Numbers 24

1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

And Balaam sees that [it is] good in the eyes of YHWH to bless Israel, and he has not gone as time by time to seek enchantments, and he sets his face toward the wilderness;

2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.

and Balaam lifts up his eyes, and sees Israel dwelling by its tribes, and the Spirit of God is on him,

3 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:

and he takes up his allegory and says: “An affirmation of Balaam son of Beor, And an affirmation of the man whose eyes are shut,

4 He hath said, who heard the words of God, who saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

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

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

How good have been your tents, O Jacob, Your dwelling places, O Israel;

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

They have been stretched out as valleys, As gardens by a river; As aloes YHWH has planted, As cedars by waters;

7 He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.

He makes water flow from his buckets, And his seed [is] in many waters; And his King [is] higher than Gog [[or Agag]], And his kingdom is exalted.

8 God brought him forth from Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.

God is bringing him out of Egypt, As the swiftness of a wild ox for him, He eats up nations—his adversaries, And he breaks their bones, And he strikes [with] his arrows.

9 He crouched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall rouse him? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.

He has bent, he has lain down as a lion, And as a lioness, who raises him up? He who is blessing you [is] blessed, And he who is cursing you [is] cursed.”

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

And the anger of Balak burns against Balaam, and he strikes his hands; and Balak says to Balaam, “I called you to pierce my enemies, and behold, you have certainly blessed these three times;

11 Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee to great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.

and now, flee for yourself to your place; I have said, I greatly honor you, and behold, YHWH has kept you back from honor.”

12 And Balaam said to Balak, Did I not speak also to thy messengers whom thou sentest to me, saying,

And Balaam says to Balak, “Did I not also speak to your messengers whom you have sent to me, saying,

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

If Balak gives to me the fullness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of YHWH, to do good or evil of my own heart; that which YHWH speaks—it I speak?

14 And now, behold, I go to my people: come therefore, I will advise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.

And now, behold, I am going to my people; come, I counsel you [concerning] that which this people does to your people in the latter end of the days.”

15 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:

And he takes up his allegory and says: “An affirmation of Balaam son of Beor, And an affirmation of the man whose eyes [are] shut;

16 He hath said, who heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, who saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

An affirmation of him who is hearing sayings of God, And knowing knowledge of the Most High; He sees a vision of the Almighty, Falling—and eyes uncovered:

17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not near: 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 children of Sheth.

I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A star has proceeded from Jacob, And a scepter has risen from Israel, And has struck corners of Moab, And has destroyed all sons of Seth.

18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.

And Edom has been a possession, And Seir has been a possession [for] his enemies, And Israel is doing valiantly;

19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.

And [One] rules out of Jacob, And has destroyed a remnant from the city.”

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

And he sees Amalek, and takes up his allegory, and says: “Amalek [is] first [among] nations, But his latter end—destruction forever.”

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

And he sees the Kenite, and takes up his allegory, and says: “Your dwelling [is] enduring, And your nest is being set in a rock,

22 Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.

But the Kenite is for a burning; Until when does Asshur keep you captive?”

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

And he takes up his allegory and says: “Woe! Who lives when God does this?

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

But ships [come] from the side of Chittim, And they have humbled Asshur, And they have humbled Eber, But it is also perishing forever.”

25 And Balaam arose, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.

And Balaam rises, and goes, and turns back to his place, and Balak has also gone on his way.