巴蘭第三次預言

24 巴蘭見耶和華樂意賜福給以色列人,就不再像先前兩次那樣去求兆頭,而是面向曠野, 舉目四望,看見以色列人按支派紮營。上帝的靈降在他身上, 他便吟詩預言說:

「比珥之子巴蘭的預言,
是眼睛明亮者的話,
他得聽上帝之言,
俯伏在地,
得見全能者的異象。
雅各啊,
你的帳篷何等華美!
以色列啊,
你的居所何等佳美!
像連綿的山谷,
河畔的園子;
又如耶和華栽種的沉香,
水邊的香柏樹。
他們沐浴充沛的甘霖,
撒種於濕潤的沃土。
他們的君王高過亞甲,
國度名震四方。
上帝把他們帶出埃及,
[a]的力量如野牛之角。
他們要吞滅敵國,
打碎敵人的骨頭,
用利箭射穿仇敵。
他們蹲伏如雄獅,
躺臥如母獅,誰敢招惹?
祝福他們的人有福了!
咒詛他們的人有禍了!」

10 巴勒聽了大怒,用力擊掌,對巴蘭說:「我請你來咒詛我的仇敵,你竟三次祝福他們。 11 現在快回家去吧!我說過要給你重賞,但耶和華不讓你得到。」 12 巴蘭說:「我不是對你派來的使臣說過嗎? 13 就是你把滿屋的金銀都給我,我也不能違背耶和華的命令、憑自己的意思行事——無論好事壞事。我只能說耶和華讓我說的話。 14 現在我要回本族去了。但我要告訴你日後以色列人會怎樣對待你的人民。」

巴蘭第四次預言

15 巴蘭吟詩預言說:

「比珥之子巴蘭的預言,
是眼睛明亮者的話,
16 他得聽上帝之言,
明白至高者的旨意,
俯伏在地,
得見全能者的異象。
17 我所見的尚未發生,
我目睹的關乎將來。
一顆星要從雅各家升起,
一位君王要從以色列興起。
他要打爛摩押的前額,
擊碎舍特人的頭顱。
18 他必征服以東,
佔領敵疆西珥,
以色列必勇往直前。
19 雅各的後裔必掌權,
消滅城中的餘民。」

巴蘭最後的預言

20 巴蘭觀看亞瑪力人,並以詩歌預言說:

「亞瑪力原是列國之首,
但他的結局卻是滅亡。」

21 巴蘭又觀看基尼人,並以詩歌預言說:

「雖然你的居所堅固,
你的巢築在峭壁,
22 但你必遭滅頂,
被亞述擄去。」

23 巴蘭又以詩歌預言說:

「唉!若非上帝許可,
誰能存活呢?
24 船隻從基提駛來,
征服亞述和希伯,
但他也要滅亡。」

25 說完,巴蘭動身返回家鄉,巴勒也回去了。

Footnotes

  1. 24·8 」有古卷作「他們」。

24 Balaam saw that the Lord wanted to bless Israel. So Balaam did not try to use any magic. He looked toward the desert. Balaam saw the Israelites camped in their tribes. Then the Spirit of God entered him. And Balaam gave this message:

“This is the message of Balaam son of Beor.
    This is the message of a man who sees clearly.
This is the message of a man who heard the words of God.
    I see a vision from the All-Powerful One.
    My eyes are open as I fall before him.
Your tents are beautiful, people of Jacob!
    So are your homes, Israel!
Your tents spread out like valleys.
    They are like gardens beside a river.
They are like spices planted by the Lord.
    They are like cedar trees growing by the water.
Israel’s water buckets will always be full.
    Their crops will have plenty of water.
Their king will be greater than Agag.
    Their kingdom will be very great.
God brought them out of Egypt.
    They are as strong as a wild ox.
They will defeat their enemies.
    They will break their enemies’ bones.
    They will shoot them with arrows.
Like a lion, they lie waiting to attack.
    No one would wake a sleeping lion.
Anyone who blesses you will be blessed.
    And anyone who curses you will be cursed.”

10 Then Balak was angry with Balaam. Balak pounded his fist. He said to Balaam, “I called you here to curse my enemies. But you have blessed them three times. 11 Now go home! I said I would pay you well. But the Lord has made you lose your reward.”

12 Balaam said to Balak, “You sent messengers to me. I told them, 13 ‘Balak could give me his palace filled with silver and gold. But I still cannot go against the Lord’s commands. I could not do anything, good or bad, on my own. I must say what the Lord says.’ 14 Now I am going back to my own people. But I will tell you what these people will do to your people in the future.”

Balaam’s Final Message

15 Then Balaam gave this message:

“This is the message of Balaam son of Beor.
    This is the message of a man who sees clearly.
16 This is the message of a man who hears the words of God.
    I know the Most High God.
I see a vision from the All-Powerful One.
    My eyes are open as I fall before him.
17 I see someone who will come some day.
    I see someone who will come, but not soon.
A star will come from Jacob.
    A ruler will rise from Israel.
He will crush the heads of the Moabites.
    He will smash the skulls of the sons of Sheth.
18 Edom will be conquered.
    His enemy Edom will be conquered.
    But Israel will grow wealthy.
19 The descendants of Jacob will beat them down.
    The Israelites will destroy those left in the city.”

20 Then Balaam saw Amalek and gave this message:

“Amalek was the most important nation.
    But Amalek will be destroyed at last.”

21 Then Balaam saw the Kenites and gave this message:

“Your home is safe.
    It is like a nest on a cliff.
22 But you Kenites will be burned up.
    Assyria will keep you captive.”

23 Then Balaam gave this message:

“No one can live when God does this.
24     Ships will sail from the shores of Cyprus.
They will defeat Assyria and Eber.
    But they will also be destroyed.”

25 Then Balaam got up and returned home. Balak also went on his way.