Numbers 24

1 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.

And Balaam seeth that [it is] good in the eyes of Jehovah to bless Israel, and he hath not gone as time by time to meet enchantments, and he setteth towards the wilderness his face;

2 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.

and Balaam lifteth up his eyes, and seeth Israel tabernacling, by its tribes, and the Spirit of God is upon him,

3 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor has said, and the man whose eyes are open has said:

and he taketh up his simile, and saith: 'An affirmation of Balaam son of Beor — And an affirmation of the man whose eyes are shut —

4 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:

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

5 How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, and your tabernacles, O Israel!

How good have been thy tents, O Jacob, Thy tabernacles, O Israel;

6 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.

As valleys they have been stretched out, As gardens by a river; As aloes Jehovah hath planted, As cedars by waters;

7 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.

He maketh water flow from his buckets, And his seed [is] in many waters; And higher than Agag [is] his king, And exalted is his kingdom.

8 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.

God is bringing him out of Egypt; As the swiftness of a Reem is to him, He eateth up nations his adversaries, And their bones he breaketh, And [with] his arrows he smiteth,

9 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.

He hath bent, he hath lain down as a lion, And as a lioness: who doth raise him up? He who is blessing thee [is] blessed, And he who is cursing thee [is] cursed.'

10 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.

And the anger of Balak burneth against Balaam, and he striketh his hands; and Balak saith unto Balaam, 'To pierce mine enemies I called thee, and lo, thou hast certainly blessed — these three times;

11 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.

and now, flee for thyself unto thy place; I have said, I do greatly honour thee, and lo, Jehovah hath kept thee back from honour.'

12 And Balaam said unto Balak, Spoke I not also to your messengers which you sent unto me, saying,

And Balaam saith unto Balak, 'Did I not also unto thy messengers whom thou hast sent unto me, speak, saying,

13 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?

If Balak doth give to me the fulness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of Jehovah, to do good or evil of mine own heart — that which Jehovah speaketh — it I speak?

14 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.

and, now, lo, I am going to my people; come, I counsel thee [concerning] that which this people doth to thy people, in the latter end of the days.'

15 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor has said, and the man whose eyes are open has said:

And he taketh up his simile, and saith: 'An affirmation of Balaam son of Beor — And an affirmation of the man whose eyes [are] shut —

16 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:

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

17 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.

I see it, but not now; I behold it, but not near; A star hath proceeded from Jacob, And a sceptre hath risen from Israel, And hath smitten corners of Moab, And hath destroyed all sons of Sheth.

18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.

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

19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remains of the city.

And [one] doth rule out of Jacob, And hath destroyed a remnant from Ar.'

20 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.

And he seeth Amalek, and taketh up his simile, and saith: 'A beginning of the Goyim [is] Amalek; And his latter end — for ever he perisheth.'

21 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.

And he seeth the Kenite, and taketh up his simile, and saith: 'Enduring [is] thy dwelling, And setting in a rock thy nest,

22 Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry you away captive.

But the Kenite is for a burning; Till when doth Asshur keep thee captive?'

23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God does this!

And he taketh up his simile, and saith: 'Alas! who doth live when God doth this?

24 And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.

And — ships [are] from the side of Chittim, And they have humbled Asshur, And they have humbled Eber, And it also for ever is perishing.'

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

And Balaam riseth, and goeth, and turneth back to his place, and Balak also hath gone on his way.