Amiens Cathedral - The West Facade 'Incarnation of Christ' Quatrefoils

Quatrefoil 34 Upper - Balaam's prophecy of 'the star that will come out of Jacob'

Description:

In Numbers 24:17, Balaam tells the Moabites; "I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth". The star of the Messiah then becomes identified with the star followed by the Magi, hence the inclusion of this scene here, beneath the first Magus.