Numbers 24
Expanded Bible
24 Balaam saw that ·the Lord wanted [L it was good in the eyes/sight of the Lord] to bless Israel, so he did not try to use any ·magic [divination] but looked toward the ·desert [wilderness]. 2 When Balaam ·saw [L lifted his eyes and saw] the Israelites camped in their tribes, the Spirit of God ·took control of [L was on] him, 3 and he gave this ·message [or oracle; or poem]:
“This is the ·message [utterance] of Balaam son of Beor,
the ·message [utterance] of a man ·who sees clearly [L whose eye is open];
4 this is the ·message [utterance] of a man who hears the words of God.
I see a vision from the Almighty,
and my eyes are open as I fall before him.
5 ·Your tents are beautiful [L How beautiful/fair are your tents], people of Jacob!
·So are your homes [L Your dwellings], Israel!
6 Your tents spread out like ·valleys [wadis],
like gardens beside a river.
They are like ·spices [L aloes] planted by the Lord,
like cedar trees growing by the water.
7 Israel’s water buckets will always ·be full [or flow],
and their ·crops [L seed] will have plenty of water.
Their king will be greater than Agag [C perhaps a dynastic name of the Amalekites (Ex. 17:8–13); 1 Sam. 15:7–9, 32–33];
their kingdom will be very great.
8 God brought them out of Egypt;
they are ·as strong as [L like the horns of] a wild ox.
They will defeat their enemies
and break their enemies’ bones;
they will ·shoot [L strike] them with arrows.
9 Like a lion, they lie waiting to attack;
like a lioness, ·no one would be brave enough to wake [L who will rouse…?] them.
Anyone who blesses you will be blessed,
and anyone who curses you will be cursed [Gen. 12:3].”
10 Then Balak was angry with Balaam, and he ·pounded his fist [or struck his hands together]. He said to Balaam, “I called you here to curse my enemies, but you have continued to bless them three times. 11 Now go home! I said I would ·pay you well [make you wealthy], but the Lord has ·made you lose [denied you] your reward.”
12 Balaam said to Balak, “When you sent messengers to me, ·I told [L did I not tell…?] them, 13 ‘Balak could give me his ·palace [L house] filled with silver and gold, but I still cannot ·go against [transgress] the Lord’s commands. I could not do anything, good or bad, on my own, but I must say what the Lord says.’ 14 Now I am going back to my own people, but I will ·tell [L advise] you what these people will do to your people in the ·future [L later days].”
Balaam’s Final Message
15 Then Balaam gave this ·message [or oracle; or poem]:
“This is the ·message [utterance] of Balaam son of Beor,
the ·message [utterance] of a man ·who sees clearly [L whose eye is open];
16 this is the ·message [utterance] of a man who hears the words of God.
I know well the Most High God.
I see a vision from the Almighty,
and my eyes are open as I fall before him.
17 I see someone ·who will come someday [L but not now],
·someone who will come, but not soon [L I see him, but not near].
A star will come from Jacob;
a ·ruler [L scepter] will rise from Israel [C Saul, then David and his descendants, including the Messiah].
He will crush the heads of the Moabites
and smash the skulls of the sons of Sheth [C identity uncertain].
18 Edom will be conquered;
his enemy Edom will be conquered,
but Israel will grow ·wealthy [or valiant].
19 A ruler will come from the descendants of Jacob
and 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 [C the book of Esther tells the story of the final destruction of Amalek; Haman is a descendant of Agag; 24:7].”
21 Then Balaam saw the Kenites and gave this ·message [or oracle; or poem]:
“Your home is ·safe [enduring],
like a nest on a ·cliff [rock].
22 But you Kenites will be burned up;
·Assyria will [L How long will Assyria…?] keep you captive.”
23 Then Balaam gave this ·message [or oracle; or poem]:
“·No one [L Who…?] can live when God does this.
24 Ships will sail from the shores of ·Cyprus [Kittim]
and ·defeat [afflict] Assyria and Eber,
but they will also be destroyed.”
25 Then Balaam got up and returned home, and Balak also went on his way.
Numbers 24
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.”
15 Then he took up his discourse and said,
“(T)The declaration of Balaam the son of Beor,
And the declaration of the man whose eye is opened,
16 The declaration of him who hears the [p]words of God,
And knows the knowledge of the [q]Most High,
Who sees the vision of [r]the Almighty,
Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered:
17 I see him, but not now;
I look at him, but not near;
A star shall appear from Jacob,
(U)A scepter shall rise from Israel,
(V)And shall smash the [s]forehead of Moab,
And overcome all the sons of Sheth.
18 (W)And Edom shall be a possession,
(X)Seir, its enemies, also will be a possession,
While Israel performs valiantly.
19 One from Jacob shall rule,
And will eliminate the survivors from the city.”
20 And he looked at Amalek and took up his discourse and said,
21 And he looked at the (Z)Kenite, and took up his discourse and said,
“Your dwelling place is enduring,
And your nest is set in the cliff.
22 Nevertheless Kain will suffer devastation;
How long will (AA)Asshur [u]keep you captive?”
23 Then he took up his discourse and said,
“Oh, who can live unless God has ordained it?
24 But ships shall come from the coast of (AB)Kittim,
And they shall oppress Asshur and oppress (AC)Eber;
(AD)So they also will come to destruction.”
25 Then Balaam arose, and he departed and returned to (AE)his place, and Balak also went on his way.
Footnotes
- 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 24:16 Lit sayings
- Numbers 24:16 Heb Elyon
- Numbers 24:16 Heb Shaddai
- Numbers 24:17 Lit corners
- Numbers 24:20 Lit to destruction
- Numbers 24:22 Lit take
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
