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 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.

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

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

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, —The oracle of Balaam, son of Beor, Yea the oracle of the man, of opened eye;

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

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

5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, thy tabernacles, O Israel!

How pleasing are thy tents, O Jacob, —Thy habitations, O 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.

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

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.

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 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:

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 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.

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.

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.

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

12 And Balaam said to Balak, Did I not also speak to thy messengers that thou sent to me, saying,

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

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?

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.

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.

15 And he took up his oracle, and said, Balaam the son of Beor says, and the man whose eye was closed says,

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

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:

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: —

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 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;

18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession, who were his enemies, while Israel does valiantly.

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

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

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

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, when he saw Amalek, he took up, his parable, and said—The beginning of nations, —Amalek, But his latter end is even to 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 when he saw the Kenite, he took up his parable, and said, —Enduring thy dwelling-place, Set thou then in the crag, thy nest;

22 Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.

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

23 And he took up his oracle, and said, Alas, who shall live when God does this?

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

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.

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

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

Then Balaam arose, and went and returned unto his place, —and, Balak also, went his way.