Numbers 24

1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord that he should bless Israel. he went not as he had gone before, to seek divination: but setting his face towards the desert,

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,

2 And lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel abiding in their tents by their tribes: and the spirit of God rushing upon him,

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.

3 He took up his parable and said: Balaam the son of Beor hath said: The man hath said, whose eye ire stopped up:

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:

4 The hearer of the words of God hath said, he that hath beheld the vision of the Almighty, he that falleth, and so his eyes are opened:

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:

5 How beautiful are thy tabernacles, O Jacob, and thy tents, O Israel!

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

6 As woody valleys, as watered gardens near the rivers, as tabernacles which the Lord hath pitched, as cedars by the waterside.

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

7 Water shall flow out of his bucket, and his seed shall be in many waters. For Agag his king shall be removed, and his kingdom shall be taken awry.

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.

8 God hath brought him out of Egypt, whose strength is like to the rhinoceros. They shall devour the nations that are his enemies, and break their bones, and pierce them with arrows.

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.

9 Lying down he hath slept as a lion, and as a lioness, whom none shall dare to rouse. He that blesseth thee, shall also himself be blessed: he that curseth thee shall be reckoned accursed.

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.

10 And Balac being angry against Balaam, clapped his hands together and said: I called thee to curse my enemies, and thou on the contrary hast blessed them three times.

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.

11 Return to thy place. I had determined indeed greatly to honour thee, but the Lord hath deprived thee of the honour designed for thee.

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.

12 Balaam made answer to Balac: Did I not say to thy messengers, whom thou sentest to me:

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

13 If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to utter any thing of my own head either good or evil: but whatsoever the Lord shall say, that I will speak?

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?

14 But yet going to my people, I will give thee counsel, what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.

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.

15 Therefore taking up his parable, again he said: Balaam the son of Beor hath said: The man whose eye is stopped up, hath said:

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:

16 The hearer of the words of God hath said, who knoweth the doctrine of the Highest, and seeth the visions of the Almighty, who falling hath his eyes opened:

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:

17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not near. A STAR SHALL RISE out of Jacob and a sceptre shall spring up from Israel: and shall strike the chiefs of Moab, and shall waste all the children of Seth.

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.

18 And he shall possess Idumea: the inheritance of Seir shall come to their enemies, but Israel shall do manfully.

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

19 Out of Jacob shall he come that shall rule, and shall destroy the remains of the city.

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

20 And when he saw Amalec, he took up his parable, and said: Amalec the beginning of nations, whose latter ends shall be destroyed.

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.

21 He saw also the Cinite: and took up his parable, and said: Thy habitation indeed is strong: but though thou build thy nest in a rock,

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.

22 And thou be chosen of the stock of Cin, how long shalt thou be able to continue? For Assur shall take thee captive.

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

23 And taking up his parable, again he said: Alas, who shall live when God shall do these things?

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

24 They shall come in galleys from Italy, they shall overcome the Assyrians, and shall waste the Hebrews, and at the last they themselves also shall perish.

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

25 And Balaam rose, and returned to his place: Balac also returned the way that he came.

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