1 N ow when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times, to seek to use sorcery, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

And when Balaam saw that it pleased Jehovah to bless Israel, he went not, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

2 A nd Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel encamped according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

3 T hen he took up his oracle and said: “The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, The utterance of the man whose eyes are opened,

And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, And the man whose eye was closed saith;

4 T he utterance of him who hears the words of God, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open:

He saith, who heareth the words of God, Who seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:

5 “ How lovely are your tents, O Jacob! Your dwellings, O Israel!

How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, Thy tabernacles, O Israel!

6 L ike valleys that stretch out, Like gardens by the riverside, Like aloes planted by the Lord, Like cedars beside the waters.

As valleys are they spread forth, As gardens by the river-side, As lign-aloes which Jehovah hath planted, As cedar-trees beside the waters.

7 H e shall pour water from his buckets, And his seed shall be in many waters. “His king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted.

Water shall flow from his buckets, And his seed shall be in many waters, And his king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted.

8 “ God brings him out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox; He shall consume the nations, his enemies; He shall break their bones And pierce them with his arrows.

God bringeth him forth out of Egypt; He hath as it were the strength of the wild-ox: He shall eat up the nations his adversaries, And shall break their bones in pieces, And smite them through with his arrows.

9 ‘ He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?’ “Blessed is he who blesses you, And cursed is he who curses you.”

He couched, he lay down as a lion, And as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Blessed be every one that blesseth thee, And cursed be every one that curseth thee.

10 T hen Balak’s anger was aroused against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have bountifully blessed them these three times!

And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together; and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.

11 N ow therefore, flee to your place. I said I would greatly honor you, but in fact, the Lord has kept you back from honor.”

Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honor; but, lo, Jehovah hath kept thee back from honor.

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

And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers that thou sentest unto me, saying,

13 ‘ If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord, to do good or bad of my own will. What the Lord says, that I must speak’?

If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; what Jehovah speaketh, that will I speak?

14 A nd now, indeed, I am going to my people. Come, I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the latter days.” Balaam’s Fourth Prophecy

And now, behold, I go unto my people: come, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.

15 S o he took up his oracle and said: “The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, And the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened;

And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, And the man whose eye was closed saith;

16 T he utterance of him who hears the words of God, And has the knowledge of the Most High, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open:

He saith, who heareth the words of God, And knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, Who seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:

17 “ I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult.

I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh: There shall come forth a star out of Jacob, And a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, And shall smite through the corners of Moab, And break down all the sons of tumult.

18 “ And Edom shall be a possession; Seir also, his enemies, shall be a possession, While Israel does valiantly.

And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession, who were his enemies; While Israel doeth valiantly.

19 O ut of Jacob One shall have dominion, And destroy the remains of the city.”

And out of Jacob shall one have dominion, And shall destroy the remnant from the city.

20 T hen he looked on Amalek, and he took up his oracle and said: “Amalek was first among the nations, But shall be last until he perishes.”

And he looked on Amalek, and took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; But his latter end shall come to destruction.

21 T hen he looked on the Kenites, and he took up his oracle and said: “Firm is your dwelling place, And your nest is set in the rock;

And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwelling-place, And thy nest is set in the rock.

22 N evertheless Kain shall be burned. How long until Asshur carries you away captive?”

Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted, Until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.

23 T hen he took up his oracle and said: “Alas! Who shall live when God does this?

And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this?

24 B ut ships shall come from the coasts of Cyprus, And they shall afflict Asshur and afflict Eber, And so shall Amalek, until he perishes.”

But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim, And they shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber; And he also shall come to destruction.

25 S o Balaam rose and departed and returned to his place; Balak also went his way.

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