Chapter 24

¹When Balaam saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel, he didn’t go, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness. ²Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came on him. ³He took up his parable, and said,

Balaam the son of Beor says,

The man whose eye was closed says;

⁴He says, who hears the words of God,

Who sees the vision of the Almighty,

Falling down, and having his eyes open:

⁵How goodly are your tents, Jacob,

Your tents, Israel!

⁶As valleys are they spread forth,

As gardens by the riverside,

As aloes which Yahweh has planted,

As cedar trees beside the waters.

⁷Water shall flow from his buckets,

His seed shall be in many waters,

His king shall be higher than Agag,

His kingdom shall be exalted.

⁸God 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,

Shall break their bones in pieces,

Smite them through with his arrows.

⁹He couched, he lay down as a lion,

As a lioness; who shall rouse him up?

Blessed be everyone who blesses you,

Cursed be everyone who curses you.

¹⁰Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, I called you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have altogether blessed them these three times. ¹¹Therefore now flee you to your place: I thought to promote you to great honor; but, behold, Yahweh has kept you back from honor. ¹²Balaam said to Balak, Didn’t I also tell your messengers who you sent to me, saying, ¹³If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond the word of Yahweh, to do either good or bad of my own mind; what Yahweh speaks, that will I speak? ¹⁴Now, behold, I go to my people: come, and I will advertise you what this people shall do to your people in the latter days. ¹⁵He took up his parable, and said,

Balaam the son of Beor says,

The man whose eye was closed says;

¹⁶He says, who hears the words of God,

Knows the knowledge of the Most High,

Who sees the vision of the Almighty,

Falling down, and having his eyes open:

¹⁷I see him, but not now;

I see him, but not near:

There shall come forth a star out of Jacob,

A scepter shall rise out of Israel,

Shall strike through the corners of Moab,

Break down all the sons of tumult.

¹⁸Edom shall be a possession,

Seir also shall be a possession, who were his enemies;

While Israel does valiantly.

¹⁹Out of Jacob shall one have dominion,

Shall destroy the remnant from the city.

²⁰He 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.

²¹He looked at the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said,

Strong is your dwelling place,

Your nest is set in the rock.

²²Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted,

Until Asshur shall carry you away captive.

²³He took up his parable, and said,

Alas, who shall live when God does this?

²⁴But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim,

They shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber;

He also shall come to destruction.

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