< Numbers 24 >
1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased God to bless Israel, he did not go according to his custom to meet the omens, but turned his face toward the wilderness.
And when Balaam saw that it pleased 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 Balaam lifted up his eyes, and sees Israel encamped by their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.
And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.
3 And he took up his parable and said, Balaam son of Beor says, the man who sees truly says,
And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor has said, and the man whose eyes are open has said:
4 he says who hears the oracle of the Mighty One, who saw a vision of God in sleep; his eyes were opened:
He has said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
5 How goodly [are] thy habitations, Jacob, and thy tents, Israel!
How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, and your tabernacles, O Israel!
6 as shady groves, and as gardens by a river, and as tents which God pitched, and as cedars by the waters.
As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD has planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.
7 There shall come a man out of his seed, and he shall rule over many nations; and the kingdom of Gog shall be exalted, and his kingdom shall be increased.
He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.
8 God led him out of Egypt; he has as it were the glory of a unicorn: he shall consume the nations of his enemies, and he shall drain their marrow, and with his darts he shall shoot through the enemy.
God brought him forth out of Egypt; he has as it were the strength of an unicorn (ox): he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.
9 He lay down, he rested as a lion, and as a young lion; who shall stir him up? they that bless thee are blessed, and they that curse thee are cursed.
He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesses you, and cursed is he that curses you.
10 And Balac was angry with Balaam, and clapped his hands together; and Balac said to Balaam, I called thee to curse my enemy, and behold thou hast decidedly blessed [him] this third time.
And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he stroke his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called you to curse mine enemies, and, behold, you have altogether blessed them these three times.
11 Now therefore flee to thy place: I said, I will honour thee, but now the Lord has deprived thee of glory.
Therefore now flee you to your place: I thought to promote you unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD has kept you back from honour.
12 And Balaam said to Balac, Did I not speak to thy messengers also whom thou sentest to me, saying,
And Balaam said unto Balak, Spoke I not also to your messengers which you sent unto me, saying,
13 If Balac should give me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to transgress the word of the Lord to make it good or bad by myself; whatsoever things God shall say, them will I speak.
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD says, that will I speak?
14 And now, behold, I return to my place; come, I will advise thee of what this people shall do to thy people in the last days.
And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise you what this people shall do to your people in the latter days.
15 And he took up his parable and said, Balaam the son of Beor says, the man who sees truly says,
And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor has said, and the man whose eyes are open has said:
16 hearing the oracles of God, receiving knowledge from the Most High, and having seen a vision of God in sleep; his eyes were opened.
He has said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
17 I will point to him, but not now; I bless him, but he draws not near: a star shall rise out of Jacob, a man shall spring out of Israel; and shall crush the princes of Moab, and shall spoil all the sons of Seth.
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 strike the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
18 And Edom shall be an inheritance, and Esau his enemy shall be an inheritance [of Israel], and Israel wrought valiantly.
And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
19 And [one] shall arise out of Jacob, and destroy out of the city him that escapes.
Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remains of the city.
20 And having seen Amalec, he took up his parable and said, Amalec [is] the first of the nations; yet his seed shall perish.
And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.
21 And having seen the Kenite, he took up his parable and said, thy dwelling-place [is] strong; yet though thou shouldest put thy nest in a rock,
And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is your dwelling place, and you put your nest in a rock.
22 and though Beor should have a skillfully contrived hiding-place, the Assyrians shall carry thee away captive.
Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry you away captive.
23 And he looked upon Og, and took up his parable and said, Oh, oh, who shall live, when God shall do these things?
And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God does this!
24 And one shall come forth from the hands of the Citians, and shall afflict Assur, and shall afflict the Hebrews, and they shall perish together.
And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.
25 And Balaam rose up and departed and returned to his place, and Balac went to his own home.
And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.