Numbers 24

1 And when Bil'am saw that it was pleasing in the eyes of 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 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 Bil'am lifted up his eyes, and when he saw Israel encamped according to their tribes, there came upon him the spirit of God.

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

3 And he took up his parable, and said, Thus saith Bil'am the son of Beor, and thus saith the man whose eyes are open;

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 Thus saith he who heareth the sayings of God, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, falling down, with unvailed eyes:

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 tents, O Jacob, thy dwelling, O Israel!

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

6 As streams are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as aloe-trees, which the Lord hath planted, as cedar-trees beside the waters.

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

7 Water runneth out of His buckets, that his seed may be moistened by abundance of water; and exalted above Agag shall be his king, and raised on high shall be his kingdom.

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, who brought him forth out of Egypt, is to him like the heights of the reem; he will devour nations, his oppressors, and their bones will he break, and pierce [them] through with his 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 He coucheth, he lieth down as a lion, and as a lioness: who shall make him rise up? They that bless thee be blessed, and they that curse thee be cursed.

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 the anger of Balak was kindled against Bil'am, and he struck his hands together: and Balak said unto Bil'am, To denounce my enemies did I call thee, and, behold, thou hast even blessed them these 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 And now flee thou to thy place: I thought to honor thee greatly; but, lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honor.

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 And Bil'am said unto Balak, Did I not already speak to thy messengers, whom thou sentest unto me, saying,

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

13 If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the order of the Lord, to do good or evil out of my own heart: what the Lord will speak, that must I 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 And now, behold, I am going unto my people: come, I will advise thee against what this people will do to thy people in the end of 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 And he took up his parable and said, Thus saith Bil'am the son of Beor, and thus saith the man whose eyes are open;

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 Thus saith he who heareth the sayings of God, and knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, falling down, with unvailed eyes:

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 see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh; there steppeth forth a star out of Jacob, and there ariseth a sceptre out of Israel, and he pierceth the chiefs of Moab, and destroyeth all the children of Sheth.

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 Edom shall be a conquest, and Seir shall be a conquest for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.

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

19 And there shall rule the one from Jacob, and he shall destroy whatever escapeth out of the city.

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

20 And he looked on Amalek, and he took up his parable, and said, The first of nations is Amalek; but his latter end shall be destruction for ever.

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 And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwelling-place, and placed on the rock is thy nest.

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 Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted: whither will Asshur carry thee away captive?

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

23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doth appoint this one?

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

24 But ships will come from the coast of Kittim, and will afflict Asshur, and will afflict 'Eber; and he also will be given to destruction for ever.

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 Bil'am rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.

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