1 W hen Balaam saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel, he didn’t go, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

¶ And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go, as the first and second times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness;

2 B alaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came on him.

and lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

3 H e took up his parable, and said, “Balaam the son of Beor says, the man whose eyes are open says;

Then he took up his parable and said, Balaam, the son of Beor, has said and the man whose eyes are open has said,

4 h e says, who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, and having his eyes open:

he who has heard the words of God has said, who saw the vision of the Almighty, fallen, but having his eyes open:

5 H ow goodly are your tents, Jacob, and your tents, Israel!

How beautiful are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy habitations, O Israel!

6 A s valleys they are spread out, as gardens by the riverside, as aloes which Yahweh has planted, as cedar trees beside the waters.

As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD has planted, and as cedars beside the waters.

7 W ater shall flow from his buckets. His seed shall be in many waters. His king shall be higher than Agag. His kingdom shall be exalted.

From his branches he shall distil waters, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.

8 G od brings him out of Egypt. He has as it were the strength of the wild ox. He shall eat up the nations his adversaries, shall break their bones in pieces, and pierce them with his arrows.

God brought him forth out of Egypt; he has, as it were, the strength of a unicorn; he shall eat up the Gentiles his enemies and shall break their bones and pierce them through with his arrows.

9 H e couched, he lay down as a lion, as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Everyone who blesses you is blessed. Everyone who curses you is cursed.”

He couched, he lay down as a lion and as a great lion; who shall awaken him? Blessed is he that blesses thee, and cursed is he that curses thee.

10 B alak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have altogether blessed them these three times.

¶ Then Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and smiting his hands together he said, I called thee to curse my enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.

11 T herefore now flee you to your place! I thought to promote you to great honor; but, behold, Yahweh has kept you back from honor.”

Therefore, now flee thou to thy place; I said that I would honour thee; but, behold, the LORD has deprived thee of honour.

12 B alaam said to Balak, “Didn’t I also tell your messengers who you sent to me, saying,

And Balaam replied unto Balak, Did I not declare also unto thy messengers which thou didst send unto me, saying,

13 ‘ If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond Yahweh’s word, to do either good or bad of my own mind. I will say what Yahweh says’?

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

14 N ow, behold, I go to my people. Come, I will inform you what this people shall do to your people in the latter days.”

Therefore, behold, I go now unto my people; come and I will indicate unto thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.

15 H e took up his parable, and said, “Balaam the son of Beor says, the man whose eyes are open says;

¶ And he took up his parable and said, Balaam, the son of Beor, has said, the man whose eyes are open has said,

16 h e says, who hears the words of God, knows the knowledge of the Most High, and who sees the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:

he who has heard the words of God has said, and he who knows the knowledge of the most High, he who saw the vision of the Almighty, fallen, but having his eyes open:

17 I see him, but not now. I see him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob. A scepter will rise out of Israel, and shall strike through the corners of Moab, and break down all the sons of Sheth.

I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not near by; there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel and shall smite the corners of Moab and destroy all the sons of Seth.

18 E dom shall be a possession. Seir, his enemies, also shall be a possession, while Israel does valiantly.

And Edom shall be taken; Seir also shall be taken by his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.

19 O ut of Jacob shall one have dominion, and shall destroy the remnant from the city.”

Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion and shall destroy what remains of the city.

20 H e looked at Amalek, and took up his parable, and said, “Amalek was the first of the nations, But his latter end shall come to destruction.”

And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek, head of the Gentiles; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.

21 H e looked at the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said, “Your dwelling place is strong. Your nest is set in the rock.

And he looked on the Kenite and took up his parable and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock;

22 N evertheless Kain shall be wasted, until Asshur carries you away captive.”

because the Kenite shall be thrown out, when Asshur shall carry thee away captive.

23 H e took up his parable, and said, “Alas, who shall live when God does this?

And he took up his parable again and said, Alas, who shall live when God shall do these things!

24 B ut ships shall come from the coast of Kittim. They shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber. He also shall come to destruction.”

And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim and shall afflict Asshur and shall afflict Eber, but he also shall perish for ever.

25 B alaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.

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