Numbers 24
Lexham English Bible
Balaam Continues to Utter Oracles
24 And Balaam saw that it pleased[a] Yahweh to bless Israel, and he did not go as other times[b] to seek out[c] sorcery; instead, he set his face toward the desert. 2 Balaam lift up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to its tribes, and the spirit of God was upon it.[d] 3 He uttered[e] his oracle and said,
“The declaration of Balaam son Beor,
the declaration of the man whose eyes are closed,
4 the declaration of the hearer of God’s words,[f]
who sees the revelation of Shaddai,[g]
falling down but whose eyes are uncovered.
5 How good are your tents, O Jacob,
your dwellings, O Israel!
6 They are spread out like valleys,
like gardens on a river,
like aloes planted by Yahweh,
like cedars at the waters.
7 He will pour water from his buckets,
and his offspring will be like many waters;
his king will be higher than Agag,
and his kingdom will be exalted.
8 God, who brings him out from Egypt,
is like the strength[h] of a wild ox for him.
He will devour the nations who are his enemies;
he will break their bones;
he will pierce them with his arrows.
9 He crouches, he lies down like a lion,
and like a lioness, who will rouse him?
They who bless you will be blessed,
and they who curse you will be cursed.”
10 Then Balak became angry with[i] Balaam, and he clapped his hands and said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but look, you have surely blessed them these three times. 11 Flee[j] to your place now. I said I would richly honor you, but look, Yahweh has withheld honor from you.” 12 Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not speak to your messengers whom you sent to me, saying, 13 ‘If Balak gave to me the fullness of his house full of silver and gold, I am not able to go beyond the command of Yahweh[k] to do good or evil, from my heart; what Yahweh speaks, I will speak’?[l] 14 And now, look, I am about to go to my people; I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the following days.”[m]
15 And he uttered[n] his oracle and said,
“The declaration of Balaam son of Beor,
and the declaration of the man whose eye is closed,
16 the declaration of the hearer of God’s words,[o]
and the knower of the knowledge of the Most High,
who sees the vision of Shaddai,[p]
who is falling, and his eyes are revealed.
17 I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near;
a star will go out from Jacob,
and a scepter will rise from Israel;
it will crush the foreheads of Moab
and destroy all the children of Seth.
18 Edom will be a captive;
Seir, its enemies, will be a captive,
and Israel will be acting courageously.[q]
19 Someone[r] from Jacob will rule
and will destroy a remnant[s] from the city.”
20 And he looked at Amalek, uttered[t] his oracle, and said,
“Amalek is first[u] of the nations,
but his future will be forever ruin.”
21 And he looked at the Kenites,[v] uttered[w] his oracle, and said,
“Steady is your dwelling place;
in the rock is your nest.
22 Nevertheless, the Kenite will be burned;
how long will Asshur keep[x] you captive?”
23 Again he uttered[y] his oracle and said,
“Woe, who will live when God establishes this?[z]
24 The ships will come from the hand of the Kittim,
and they will afflict Asshur and will afflict Eber;
also he will be forever ruin.”
25 Then Balaam got up and went and returned to his place, and Balak also went on his way.
Footnotes
- Numbers 24:1 Literally “it was good in the eyes of Yahweh”
- Numbers 24:1 Literally “as time on time”
- Numbers 24:1 Literally “to meet”
- Numbers 24:2 That is, Israel
- Numbers 24:3 Literally “lifted up”
- Numbers 24:4 Or “God’s sayings”
- Numbers 24:4 Often translated “the Almighty”
- Numbers 24:8 Or “the horns”
- Numbers 24:10 Literally “the nose of Balak became hot against”
- Numbers 24:11 Literally “Flee for yourself”
- Numbers 24:13 Literally “the mouth of Yahweh”
- Numbers 24:13 Hebrew “I will speak it”
- Numbers 24:14 Literally “in the last of the days”
- Numbers 24:15 Literally “lifted up”
- Numbers 24:16 Or “God’s sayings”
- Numbers 24:16 Often translated “the Almighty”
- Numbers 24:18 Literally “with physical strength”
- Numbers 24:19 Hebrew “He”
- Numbers 24:19 Or “survivor”
- Numbers 24:20 Literally “lifted up”
- Numbers 24:20 Or “among”
- Numbers 24:21 Hebrew “Kenite”
- Numbers 24:21 Literally “lifted up”
- Numbers 24:22 Hebrew “take”
- Numbers 24:23 Literally “lifted up”
- Numbers 24:23 Hebrew “it”
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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