Numbers 24

1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased Jehovah 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 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 dwelling 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 oracle, and said, Balaam the son of Beor says, and the man whose eye was closed says,

And he took up his parable and said, Balaam son of Beor says, the man who sees truly says,

4 he says who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, and 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, thy tabernacles, O Israel!

How goodly [are] your habitations, Jacob, and your tents, Israel!

6 As valleys they are spread forth, as gardens by the river-side, as aloes which Jehovah has planted, 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 Water shall flow from 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 brings him forth out of Egypt. He has as it were the strength of the wild-ox. He shall eat up the nations his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces, and smite 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 lioness. Who shall rouse him up? He who blesses thee is blessed, And he who curses thee is cursed.

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 struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, I called thee to curse my enemies, and, behold, thou have 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, Jehovah has 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 also speak to thy messengers that thou sent 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 cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah, to do either good or bad of my own mind. What Jehovah speaks, that I will 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, I will advise thee what this people shall 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 oracle, and said, Balaam the son of Beor says, and the man whose eye was closed says,

And he took up his parable and said, Balaam the son of Beor says, the man who sees truly says,

16 he says who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, and 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 see him, but not now. I behold him, but not near. There shall come forth a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite through the corners of Moab, and break down all the sons of tumult.

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, who were his enemies, while Israel does valiantly.

And Edom shall be an inheritance, and Esau his enemy shall be an inheritance [of Israel], and Israel wrought valiantly.

19 And out of Jacob shall come he who shall have dominion, and shall destroy the remnant from the city.

And [one] shall arise out of Jacob, and destroy out of the city him that escapes.

20 And he looked on Amalek, and took up his oracle, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations, but his latter end shall come to destruction.

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 Kenite, and took up his oracle, and said, Strong is thy dwelling-place, and thy nest is set in the 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 Kain shall be wasted, until Asshur 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 oracle, and said, Alas, who shall live when God does 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 But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim, and they shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall come to destruction.

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 rose up, 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.