be familiar. Interpreting these prophecies can be key to understanding, not only how they foreshadow events to come in the narrative, but to understand the purpose of those events when they come.