Numbers 24

1 Now when Balaam saw that it was the Lord's pleasure to give his blessing to Israel, he did not, as at other times, make use of secret arts, but turning his face to the waste land,

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

2 And lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel there, with their tents in the order of their tribes: and the spirit of God came on him.

And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling tribe by tribe; and the spirit of God came upon him.

3 And moved by the spirit, he said, These are the words of Balaam, son of Beor, the words of the man whose eyes are open:

And he took up his parable, and said: The saying of Balaam the son of Beor, and the saying of the man whose eye is opened;

4 He says, whose ears are open to the words of God, who has seen the vision of the Ruler of all, falling down, but having his eyes open:

The saying of him who heareth the words of God, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, fallen down, yet with opened eyes:

5 How fair are your tents, O Jacob, your houses, O Israel!

How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, thy dwellings, O Israel!

6 They are stretched out like valleys, like gardens by the riverside, like flowering trees planted by the Lord, like cedar-trees by the waters.

As valleys stretched out, as gardens by the river-side; as aloes planted of the LORD, as cedars beside the waters;

7 Peoples will be in fear before his strength, his arm will be on great nations: his king will be higher than Agag, and his kingdom made great in honour.

Water shall flow from his branches, and his seed shall be in many waters; and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.

8 It is God who has taken him out of Egypt; his horns are like those of the mountain ox; the nations warring against him will be his food, their bones will be broken, they will be wounded with his arrows.

God who brought him forth out of Egypt is for him like the lofty horns of the wild-ox; he shall eat up the nations that are his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces, and pierce them through with his arrows.

9 He took his sleep stretched out like a lion, and like a she-lion: by whom will his rest be broken? May a blessing be on everyone who gives you blessing, and a curse on everyone by whom you are cursed.

He 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.

10 Then Balak was full of wrath against Balaam, and angrily waving his hands he said to Balaam, I sent for you so that those who are against me might be cursed, but now, see, three times you have given them a blessing.

And 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.

11 Go back quickly to the place you came from: it was my purpose to give you a place of honour, but now the Lord has kept you back from honour.

Therefore now flee thou to thy place; I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.'

12 Then Balaam said to Balak, Did I not say to the men you sent to me,

And Balaam said unto Balak: 'Spoke I not also to thy messengers that thou didst send unto me, saying:

13 Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, it would not be possible for me to go outside the orders of the Lord, doing good or evil at the impulse of my mind; whatever the Lord says I will say?

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

14 So now I will go back to my people: but first let me make clear to you what this people will do to your people in days to come.

And now, behold, I go unto my people; come, and I will announce to thee what this people shall do to thy people in the end of days.'

15 Then he went on with his story and said, These are the words of Balaam, the son of Beor, the words of him whose eyes are open:

And he took up his parable, and said: The saying of Balaam the son of Beor, and the saying of the man whose eye is opened;

16 He says, whose ear is open to the words of God, who has knowledge of the Most High, who has seen the vision of the Ruler of all, falling down and having his eyes open:

The saying of him who heareth the words of God, and knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, fallen down, yet with opened eyes:

17 I see him, but not now: looking on him, but not near: a star will come out of Jacob, and a rod of authority out of Israel, sending destruction to the farthest limits of Moab and on the head of all the sons of Sheth.

I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh; there shall step forth a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite through the corners of Moab, and break down all the sons of Seth.

18 Edom will be his heritage, and he will put an end to the last of the people of Seir.

And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also, even his enemies, shall be a possession; while Israel doeth valiantly.

19 And Israel will go on in strength, and Jacob will have rule over his haters.

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

20 Then, turning his eyes to Amalek, he went on with his story and said, Amalek was the first of the nations, but his part will be destruction for ever.

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

21 And looking on the Kenites he went on with his story and said, Strong is your living-place, and your secret place is safe in the rock.

And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said: Though firm be thy dwelling-place, and though thy nest be set in the rock;

22 But still the Kenites will be wasted, till Asshur takes you away prisoner.

Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted; How long? Asshur shall carry thee away captive.

23 Then he went on with his story and said, But who may keep his life when God does this?

And he took up his parable, and said: Alas, who shall live after God hath appointed him?

24 But ships will come from the direction of Kittim, troubling Asshur and troubling Eber, and like the others their fate will be destruction.

But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim, and they shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall come to destruction.

25 Then Balaam got up and went back to his place: and Balak went away.

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