Numbers 24

1 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.

And Balaam saw that it was good in the sight of Jehovah to bless Israel, and he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

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

And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel dwelling [in tents] according to his tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

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

And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, and the man of opened eye saith,

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

He saith, who heareth the words of God, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, who falleth down, and who hath his eyes open:

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

How goodly are thy tents, Jacob, and thy tabernacles, Israel!

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

Like valleys are they spread forth, like gardens by the river side, Like aloe-trees which Jehovah hath planted, like cedars beside the waters.

7 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.

Water shall flow out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in great waters, And his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.

8 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:

God brought him out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of a buffalo. He shall consume the nations his enemies, and break their bones, and with his arrows shall smite [them] in pieces.

9 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.

He stooped, he lay down like a lion, and like a lioness: who will stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.

10 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.

Then Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and behold, thou hast altogether blessed [them] these three times!

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

And now flee thou to thy place; I said I would very highly honour thee, and behold, Jehovah has kept thee back from honour.

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

And Balaam said to Balak, Did I not also speak to thy messengers whom thou sentest to me, saying,

13 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?

If Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the commandment of Jehovah to do good or bad out of my heart: what Jehovah shall say, that will I speak?

14 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.

And now behold, I go to my people: come, I will admonish thee what this people will do to thy people at the end of days.

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

And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, and the man of opened eye saith,

16 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: —

He saith, who heareth the words of God, who knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, Who seeth the vision of the Almighty, who falleth down, and who hath his eyes open:

17 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;

I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not nigh: There cometh a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and he shall cut in pieces the corners of Moab, and destroy all the sons of tumult.

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

And Edom shall be a possession, and Seir a possession, — they, his enemies; but Israel will do valiantly.

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

And one out of Jacob shall have dominion, and will destroy out of the city what remaineth.

20 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.

And he saw Amalek, and took up his parable, and said, Amalek is the first of the nations, but his latter end shall be for destruction.

21 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;

And he saw the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Firm is thy dwelling-place, and thy nest fixed in the rock;

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

But the Kenite shall be consumed, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.

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

And he took up his parable, and said, Alas! Who shall live when God doeth this?

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

And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and afflict Asshur, and afflict Eber, and he also shall be for destruction.

25 Then Balaam arose, and went and returned unto 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.