Numbers 24

¹And when Balaam saw that it pleased Jehovah to bless Israel, he went not, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

²And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

³And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, And the man whose eye was closed saith;

⁴He saith, who heareth the words of God, Who seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:

⁵How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, Thy tabernacles, O Israel!

⁶As valleys are they spread forth, As gardens by the river-side, As lign-aloes which Jehovah hath planted, As cedar-trees beside the waters.

⁷Water shall flow from his buckets, And his seed shall be in many waters, And his king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted.

⁸God bringeth him forth out of Egypt; He hath as it were the strength of the wild-ox: He shall eat up the nations his adversaries, And shall break their bones in pieces, And smite them through with his arrows.

⁹He couched, he lay down as a lion, And as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Blessed be every one that blesseth thee, And cursed be every one that curseth thee.

¹⁰And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together; and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.

¹¹Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honor; but, lo, Jehovah hath kept thee back from honor.

¹²And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers that thou sentest unto me, saying,

¹³If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; what Jehovah speaketh, that will I speak?

¹⁴And now, behold, I go unto my people: come, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.

¹⁵And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, And the man whose eye was closed saith;

¹⁶He saith, who heareth the words of God, And knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, Who seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:

¹⁷I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh: There shall come forth a star out of Jacob, And a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, And shall smite through the corners of Moab, And break down all the sons of tumult.

¹⁸And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession, who were his enemies; While Israel doeth valiantly.

¹⁹And out of Jacob shall one have dominion, And shall destroy the remnant from the city.

²⁰And he looked on Amalek, and took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; But his latter end shall come to destruction.

²¹And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwelling-place, And thy nest is set in the rock.

²²Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted, Until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.

²³And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this?

²⁴But shipsshall comefrom the coast of Kittim, And they shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber; And he also shall come to destruction.

²⁵And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.

Numbers 24

¹And Balaam seeth that it is good in the eyes of Jehovah to bless Israel, and he hath not gone as time by time to meet enchantments, and he setteth towards the wilderness his face;

²and Balaam lifteth up his eyes, and seeth Israel tabernacling, by its tribes, and the Spirit of God is upon him,

³and he taketh up his simile, and saith: `An affirmation of Balaam son of BeorAnd an affirmation of the man whose eyes are shut

⁴An affirmation of him who is hearing sayings of GodWho a vision of the Almighty seeth, Fallingand eyes uncovered:

⁵How good have been thy tents, O Jacob, Thy tabernacles, O Israel;

⁶As valleys they have been stretched out, As gardens by a river; As aloes Jehovah hath planted, As cedars by waters;

⁷He maketh water flow from his buckets, And his seed is in many waters; And higher than Agag is his king, And exalted is his kingdom.

⁸God is bringing him out of Egypt; As the swiftness of a Reem is to him, He eateth up nations his adversaries, And their bones he breaketh, And with his arrows he smiteth,

⁹He hath bent, he hath lain down as a lion, And as a lioness: who doth raise him up? He who is blessing thee is blessed, And he who is cursing thee is cursed.'

¹⁰And the anger of Balak burneth against Balaam, and he striketh his hands; and Balak saith unto Balaam, `To pierce mine enemies I called thee, and lo, thou hast certainly blessedthese three times;

¹¹and now, flee for thyself unto thy place; I have said, I do greatly honour thee, and lo, Jehovah hath kept thee back from honour.'

¹²And Balaam saith unto Balak, `Did I not also unto thy messengers whom thou hast sent unto me, speak, saying,

¹³If Balak doth give to me the fulness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of Jehovah, to do good or evil of mine own heartthat which Jehovah speakethit I speak?

¹⁴and, now, lo, I am going to my people; come, I counsel thee concerning that which this people doth to thy people, in the latter end of the days.'

¹⁵And he taketh up his simile, and saith: `An affirmation of Balaam son of BeorAnd an affirmation of the man whose eyes are shut

¹⁶An affirmation of him who is hearing sayings of GodAnd knowing knowledge of the Most High; A vision of the Almighty he seeth, Fallingand eyes uncovered:

¹⁷I see it, but not now; I behold it, but not near; A star hath proceeded from Jacob, And a sceptre hath risen from Israel, And hath smitten corners of Moab, And hath destroyed all sons of Sheth.

¹⁸And Edom hath been a possession, And Seir hath been a possession, for its enemies, And Israel is doing valiantly;

¹⁹And one doth rule out of Jacob, And hath destroyed a remnant from Ar.'

²⁰And he seeth Amalek, and taketh up his simile, and saith: `A beginning of the Goyim is Amalek; And his latter endfor ever he perisheth.'

²¹And he seeth the Kenite, and taketh up his simile, and saith: `Enduring is thy dwelling, And setting in a rock thy nest,

²²But the Kenite is for a burning; Till when doth Asshur keep thee captive?'

²³And he taketh up his simile, and saith: `Alas! who doth live when God doth this?

²⁴Andships are from the side of Chittim, And they have humbled Asshur, And they have humbled Eber, And it also for ever is perishing.'

²⁵And Balaam riseth, and goeth, and turneth back to his place, and Balak also hath gone on his way.