The Prophet Balaam (whose famous donkey talked) was hired by the wicked king of Moab to curse the Israelites in their wilderness journey. Greedy for money, he tried 3 times, but every time he ended up blessing them! He prophesied: "Out of Jacob shall rise a STAR and a SCEPTER out of Israel." 

1400 years later, the Star of a King appeared in the Bethlehem sky over a lowly stable where the infant Jesus was born.