^{1 Ref} Now when Balaam saw that it was the Lord's pleasure to give his blessing to Israel, he did not, as at other times, make use of secret arts, but turning his face to the waste land,

^{2 Ref} And lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel there, with their tents in the order of their tribes: and the spirit of God came on him.

^{3 Ref} And moved by the spirit, he said, These are the words of Balaam, son of Beor, the words of the man whose eyes are open:

^{4 Ref} He says, whose ears are open to the words of God, who has seen the vision of the Ruler of all, falling down, but having his eyes open:

⁵ How fair are your tents, O Jacob, your houses, O Israel!

^{6 Ref} They are stretched out like valleys, like gardens by the riverside, like flowering trees planted by the Lord, like cedar-trees by the waters.

^{7 Ref} Peoples will be in fear before his strength, his arm will be on great nations: his king will be higher than Agag, and his kingdom made great in honour.

^{8 Ref} It is God who has taken him out of Egypt; his horns are like those of the mountain ox; the nations warring against him will be his food, their bones will be broken, they will be wounded with his arrows.

^{9 Ref} He took his sleep stretched out like a lion, and like a she-lion: by whom will his rest be broken? May a blessing be on everyone who gives you blessing, and a curse on everyone by whom you are cursed.

^{10 Ref} Then Balak was full of wrath against Balaam, and angrily waving his hands he said to Balaam, I sent for you so that those who are against me might be cursed, but now, see, three times you have given them a blessing.

^{11 Ref} Go back quickly to the place you came from: it was my purpose to give you a place of honour, but now the Lord has kept you back from honour.

^{12 Ref} Then Balaam said to Balak, Did I not say to the men you sent to me,

^{13 Ref} Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, it would not be possible for me to go outside the orders of the Lord, doing good or evil at the impulse of my mind; whatever the Lord says I will say?

^{14 Ref} So now I will go back to my people: but first let me make clear to you what this people will do to your people in days to come.

^{15 Ref} Then he went on with his story and said, These are the words of Balaam, the son of Beor, the words of him whose eyes are open:

^{16 Ref} He says, whose ear is open to the words of God, who has knowledge of the Most High, who has seen the vision of the Ruler of all, falling down and having his eyes open:

^{17 Ref} I see him, but not now: looking on him, but not near: a star will come out of Jacob, and a rod of authority out of Israel, sending destruction to the farthest limits of Moab and on the head of all the sons of Sheth.

^{18 Ref} Edom will be his heritage, and he will put an end to the last of the people of Seir.

^{19 Ref} And Israel will go on in strength, and Jacob will have rule over his haters.

^{20 Ref} Then, turning his eyes to Amalek, he went on with his story and said, Amalek was the first of the nations, but his part will be destruction for ever.

^{21 Ref} And looking on the Kenites he went on with his story and said, Strong is your living-place, and your secret place is safe in the rock.

^{22 Ref} But still the Kenites will be wasted, till Asshur takes you away prisoner.

^{23 Ref} Then he went on with his story and said, But who may keep his life when God does this?

^{24 Ref} But ships will come from the direction of Kittim, troubling Asshur and troubling Eber, and like the others their fate will be destruction.

^{25 Ref} Then Balaam got up and went back to his place: and Balak went away.

^{1 Ref} 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 Ref} And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

^{3 Ref} And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, And the man whose eye was closed saith;

^{4 Ref} He saith, who heareth the words of God, Who seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:

⁵ How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, Thy tabernacles, O Israel!

^{6 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers that thou sentest unto me, saying,

^{13 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, And the man whose eye was closed saith;

^{16 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession, `who were' his enemies; While Israel doeth valiantly.

^{19 Ref} And out of Jacob shall one have dominion, And shall destroy the remnant from the city.

^{20 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted, Until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.

^{23 Ref} And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this?

^{24 Ref} 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 Ref} And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.

^{1 Ref} And Balaam seeth that `it is' 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 Ref} and Balaam lifteth up his eyes, and seeth Israel tabernacling, by its tribes, and the Spirit of God is upon him,

^{3 Ref} 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 Ref} An affirmation of him who is hearing sayings of God -- Who a vision of the Almighty seeth, Falling -- and eyes uncovered:

⁵ How good have been thy tents, O Jacob, Thy tabernacles, O Israel;

^{6 Ref} As valleys they have been stretched out, As gardens by a river; As aloes Jehovah hath planted, As cedars by waters;

^{7 Ref} He maketh water flow from his buckets, And his seed `is' in many waters; And higher than Agag `is' his king, And exalted is his kingdom.

^{8 Ref} 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 `with' his arrows he smiteth,

^{9 Ref} He hath bent, he hath lain down as a lion, And as a lioness: who doth raise him up? He who is blessing thee `is' blessed, And he who is cursing thee `is' cursed.'

^{10 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} And Balaam saith unto Balak, `Did I not also unto thy messengers whom thou hast sent unto me, speak, saying,

^{13 Ref} 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 Ref} and, now, lo, I am going to my people; come, I counsel thee `concerning' that which this people doth to thy people, in the latter end of the days.'

^{15 Ref} 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 --

^{16 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} And Edom hath been a possession, And Seir hath been a possession, `for' its enemies, And Israel is doing valiantly;

^{19 Ref} And `one' doth rule out of Jacob, And hath destroyed a remnant from Ar.'

^{20 Ref} And he seeth Amalek, and taketh up his simile, and saith: `A beginning of the Goyim `is' Amalek; And his latter end -- for ever he perisheth.'

^{21 Ref} And he seeth the Kenite, and taketh up his simile, and saith: `Enduring `is' thy dwelling, And setting in a rock thy nest,

^{22 Ref} But the Kenite is for a burning; Till when doth Asshur keep thee captive?'

^{23 Ref} And he taketh up his simile, and saith: `Alas! who doth live when God doth this?

^{24 Ref} And -- ships `are' from the side of Chittim, And they have humbled Asshur, And they have humbled Eber, And it also for ever is perishing.'

^{25 Ref} And Balaam riseth, and goeth, and turneth back to his place, and Balak also hath gone on his way.