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.

And Balaam seeth that good in the eyes of Jehovah to bless Israel, and he hath not gone as time by time to meet enchantments, and he setteth towards the wilderness his face;

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 lifteth up his eyes, and seeth Israel tabernacling, by its tribes, and the Spirit of God is 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 taketh up his simile, and saith: `An affirmation of Balaam son of Beor -- And an affirmation of the man whose eyes are shut --

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,

An affirmation of him who is hearing sayings of God -- Who a vision of the Almighty seeth, Falling -- and eyes uncovered:

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

How good have been thy tents, O Jacob, Thy 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 they have been stretched out, As gardens by a river; As aloes Jehovah hath planted, As cedars by 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.

He maketh water flow from his buckets, And his seed in many waters; And higher than Agag his king, And exalted is his kingdom.

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 is bringing him out of Egypt; As the swiftness of a Reem is to him, He eateth up nations his adversaries, And their bones he breaketh, And his arrows he smiteth,

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 hath bent, he hath lain down as a lion, And as a lioness: who doth raise him up? He who is blessing thee blessed, And he who is cursing thee cursed.'

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!

And the anger of Balak burneth against Balaam, and he striketh his hands; and Balak saith unto Balaam, `To pierce mine enemies I called thee, and lo, thou hast certainly blessed -- 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.”

and now, flee for thyself unto thy place; I have said, I do greatly honour thee, and lo, Jehovah hath kept thee back from honour.'

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

And Balaam saith unto Balak, `Did I not also unto thy messengers whom thou hast sent unto me, speak, saying,

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 doth give to me the fulness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of Jehovah, to do good or evil of mine own heart -- that which Jehovah speaketh -- it 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, lo, I am going to my people; come, I counsel thee that which this people doth to thy people, in the latter end of the 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 taketh up his simile, and saith: `An affirmation of Balaam son of Beor -- And an affirmation of the man whose eyes shut --

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.

An affirmation of him who is hearing sayings of God -- And knowing knowledge of the Most High; A vision of the Almighty he seeth, Falling -- and eyes 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 it, but not now; I behold it, but not near; A star hath proceeded from Jacob, And a sceptre hath risen from Israel, And hath smitten corners of Moab, And hath destroyed all sons of Sheth.

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

And Edom hath been a possession, And Seir hath been a possession, its enemies, And Israel is doing valiantly;

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

And doth rule out of Jacob, And hath destroyed a remnant from Ar.'

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.”

And he seeth Amalek, and taketh up his simile, and saith: `A beginning of the Goyim Amalek; And his latter end -- for ever he perisheth.'

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 seeth the Kenite, and taketh up his simile, and saith: `Enduring thy dwelling, And setting in a rock thy nest,

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

But the Kenite is for a burning; Till when doth Asshur keep thee captive?'

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

And he taketh up his simile, and saith: `Alas! who doth live when God doth this?

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.”

And -- ships from the side of Chittim, And they have humbled Asshur, And they have humbled Eber, And it also for ever is perishing.'

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

And Balaam riseth, and goeth, and turneth back to his place, and Balak also hath gone on his way.