Numbers 24

Balaam Continues to Utter Oracles

¹And Balaam saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel, and he did not go as other times to seek out sorcery; instead, he set his face toward the desert.[#Literally “it was good in the eyes of Yahweh”; #Literally “as time on time”; #Literally “to meet”]

²Balaam lift up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to its tribes, and the spirit of God was upon it.[#That is, Israel]

³He uttered his oracle and said,[#Literally “lifted up”]

“The declaration of Balaam son Beor,

⁴the declaration of the hearer of God’s words,[#Or “God’s sayings”]

falling down but whose eyes are uncovered.

your dwellings, O Israel!

like gardens on a river,

like cedars at the waters.

and his offspring will be like many waters;

and his kingdom will be exalted.

is like the strength of a wild ox for him.

he will break their bones;

⁹He crouches, he lies down like a lion,

They who bless you will be blessed,

¹⁰Then Balak became angry with Balaam, and he clapped his hands and said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but look, you have surely blessed them these three times.[#Literally “the nose of Balak became hot against”]

¹¹Flee to your place now. I said I would richly honor you, but look, Yahweh has withheld honor from you.”[#Literally “Flee for yourself”]

¹²Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not speak to your messengers whom you sent to me, saying,

¹³‘If Balak gave to me the fullness of his house full of silver and gold, I am not able to go beyond the command of Yahweh to do good or evil, from my heart; what Yahweh speaks, I will speak’?[#Literally “the mouth of Yahweh”; #Hebrew “I will speak it”]

¹⁴And now, look, I am about to go to my people; I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the following days.”[#Literally “in the last of the days”]

¹⁵And he uttered his oracle and said,[#Literally “lifted up”]

“The declaration of Balaam son of Beor,

¹⁶the declaration of the hearer of God’s words,[#Or “God’s sayings”]

who sees the vision of Shaddai,

¹⁷I see him, but not now;

a star will go out from Jacob,

it will crush the foreheads of Moab

¹⁸Edom will be a captive;

and Israel will be acting courageously.

and will destroy a remnant from the city.”

“Amalek is first of the nations,

²¹And he looked at the Kenites, uttered his oracle, and said,[#Hebrew “Kenite”; #Literally “lifted up”]

“Steady is your dwelling place;

²²Nevertheless, the Kenite will be burned;

²³Again he uttered his oracle and said,[#Literally “lifted up”]

“Woe, who will live when God establishes this?

and they will afflict Asshur and will afflict Eber;

²⁵Then Balaam got up and went and returned to his place, and Balak also went on his way.