Numbers 24

1 When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he didn’t go, as at the other times, to use divination, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

And when Balaam had seen that it was pleasing to the Lord that he should bless Israel, he by no means went out as he had gone before, to seek divination. But directing his face opposite the desert,

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

and lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel dwelling in tents by their tribes. And with the Spirit of God rushing into him,

3 He took up his parable, and said, “Balaam the son of Beor says, the man whose eyes are open says;

taking up his parable, he said: “Balaam, the son of Beor, the man whose eye has been obstructed,

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

the hearer of the sermon of God, he who has gazed upon a vision of the Almighty, he who falls down and so his eyes are opened, has declared:

5 How goodly are your tents, Jacob, and your dwellings, Israel!

‘How beautiful are your tabernacles, O Jacob, and your tents, O Israel!

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

They are like forested valleys, like gardens irrigated next to rivers, like tabernacles which the Lord has fixed, like cedars close to 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.

Water shall flow from his jar, and his offspring shall be amid many waters, because Agag, his king, shall be taken, and his kingdom shall be removed.

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

Away from Egypt, God has led him, whose strength is like the rhinoceros. They shall devour the nations that are his enemies, and break their bones, and pierce them with arrows.

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.”

Lying down, he has slept like a lion, and like a lioness, whom no one would dare to awaken. He who blesses you, shall himself also be blessed. He who curses you, shall be considered cursed.”

10 Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have altogether blessed them these three times.

And Balak, being angry against Balaam, clapped his hands together and said: “I called you to curse my enemies, and, to the contrary, you have blessed them three times.

11 Therefore, flee to your place, now! I thought to promote you to great honor; but, behold, the LORD has kept you back from honor.”

Return to your place. I had decided, indeed, to honor you greatly, but the Lord has deprived you of the designated honor.”

12 Balaam said to Balak, “Didn’t I also tell your messengers whom you sent to me, saying,

Balaam responded to Balak: “Did I not say to your messengers, whom you sent to me:

13 ‘If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond the LORD’s word, to do either good or bad from my own mind. I will say what the LORD says’?

Even if Balak would give me his house, filled with silver and gold, I still could not go away from the word of the Lord my God, so as to offer anything, either good or evil, from my own heart; but whatever the Lord will speak, this, too, I shall speak.

14 Now, behold, I go to my people. Come, I will inform you what this people shall do to your people in the latter days.”

Yet truly, as I continue on to my own people, I will give you counsel as to what this people shall do to your people in the end times.”

15 He took up his parable, and said, “Balaam the son of Beor says, the man whose eyes are open says;

Therefore, taking up his parable, he again spoke: “Balaam the son of Beor, the man whose eye has been obstructed,

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

the hearer of the sermon of God, he who knows the doctrine of the Most High, and who sees the visions of the Almighty, who, falling down, has his eyes opened, has declared:

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 shall strike through the corners of Moab, and crush all the sons of Sheth.

I shall see him, but not presently. I shall gaze upon him, but not soon. A star shall rise out of Jacob, and a rod shall spring up from Israel. And he shall strike down the commanders of Moab, and he shall devastate all the sons of Seth.

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

And he shall possess Idumea; the inheritance of Seir shall fall to their enemies. Yet truly, Israel shall act with strength.

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

From Jacob will be he who shall be ruler. And he shall perish the remnants of the city.”

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, taking up his parable, he said: “Amalek, first among the Gentiles, whose very end shall be perdition.”

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.

Likewise, he saw the Kainites, and taking up his parable, he said: “Robust, indeed, is your habitation. But though you will set your nest in a rock,

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

and you will be elect among the stock of Kain, how long will you be able to remain? For Assur shall take you captive.”

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

And taking up his parable once more he said: “Alas! Who will be able to survive, when God will do these things?

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

They shall arrive in Greek warships from Italy. They shall overcome the Assyrians, and they shall devastate the Hebrews, and yet, at the very end, even they themselves shall perish.”

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

And Balaam rose up, and he returned to his place. Likewise, Balak went back, along the way by which he had arrived.