Numbers 24

1 When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to blesse Israel, then he went not, as certaine times before, to set diuinations, but set his face toward the wildernesse.

And Balaam sees that [it is] good in the eyes of YHWH to bless Israel, and he has not gone as time by time to seek enchantments, and he sets his face toward the wilderness;

2 And Balaam lift vp his eyes, and looked vpon Israel, which dwelt according to their tribes, and the Spirit of God came vpon him.

and Balaam lifts up his eyes, and sees Israel dwelling by its tribes, and the Spirit of God is on him,

3 And he vttered his parable, and sayd, Balaam the sonne of Beor hath sayde, and the man, whose eyes were shut vp, hath sayd,

and he takes up his allegory and says: “An affirmation of Balaam son of Beor, And an affirmation of the man whose eyes are shut,

4 He hath sayde, which heard the wordes of God, and sawe the vision of the Almightie, and falling in a traunce had his eyes opened:

An affirmation of him who is hearing sayings of God, Who sees a vision of the Almighty, Falling—and eyes uncovered:

5 How goodly are thy tentes, O Iaakob, and thine habitations, O Israel!

How good have been your tents, O Jacob, Your dwelling places, O Israel;

6 As the valleis, are they stretched forth, as gardes by the riuers side, as the aloe trees, which the Lord hath planted, as the cedars beside the waters.

They have been stretched out as valleys, As gardens by a river; As aloes YHWH has planted, As cedars by waters;

7 The water droppeth out of his bucket, and his seede shalbe in many waters, and his king shall be hier then Agag, and his kingdome shall bee exalted.

He makes water flow from his buckets, And his seed [is] in many waters; And his King [is] higher than Gog [[or Agag]], And his kingdom is exalted.

8 God brought him out of Egypt: his strength shalbe as an vnicorne: he shall eate the nations his enemies, and bruise their bones, and shoote them through with his arrowes.

God is bringing him out of Egypt, As the swiftness of a wild ox for him, He eats up nations—his adversaries, And he breaks their bones, And he strikes [with] his arrows.

9 He coucheth and lieth downe as a yong lion, and as a lion: who shall stirre him vp? blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.

He has bent, he has lain down as a lion, And as a lioness, who raises him up? He who is blessing you [is] blessed, And he who is cursing you [is] cursed.”

10 Then Balak was very angry with Balaam, and smote his handes together: so Balak sayde vnto Balaam, I sent for thee to curse mine enemies, and beholde, thou hast blessed them nowe three times.

And the anger of Balak burns against Balaam, and he strikes his hands; and Balak says to Balaam, “I called you to pierce my enemies, and behold, you have certainly blessed these three times;

11 Therefore nowe flee vnto thy place: I thought surely to promote thee vnto honour, but loe, the Lord hath kept thee backe from honour.

and now, flee for yourself to your place; I have said, I greatly honor you, and behold, YHWH has kept you back from honor.”

12 Then Balaam answered Balak, Tolde I not also thy messengers, which thou sentest vnto me, saying,

And Balaam says to Balak, “Did I not also speak to your messengers whom you have sent to me, saying,

13 If Balak would giue me his house ful of siluer and gold, I can not passe the commandement of the Lord, to doe either good or bad of mine owne minde? what the Lord shall commaund, the same will I speake.

If Balak gives to me the fullness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of YHWH, to do good or evil of my own heart; that which YHWH speaks—it I speak?

14 And nowe behold, I goe vnto my people: come, I will aduertise thee what this people shall doe to thy folke in the later dayes.

And now, behold, I am going to my people; come, I counsel you [concerning] that which this people does to your people in the latter end of the days.”

15 And he vttered his parable, and sayd, Balaam the sonne of Beor hath sayde, and the man whose eyes were shut vp, hath sayd,

And he takes up his allegory and says: “An affirmation of Balaam son of Beor, And an affirmation of the man whose eyes [are] shut;

16 He hath said that heard the words of God, and hath the knowledge of the most High, and sawe the vision of the Almightie, and falling in a traunce had his eyes opened:

An affirmation of him who is hearing sayings of God, And knowing knowledge of the Most High; He sees a vision of the Almighty, Falling—and eyes uncovered:

17 I shall see him, but not nowe: I shall behold him, but not neere: there shall come a starre of Iaakob, and a scepter shall rise of Israel, and shall smite the coastes of Moab, and destroy all the sonnes of Sheth.

I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A star has proceeded from Jacob, And a scepter has risen from Israel, And has struck corners of Moab, And has destroyed all sons of Seth.

18 And Edom shalbe possessed, and Seir shall be a possession to their enemies: but Israel shall do valiantly.

And Edom has been a possession, And Seir has been a possession [for] his enemies, And Israel is doing valiantly;

19 He also that shall haue dominion shall bee of Iaakob, and shall destroy the remnant of the citie.

And [One] rules out of Jacob, And has destroyed a remnant from the city.”

20 And when he looked on Amalek, he vttered his parable, and sayd, Amalek was the first of the nations: but his latter ende shall come to destruction.

And he sees Amalek, and takes up his allegory, and says: “Amalek [is] first [among] nations, But his latter end—destruction forever.”

21 And he looked on the Kenites, and vttered his parable, and sayde, Strong is thy dwelling place, and put thy nest in the rocke.

And he sees the Kenite, and takes up his allegory, and says: “Your dwelling [is] enduring, And your nest is being set in a rock,

22 Neuerthelesse, the Kenite shalbe spoyled vntill Asshur cary thee away captiue.

But the Kenite is for a burning; Until when does Asshur keep you captive?”

23 Againe he vttered his parable, and sayd, Alas, who shall liue when God doeth this?

And he takes up his allegory and says: “Woe! Who lives when God does this?

24 The ships also shall come from the coastes of Chittim, and subdue Asshur, and shall subdue Eber, and he also shall come to destruction.

But ships [come] from the side of Chittim, And they have humbled Asshur, And they have humbled Eber, But it is also perishing forever.”

25 Then Balaam rose vp, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.

And Balaam rises, and goes, and turns back to his place, and Balak has also gone on his way.