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.

When 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.

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 Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe; 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;

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

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

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

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

How fair are your tents, O Jacob, Your dwellings, 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.

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

“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.

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 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.

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 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.”

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 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!

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

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

Balaam said to Balak, “ Did I not tell your messengers whom you had sent to 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’?

‘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’?

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.”

And 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.”

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

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

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:

The 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.

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 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.

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

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

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

“One from Jacob shall have dominion, And will destroy the remnant from 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 he looked at Amalek and took up his discourse and said, “Amalek was the first of the nations, But his end shall be destruction.”

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

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

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

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

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

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.”

“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.”

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

Then Balaam arose and departed and returned to his place, and Balak also went his way.