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,

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 abiding in their tents by their tribes: and the spirit of God rushing upon him,

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

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

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

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

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

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 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.

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 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 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 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.

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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 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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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