When Balaam saw
that it 1pleased
the LORD
to bless
Israel
, he did not go
as at other
times
to 2seek
aomens
but he set
his face
toward
the bwilderness
.
And Balaam lifted
up his eyes
and saw
Israel
1camping
tribe
by tribe
; and athe Spirit
of God
came
upon him.
He took up his 1discourse
and said
, " aThe oracle
of Balaam
the son
of Beor
, And the oracle
of the man
whose eye
is opened
;
The oracle of him who ahears
the 1words
of God
, Who
sees
the bvision
of 2the Almighty
, Falling
down
, yet having his eyes
uncovered
,
How fair
are your tents
, O Jacob
, Your dwellings
, O Israel
!
"Like 1valleys that stretch
out, Like gardens
beside
the river
, Like aaloes
planted
by the LORD
, Like bcedars
beside
the waters
.
"Water will flow
from his buckets
, And his seed
will be by many
waters
, And his king
shall be higher
than
aAgag
, bAnd his kingdom
shall be exalted
.
" aGod brings
him out of Egypt
, He is for him like the horns
of the wild
ox
. bHe will devour
the nations
who are his adversaries
, And will crush
their bones
in pieces, And shatter
them with his carrows
.
" aHe 1couches, he lies
down
as a lion
, And as a 2lion
, who
3dares rouse
him? bBlessed
is everyone who blesses
you, And cursed
is everyone who curses
you."
Then Balak's anger
burned
against
Balaam
, and he struck
his 1hands
together
; and Balak
said
to Balaam
, "I called
you to curse
my enemies
, but behold
, you have persisted
in blessing
them these
three
times
!
"Therefore, 1flee to your place
now
. I said
I would honor
you greatly
, but behold
, the LORD
has held
you back
from honor
."
Balaam said
to Balak
, " aDid I not tell
your messengers
whom
you had sent
to me, saying
,
`Though Balak
were to give
me his house
full
of silver
and gold
, I could
not do
anything contrary
to the 1command
of the LORD
, either good
or
bad
, aof my own 2accord
. bWhat
the LORD
speaks
, that I will speak
'?
"And now, behold
, aI am going
to my people
; come
, and I will advise
you what
this
people
will do
to your people
in the 1days
to come
."
He took up his discourse
and said
, " aThe oracle
of Balaam
the son
of Beor
, And the oracle
of the man
whose eye
is opened
,
The oracle of him who hears
the 1words
of God
, And knows
the knowledge
of the 2Most
High
, Who sees
the vision
of 3the Almighty
, Falling
down
, yet having his eyes
uncovered
.
"I see him, but not now
; I behold
him, but not near
; A star
shall come
forth from Jacob
, aA scepter
shall rise
from Israel
, bAnd shall crush
through
the 1forehead
of Moab
, And 2tear
down
all
the sons
of 3Sheth
.
" aEdom shall be a possession
, bSeir
, its enemies
, also will be a possession
, While Israel
performs
valiantly
.
"One from Jacob shall have
dominion
, And will destroy
the remnant
from the city
."
And he looked at Amalek
and took
up his discourse
and said
, "Amalek
was the first
of the nations
, aBut his end
shall be 1destruction
."
And he looked at the aKenite
, and took
up his discourse
and said
, "Your dwelling
place
is enduring
, And your nest
is set
in the cliff
.
"Nevertheless Kain
will be consumed
; How
long
will aAsshur
1keep
you captive
?"
Then he took up his discourse
and said
, "Alas
, who
can live
except God
has ordained
it?
"But ships shall come from the coast
of aKittim
, And they shall afflict
Asshur
and will afflict
bEber
; cSo they also
will come to destruction
."
Then Balaam arose
and departed
and returned
to ahis place
, and Balak
also
went
his way
.