And Balaam saw that it was good in the eyes of Yahweh to bless Israel, so he did not go as at other times to 1encounter aomens, but he set his face toward the bwilderness.Or meet, cf. 21:33; 22:34, 36; 23:3Num 22:7; 23:23Num 23:28 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel dwelling tribe by tribe; and athe Spirit of God came upon him.Num 11:26; 1 Sam 19:20; Rev 1:10 3 Then he took up his 1discourse and said,“aThe oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,And the oracle of the man whose eye is uncovered;Lit parable, so in chNum 24:15, 16
4 The oracle of him who ahears the 1words of God,Who beholds the bvision of 2the Almighty,Falling down, yet having his eyes opened,Lit sayingsHeb ShaddaiNum 22:20Gen 15:1; Num 12:65 How fair are your tents, O Jacob,Your dwellings, O Israel!6 “Like 1valleys that stretch out,Like gardens beside the river,Like aaloes planted by Yahweh,Like bcedars beside the waters.Or possibly palm treesPs 45:8Ps 1:37 “Water will flow from his buckets,And his seed will be by many waters,And his king shall be lifted up higher than aAgag,bAnd his kingdom shall be exalted.Num 24:20; 1 Sam 15:8Ps 145:11-138 “aGod brings him out of Egypt,He is for him like the horns of the wild ox.bHe will devour the nations who are his adversaries,And will gnaw their bones in pieces,And 1shatter them with his carrows.Or crush, cf. 24:17Num 23:22Num 23:24; Ps 2:9Ps 45:59 “aHe 1crouches, he lies down as a lion,And as a 2lion, who 3dares rouse him?bBlessed is everyone who blesses you,And cursed is everyone who curses you.”Lit bows downOr lionessLit shallGen 49:9; Num 23:24Gen 12:3; 27:29 10 Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his 1hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have blessed them repeatedly these three times!Lit palms 11 So now, 1flee to your place. I said I would honor you greatly, but behold, Yahweh has held you back from honor.”Lit flee for yourself 12 And Balaam said to Balak, “aDid I not tell your messengers whom you had sent to me, saying,Num 22:18 13 ‘Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything to trespass the 1command of Yahweh, either good or bad, aof my own 2accord. bWhat Yahweh speaks, that I will speak’?Lit mouthLit heartNum 16:28Num 22:20 14 So now, behold, aI am going to my people; come, and I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the last days.”Num 31:8, 16; Josh 13:22
15 Then he took up his discourse and said,“aThe oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,And the oracle of the man whose eye is uncovered,Num 24:3, 4
16 The oracle of him who hears the 1words of God,And knows the knowledge of the 2Most High,Who beholds the vision of the 3Almighty,Falling down, yet having his eyes opened.Lit sayingsHeb ElyonHeb Shaddai17 “I see him, but not now;I behold him, but not near;A star shall come forth from Jacob,aA scepter shall rise from Israel,bAnd shall crush through the 1forehead of Moab,And 2tear down all the sons of 3Sheth.Lit cornersOr the skull of the head ofLit tumultGen 49:10Num 21:29; Is 15:1-16:1418 “aAnd Edom shall be a possession,bSeir, its enemies, also will be a possession,While Israel performs valiantly.Gen 27:29; Amos 9:11, 12Gen 32:319 “And one from Jacob shall have dominion,And will make the survivor perish from the city.” 20 Then he looked at Amalek and took up his discourse and said,“Amalek was the first of the nations,aBut his end shall be 1destruction.”Lit to destroyingNum 24:24
21 Then he looked at the aKenite and took up his discourse and said,“Your habitation is enduring,And your nest is set in the cliff.Gen 15:19
22 “Nevertheless Kain will be consumed;How long will aAsshur 1keep you captive?”Lit takeGen 10:21, 22 23 Then he took up his discourse and said,“Woe, who can live except when God has ordained it?
24 “But ships shall come from the coast of aKittim,And they shall afflict Asshur and will afflict bEber;cSo they also will come to destruction.”Gen 10:4; Ezek 27:6Gen 10:21Num 24:20 25 Then Balaam arose and went and returned to ahis place, and Balak also went his way.Num 24:14