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

and Balaam lifteth up his eyes, and seeth Israel tabernacling, by its tribes, and the Spirit of God is upon him,

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

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 says, who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, and 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 your tents, Jacob, and your dwellings, Israel!

How good have been thy tents, O Jacob, Thy tabernacles, 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.

As valleys they have been stretched out, As gardens by a river; As aloes Jehovah hath planted, As cedars by 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.

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 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.

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, as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Everyone who blesses you is blessed. Everyone who curses you is cursed.”

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 Balak’s anger burnt 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 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, flee to your place, now! I thought to promote you to great honour; but, behold, the LORD has kept you back from honour.”

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

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 Now, behold, I go to my people. Come, I will inform you what this people shall do to your 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 He took up his parable, and said, “Balaam the son of Beor says, the man whose eyes are open says;

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 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:

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 see him, but not now. I see him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob. A sceptre will rise out of Israel, and shall strike through the corners of Moab, and crush all the sons 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 Edom shall be a possession. Seir, his enemy, also shall be a possession, while Israel does 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 one have dominion, and shall destroy the remnant from the city.”

And [one] doth rule out of Jacob, And hath destroyed a remnant from Ar.'

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 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 He looked at the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said, “Your dwelling place is strong. Your nest is set in the 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 Kain shall be wasted, until Asshur carries you away captive.”

But the Kenite is for a burning; Till when doth Asshur keep thee captive?'

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

And he taketh up his simile, and saith: 'Alas! who doth live when God doth this?

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

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 Balaam rose up, 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.