< 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 when Balaam saw that it pleased God to bless Israel, he did not go according to his custom to meet the omens, but turned his face towards the wilderness.
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 lifted up his eyes, and sees Israel encamped by their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.
3 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
And he took up his parable and said, Balaam son of Beor says, the man who sees truly says,
4 He hath said, who heard the words of God, who saw the vision of the Almighty, falling [into a trance], but having his eyes open:
he says who hears the oracle of the Mighty One, who saw a vision of God in sleep; his eyes were opened:
5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, [and] thy tabernacles, O Israel!
How goodly [are] your habitations, Jacob, and your tents, 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 hath planted, [and] as cedar-trees beside the waters.
as shady groves, and as gardens by a river, and as tents which God pitched, and as cedars by the 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.
There shall come a man out of his seed, and he shall rule over many nations; and the kingdom of Gog shall be exalted, and his kingdom shall be increased.
8 God brought him forth from Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of a unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce [them] through with his arrows.
God led him out of Egypt; he has as it were the glory of a unicorn: he shall consume the nations of his enemies, and he shall drain their marrow, and with his darts he shall shoot through the enemy.
9 He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall rouse him? Blessed [is] he that blesseth thee, and cursed [is] he that curseth thee.
He lay down, he rested as a lion, and as a young lion; who shall stir him up? they that bless you are blessed, and they that curse you are cursed.
10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said to Balaam, I called thee to curse my enemies, and behold, thou hast altogether blessed [them] these three times.
And Balac was angry with Balaam, and clapped his hands together; and Balac said to Balaam, I called you to curse my enemy, and behold you have decidedly blessed [him] this third time.
11 Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee to great honor; but lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honor.
Now therefore flee to your place: I said, I will honour you, but now the Lord has deprived you of glory.
12 And Balaam said to Balak, Did I not speak also to thy messengers whom thou sentest to me, saying,
And Balaam said to Balac, Did I not speak to your messengers also whom you sent to me, saying,
13 If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do [either] good or bad of my own mind; [but] what the LORD saith, that will I speak?
If Balac should give me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to transgress the word of the Lord to make it good or bad by myself; whatever things God shall say, them will I speak.
14 And now, behold, I go to my people: come [therefore], I will advertise thee what this people will do to thy people in the latter days.
And now, behold, I return to my place; come, I will advise you of what this people shall do to your people in the last days.
15 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
And he took up his parable and said, Balaam the son of Beor says, the man who sees truly says,
16 He hath said, who heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the Most High, [who] saw the vision of the Almighty, falling [into a trance], but having his eyes open:
hearing the oracles of God, receiving knowledge from the Most High, and having seen a vision of God in sleep; his eyes were opened.
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 Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
I will point to him, but not now; I bless him, but he draws not near: a star shall rise out of Jacob, a man shall spring out of Israel; and shall crush the princes of Moab, and shall spoil all the sons of Seth.
18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
And Edom shall be an inheritance, and Esau his enemy shall be an inheritance [of Israel], and Israel wrought valiantly.
19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.
And [one] shall arise out of Jacob, and destroy out of the city him that escapes.
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 shall perish for ever.
And having seen Amalec, he took up his parable and said, Amalec [is] the first of the nations; yet his seed shall perish.
21 And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwelling-place, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.
And having seen the Kenite, he took up his parable and said, your dwelling-place [is] strong; yet though you should put your nest in a rock,
22 Nevertheless, the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asher shall carry thee away captive.
and though Beor should have a skilfully contrived hiding-place, the Assyrians shall carry you away captive.
23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!
And he looked upon Og, and took up his parable and said, Oh, oh, who shall live, when God shall do these things?
24 And ships [shall come] from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Ashur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.
And one shall come forth from the hands of the Citians, and shall afflict Assur, and shall afflict the Hebrews, and they shall perish together.
25 And Balaam arose, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.
And Balaam rose up and departed and returned to his place, and Balac went to his own home.