Numbers 24

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 Balaam, however, perceiving that the LORD was pleased to bless Israel, did not go aside as before to seek omens, but turned his gaze toward the desert.	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.
2 When he raised his eyes and saw Israel encamped, tribe by tribe, the spirit of God came upon him,	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.
3 and he gave voice to his oracle: The utterance of Balaam, son of Beor, the utterance of the man whose eye is true,	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:
4 The utterance of one who hears what God says, and knows what the Most High knows, Of one who sees what the Almighty sees, enraptured, and with eyes unveiled:	4 He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
5 How goodly are your tents, O Jacob; your encampments, O Israel!	5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!
6 They are like gardens beside a stream, like the cedars planted by the LORD.	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.
7 His wells shall yield free-flowing waters, he shall have the sea within reach; His king shall rise higher than. . . . and his royalty shall be exalted.	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.
8 It is God who brought him out of Egypt, a wild bull of towering might. He shall devour the nations like grass, their bones he shall strip bare.	8 God brought him forth out of 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.
9 He lies crouching like a lion, or like a lioness; who shall arouse him? Blessed is he who blesses you, and cursed is he who curses you!	9 He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
10 Balak beat his palms together in a blaze of anger at Balaam and said to him, "It was to curse my foes that I summoned you here; yet three times now you have even blessed them instead!	10 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 Be off at once, then, to your home. I promised to reward you richly, but the LORD has withheld the reward from you!"	11 Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.
12 Balaam replied to Balak, "Did I not warn the very messengers whom you sent to me,	12 And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,
13 'Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not of my own accord to anything, good or evil, contrary to the command of the LORD'? Whatever the LORD says I must repeat.	13 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 mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?
14 "But now that I am about to go to my own people, let me first warn you what this people will do to your people in the days to come."	14 And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
15 Then Balaam gave voice to his oracle: The utterance of Balaam, son of Beor, the utterance of the man whose eye is true,	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:
16 The utterance of one who hears what God says, and knows what the Most High knows, Of one who sees what the Almighty sees, enraptured and with eyes unveiled.	16 He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
17 I see him, though not now; I behold him, though not near: A star shall advance from Jacob, and a staff shall rise from Israel, That shall smite the brows of Moab, and the skulls of all the Shuthites,	17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: 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.
18 Till Edom is dispossessed, and no fugitive is left in Seir. Israel shall do valiantly,	18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
19 and Jacob shall overcome his foes.	19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.
20 Upon seeing Amalek, Balaam gave voice to his oracle: First of the peoples was Amalek, but his end is to perish forever.	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 perish for ever.
21 Upon seeing the Kenites, he gave voice to his oracle: Your abode is enduring, O smith, and your nest is set on a cliff;	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.
22 Yet destined for burning-- even as I watch--are your inhabitants.	22 Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
23 Upon seeing. . . . he gave voice to his oracle: Alas, who shall survive of Ishmael,	23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!
24 to deliver his people from the hands of the Kittim? When they have conquered Asshur and conquered Eber, He too shall perish forever.	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.
25 Then Balaam set out on his journey home; and Balak also went his way.	25 And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.