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 hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath 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 hath said, who heard the words of God, who 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 thy tents, O Jacob, [and] thy 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 hath 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 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 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 rouse him? Blessed [is] he that blesseth thee, and cursed [is] he that curseth thee.

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 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 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 thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee to great honor; but lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honor.

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 to Balak, Did I not speak also to thy messengers whom thou sentest to 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 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 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 to my people: come [therefore], I will advertise thee what this people will do to thy 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 hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath 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 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:

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 Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite 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 remaineth 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 shall 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 thy dwelling-place, and thou puttest thy 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 Asher shall carry thee 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 doeth 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 Ashur, 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 arose, 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.