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 Bil'am saw that it was pleasing in the eyes of the Lord to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for 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 Bil'am lifted up his eyes, and when he saw Israel encamped according to their tribes, there came upon him the spirit of God.

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, Thus saith Bil'am the son of Beor, and thus saith the man whose eyes are open;

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:

Thus saith he who heareth the sayings of God, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, falling down, with unvailed eyes:

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

How beautiful are thy tents, O Jacob, thy dwelling, 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 streams are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as aloe-trees, which the Lord hath planted, as cedar-trees 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 runneth out of His buckets, that his seed may be moistened by abundance of water; and exalted above Agag shall be his king, and raised on high shall be his kingdom.

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 to him like the heights of the reem; he will devour nations, his oppressors, and their bones will he break, 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 coucheth, he lieth down as a lion, and as a lioness: who shall make him rise up? They that bless thee be blessed, and they that curse thee be cursed.

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 the anger of Balak was kindled against Bil'am, and he struck his hands together: and Balak said unto Bil'am, To denounce my enemies did I call thee, and, behold, thou hast even 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.

And now flee thou to thy place: I thought to honor thee greatly; but, lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honor.

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

And Bil'am said unto Balak, Did I not already speak to thy messengers, whom thou sentest 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 could not transgress the order of the Lord, to do good or evil out of my own heart: what the Lord will speak, that must 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 am going unto my people: come, I will advise thee against what this people will 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, Thus saith Bil'am the son of Beor, and thus saith the man whose eyes are open;

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:

Thus saith he who heareth the sayings of God, and knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, falling down, with unvailed 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 steppeth forth a star out of Jacob, and there ariseth a sceptre out of Israel, and he pierceth the chiefs of Moab, and destroyeth all the children of Sheth.

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 conquest, and Seir shall be a conquest for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.

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

And there shall rule the one from Jacob, and he shall destroy whatever escapeth out of 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 he took up his parable, and said, The first of nations is Amalek; but his latter end shall be destruction for ever.

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 Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwelling-place, and placed on the rock is thy nest.

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

Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted: whither will Asshur 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 when God doth appoint this one?

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 will come from the coast of Kittim, and will afflict Asshur, and will afflict 'Eber; and he also will be given to destruction for ever.

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

And Bil'am rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.