1 Spirit of God Comes upon Balaam And Balaam saw that it was good in the eyes of Yahweh to bless Israel, so he did not go as at other times to 24:1Or meet, cf.21:33; 22:34, 36; 23:3 encounter omens, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel dwelling tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came upon him.
3 Then he took up his 24:3Lit parable, so in ch discourse and said,“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,And the oracle of the man whose eye is uncovered;
4 The oracle of him who hears the 24:4 Lit sayings words of God,Who beholds the vision of 24:4 Heb Shaddai the Almighty,Falling down, yet having his eyes opened,
5 How fair are your tents, O Jacob,Your dwellings, O Israel!
6 “Like 24:6 Or possibly palm trees valleys that stretch out,Like gardens beside the river,Like aloes planted by Yahweh,Like cedars beside the waters.
7 “Water will flow from his buckets,And his seedwill beby many waters,And his king shall be lifted up higher than Agag,And his kingdom shall be exalted.
8 “God brings him out of Egypt,He is for him like the horns of the wild ox.He will devour the nationswho arehis adversaries,And will gnaw their bones in pieces,And 24:8Or crush, cf. 24:17 shatterthemwith his arrows.
9 “He 24:9Lit bows down crouches, he lies down as a lion,And as a 24:9Or lioness lion, who 24:9Lit shall dares rouse him?Blessed is everyone who blesses you,And cursed is everyone who curses you.”
10 Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his 24:10Lit palms hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have blessed them repeatedly these three times!
11 So now, 24:11Lit flee for yourself flee to your place. I said I would honor you greatly, but behold, Yahweh has held you back from honor.”
12 And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you had sent to me, saying,
13 ‘Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything to trespass the 24:13Lit mouth command of Yahweh, either good or bad, of my own 24:13Lit heart accord. What Yahweh speaks, that I will speak’?
14 So now, behold, I am going to my people; come,andI will advise you what this people will do to your people in the last days.”Oracle of Balaam
15 Then he took up his discourse and said,“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,And the oracle of the man whose eye is uncovered,
16 The oracle of him who hears the 24:16Lit sayings words of God,And knows the knowledge of the 24:16Heb Elyon Most High,Who beholds the vision of the 24:16Heb Shaddai Almighty,Falling down, yet having his eyes opened.
17 “I see him, but not now;I behold him, but not near;A star shall come forth from Jacob,A scepter shall rise from Israel,And shall crush through the 24:17 Lit corners forehead of Moab,And 24:17 Or the skull of the head of tear down all the sons of 24:17 Lit tumult Sheth.
18 “And Edom shall be a possession,Seir, its enemies, also will be a possession,While Israel performs valiantly.
19 “And one from Jacob shall have dominion,And will make the survivor perish from the city.”
20 Then he looked at Amalek and took up his discourse and said,“Amalek was the first of the nations,But his endshall be 24:20Lit to destroying destruction.”
21 Then he looked at the Kenite and took up his discourse and said,“Your habitation is enduring,And your nest is set in the cliff.
22 “Nevertheless Kain will be consumed;How long will Asshur 24:22Lit take keep you captive?”
23 Then he took up his discourse and said,“Woe, who can live except when God has ordained it?
24 “But shipsshall comefrom the coast of Kittim,And they shall afflict Asshur and will afflict Eber;So they alsowill cometo destruction.”
25 Then Balaam arose and went and returned to his place, and Balak also went his way.