Numbers 24

1 When Balaam saw that it pleased YHWH to bless Israel, he did not go, as at the other times, to meet with omens, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

And when Balaam saw that it was good in the eyes of Yahweh to bless Israel, he went not as at other times to invoke enchantments, —but set towards the desert, his face.

2 Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came on him.

So Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel, dwelling, according to his tribes, —then came upon him the Spirit of God;

3 He took up his parable, and said, "Balaam the son of Beor says, the man whose eye was closed says;

and he took up his parable, and said, —The oracle of Balaam, son of Beor, Yea the oracle of the man, of opened eye;

4 he says, who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of Shaddai, falling down, and having his eyes open:

The oracle of one hearing sayings of GOD, Who the sight of the Almighty, receiveth in vision, Who falleth down but hath unveiled eyes: —

5 How goodly are your tents, Jacob, and your tents, Israel.

How pleasing are thy tents, O Jacob, —Thy habitations, O Israel:

6 As valleys they are spread forth, as gardens by the riverside, as aloes which YHWH has planted, as cedar trees beside the waters.

Like ravines extended, Like gardens by a river, —Like aloe-trees Yahweh hath planted, Like cedars by waters:

7 Water shall flow from his buckets. His seed shall be in many waters. His king shall be higher than Agag. His kingdom shall be exalted.

He poureth forth water from his buckets, And, his seed, is among many waters, —And taller than Agag is his King, And exalted is his kingdom.

8 God brings him out of Egypt. He has as it were the strength of the wild ox. He shall eat up the nations his adversaries, shall break their bones in pieces, and pierce them with his arrows.

GOD having brought him forth out of Egypt, The very horns of the buffalo, are his, —He eateth up nations that assail him And the bones of them, he breaketh And the loins of him, he crusheth:

9 He couched, he lay down as a lion, as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Everyone who blesses you is blessed. Everyone who curses you is cursed."

He hath knelt—hath lain down, Like a strong lion, yea like a lioness, Who shall rouse him up? Such as bless thee are each one blessed, But, such, as curse thee, are each one cursed.

10 Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, and, look, you have altogether blessed them these three times.

Then kindled the anger of Balak against Balaam, and he smote together his hands, —and Balak said unto Balaam—To revile my foes, I called thee, And lo! thou hast kept on blessing, these three times.

11 Therefore now flee you to your place. I thought to promote you to great honor; but, look, YHWH has kept you back from honor."

Now, therefore, flee thou unto thy place, —I said, I will, highly honour, thee; but lo! Yahweh hath kept thee back from honour.

12 Balaam said to Balak, "Did I not also tell your messengers who you sent to me, saying,

And Balaam said unto Balak, —Was it not so that even unto thy messengers whom thou didst send unto me, I spake saying-

13 'If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can't go beyond the word of YHWH, to do either good or bad in my heart. I will say what God says'?

Though Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, yet could I not go beyond the bidding of Yahweh, to, do good or ill, out of my own heart, —what Yahweh shall speak, that, must I speak?

14 Now, look, I go to my people: come, I will inform you what this people shall do to your people in the latter days."

Now, therefore, behold me! going to my own people, —Come now! let me advise thee, what this people shall do unto thy people in the after-part of the days.

15 He took up his parable, and said, "Balaam the son of Beor says, the man whose eye was closed says;

So he took up his parable and said, —The oracle of Balaam, son of Beor, Yea the oracle of the man, of opened eye;

16 he says, who hears the words of God, knows the knowledge of the Most High, and who sees the vision of Shaddai, falling down, and having his eyes open:

The oracle of one hearing sayings of GOD, And knowing the knowledge of the Most High, —Who the sight of the Almighty, receiveth in vision, Who falleth down but hath unveiled eyes: —

17 I see him, but not now. I see him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob. A scepter will rise out of Israel, and will crush the forehead of Moab, and the crown of all the sons of tumult.

I see One, who is not now, I observe One, who is not nigh, —There hath marched forth a Star out of Jacob. And arisen a Sceptre out of Israel, That hath dishonoured the beard of Moab, Yea the crown of the head of all the tumultuous;

18 Edom shall be a possession. Seir, his enemies, also shall be a possession, while Israel does valiantly.

So Edom hath become a possession, Yea a possession is Seir to his foes, —But, Israel, is doing valiantly;

19 Out of Jacob shall one have dominion, and shall destroy the remnant from the city."

Yea One wieldeth dominion out of Jacob, —Who hath destroyed the remnant out of the fortress.

20 He looked at Amalek, and took up his parable, and said, "Amalek was the first of the nations, But his latter end shall come to destruction."

And, when he saw Amalek, he took up, his parable, and said—The beginning of nations, —Amalek, But his latter end is even to perish.

21 He looked at the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said, "Your dwelling place is strong. Your nest is set in the rock.

And when he saw the Kenite, he took up his parable, and said, —Enduring thy dwelling-place, Set thou then in the crag, thy nest;

22 Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted, until Asshur carries you away captive."

Yet shall it be for destruction, O Kain, —How long shall Assyria hold thee captive?

23 He took up his parable, and said, "Alas, who shall live when God does this?

And he took up his parable, and said, —Alas who shall survive its fulfillment by GOD;

24 But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim. They shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber. He also shall come to destruction."

When, ships, [come] from the coast of the isles, And humble Assyria, and humble the Hebrew, —And he too, is even to perish?

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

Then Balaam arose, and went and returned unto his place, —and, Balak also, went his way.