1 W hen Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times to seek omens but he set his face toward the wilderness.

When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as he had done each time before to meet with omens and signs in the natural world, but he set his face toward the wilderness or desert.

2 A nd Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

And Balaam lifted up his eyes and he saw Israel abiding in their tents according to their tribes. And the Spirit of God came upon him

3 H e took up his discourse and said, “ The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, And the oracle of the man whose eye is opened;

And he took up his discourse and said: Balaam son of Beor, the man whose eye is opened,

4 T he oracle of him who hears the words of God, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered,

He who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, but having his eyes open and uncovered, he says:

5 H ow fair are your tents, O Jacob, Your dwellings, O Israel!

How attractive and considerable are your tents, O Jacob, and your tabernacles, O Israel!

6 “ Like valleys that stretch out, Like gardens beside the river, Like aloes planted by the Lord, Like cedars beside the waters.

As valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the riverside, as of lignaloes which the Lord has planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.

7 “ Water will flow from his buckets, And his seed will be by many waters, And his king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted.

shall pour water out of his own buckets, and his offspring shall dwell by many waters, and his king shall be 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 nations who are his adversaries, And will crush their bones in pieces, And shatter them with his arrows.

God brought forth out of Egypt; has strength like the wild ox; he shall eat up the nations, his enemies, crushing their bones and piercing them through with his arrows.

9 “ He couches, he lies down as a lion, And as a lion, who dares rouse him? Blessed is everyone who blesses you, And cursed is everyone who curses you.”

He couched, he lay down as a lion; and as a lioness, who shall rouse him? Blessed is he who blesses you and cursed is he who curses you.

10 T hen Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have persisted in blessing them these three times!

Then Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, I called you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have done nothing but bless them these three times.

11 T herefore, flee to your place now. I said I would honor you greatly, but behold, the Lord has held you back from honor.”

Therefore now go back where you belong and do it in a hurry! I had intended to promote you to great honor, but behold, the Lord has held you back from honor.

12 B alaam said to Balak, “ Did I not tell your messengers whom you had sent to me, saying,

Balaam said to Balak, Did I not say to your messengers whom you sent to me,

13 ‘ Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything contrary to the command of the Lord, either good or bad, of my own accord. What the Lord speaks, that I will speak’?

If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the command of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own will, but what the Lord says, that will I speak?

14 A nd now, behold, I am going to my people; come, and I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the days to come.”

And now, behold, I am going to my people; come, I will tell you what this people will do to your people in the latter days.

15 H e took up his discourse and said, “ The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, And the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,

And he took up his discourse, and said: Balaam son of Beor speaks, the man whose eye is opened speaks,

16 T he oracle of him who hears the words of God, And knows the knowledge of the Most High, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered.

He speaks, who heard the words of God and knew the knowledge of the Most High, who saw the vision of the Almighty, falling down, but having his eyes open and uncovered:

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 forehead of Moab, And tear down all the sons of Sheth.

I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but He is not near. A star (Star) shall come forth out of Jacob, and a scepter (Scepter) shall rise out of Israel and shall crush all the corners of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.

18 “ Edom shall be a possession, Seir, its enemies, also will be a possession, While Israel performs valiantly.

And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be dispossessed, who were Israel’s enemies, while Israel does valiantly.

19 “ One from Jacob shall have dominion, And will destroy the remnant from the city.”

Out of Jacob shall one (One) come having dominion and shall destroy the remnant from the city.

20 A nd he looked at Amalek and took up his discourse and said, “Amalek was the first of the nations, But his end shall be destruction.”

looked at Amalek and took up his utterance, and said: Amalek is the foremost of the nations, but in his latter end he shall come to destruction.

21 A nd he looked at the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said, “Your dwelling place is enduring, And your nest is set in the cliff.

And he looked at the Kenites and took up his utterance, and said: Strong is your dwelling place, and you set your nest in the rock.

22 “ Nevertheless Kain will be consumed; How long will Asshur keep you captive?”

Nevertheless the Kenites shall be wasted. How long shall Asshur (Assyria) take you away captive?

23 T hen he took up his discourse and said, “Alas, who can live except God has ordained it?

And he took up his speech, and said: Alas, who shall live when God does this and establishes ?

24 “ But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim, And they shall afflict Asshur and will afflict Eber; So they also will come to destruction.”

But ships shall come from Kittim and shall afflict Assyria and Eber, and he also shall come to destruction.

25 T hen Balaam arose and departed and returned to his place, and Balak also went his way.

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