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Numbers 24:1-14
New American Standard Bible
Numbers 24:1-14
New American Standard Bible
The Prophecy from Peor
24 When Balaam saw that it [a]pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times to [b]seek (A)omens, rather he turned his [c]attention toward the (B)wilderness. 2 And Balaam raised his eyes and saw Israel [d]camping tribe by tribe; and (C)the Spirit of God came upon him. 3 Then he took up his discourse and said,
“(D)The declaration of Balaam the son of Beor,
And the declaration of the man whose eye is opened;
4 The declaration of him who (E)hears the [e]words of God,
Who sees the (F)vision of [f]the Almighty,
Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered,
5 How pleasant are your tents, Jacob,
Your dwelling places, Israel!
6 Like [g]valleys that stretch out,
Like gardens beside a river,
Like (G)aloes planted by the Lord,
Like (H)cedars beside the waters.
7 Water will flow from his buckets,
And his seed will be by many waters,
And his king shall be higher than (I)Agag,
(J)And his kingdom shall be exalted.
8 (K)God brings him out of Egypt,
He is for him like the horns of the wild ox.
(L)He will devour the nations who are his adversaries,
And will crush their bones,
And smash them with his (M)arrows.
9 (N)He [h]crouches, he lies down like a lion,
And like a lioness, who [i]dares to rouse him?
(O)Blessed is everyone who blesses you,
And cursed is everyone who curses you.”
10 Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his [j]hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have persisted in blessing them these three times! 11 So [k]flee to your place now. I said I would honor you greatly, but behold, the Lord has held you back from honor.” 12 And Balaam said to Balak, “(P)Did I not in fact tell your messengers whom you had sent to me, saying, 13 ‘If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything contrary to the [l]command of the Lord, either good or bad, (Q)of my own [m]accord. (R)What the Lord speaks, I will [n]speak’? 14 So now, behold, (S)I am going to my people; come, and I will advise you of what this people will do to your people in the [o]days to come.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Numbers 24:1 Lit was good in the eyes of
- Numbers 24:1 Lit encounter
- Numbers 24:1 Lit face
- Numbers 24:2 Lit dwelling
- Numbers 24:4 Lit sayings
- Numbers 24:4 Heb Shaddai
- Numbers 24:6 Or possibly palm trees
- Numbers 24:9 Lit bows down
- Numbers 24:9 Lit will
- Numbers 24:10 Lit palms
- Numbers 24:11 Lit flee for yourself
- Numbers 24:13 Lit mouth
- Numbers 24:13 Lit heart
- Numbers 24:13 Lit speak it
- Numbers 24:14 Lit end of the days
Numbers 24:1-14
New International Version
Numbers 24:1-14
New International Version
24 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel,(A) he did not resort to divination(B) as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness.(C) 2 When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him(D) 3 and he spoke his message:
“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,(E)
4 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,(F)
who sees a vision from the Almighty,[a](G)
who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
5 “How beautiful are your tents,(H) Jacob,
your dwelling places, Israel!
6 “Like valleys they spread out,
like gardens beside a river,(I)
like aloes(J) planted by the Lord,
like cedars beside the waters.(K)
7 Water will flow from their buckets;
their seed will have abundant water.
8 “God brought them out of Egypt;
they have the strength of a wild ox.
They devour hostile nations
and break their bones in pieces;(N)
with their arrows they pierce them.(O)
9 Like a lion they crouch and lie down,
like a lioness(P)—who dares to rouse them?
10 Then Balak’s anger burned(S) against Balaam. He struck his hands together(T) and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies,(U) but you have blessed them(V) these three times.(W) 11 Now leave at once and go home!(X) I said I would reward you handsomely,(Y) but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”
12 Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me,(Z) 13 ‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord(AA)—and I must say only what the Lord says’?(AB) 14 Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”(AC)
Footnotes
- Numbers 24:4 Hebrew Shaddai; also in verse 16
Numbers 24:1-14
King James Version
Numbers 24:1-14
King James Version
24 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 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 took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
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 thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, 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.
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 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 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 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 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 And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,
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 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.
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