Numbers 24
International Children’s Bible
24 Balaam saw that the Lord wanted to bless Israel. So Balaam did not try to use any magic. He looked toward the desert. 2 Balaam saw the Israelites camped in their tribes. Then the Spirit of God entered him. 3 And Balaam gave this message:
“This is the message of Balaam son of Beor.
This is the message of a man who sees clearly.
4 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.
5 Your tents are beautiful, people of Jacob!
So are your homes, Israel!
6 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.
7 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.
8 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.
9 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.
Numbers 24
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 24
1 When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go to seek omens as he did before, but rather faced the wilderness. 2 Balaam raised his eyes and he saw Israel camped tribe by tribe. The Spirit of God came upon him[a] 3 and he took up his oracle:
“The oracle of Balaam, the son of Beor,
the oracle of one whose eye is opened.[b]
4 The oracle of one who hears the words of God,
who sees a vision of the Almighty;
who falls down, with eyes wide open.
5 How pleasant are your tents, O Jacob,
and your dwelling places, O Israel.
6 Like valleys they spread out,
like gardens beside a river;
like aloes that the Lord has planted,
like cedars beside the waters;
7 like water that pours forth from buckets,
their seed will be mighty waters.
Their king will be higher than Agag,[c]
their kingdom will be exalted.
8 God has brought them forth from Egypt,
their strength is that of the wild ox.
They will devour nations,
they will break the bones of their enemies,
they will pierce them through with their arrows.
9 He crouches down, he lay down like a lion; who dare rouse him?
Blessed is the one who blesses him,
but cursed is the one who curses him.”
10 Balak became enraged at Balaam. Balak clasped his hands together and said to Balaam, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times. 11 Now then, leave and go home. I told you that I would reward you richly, but the Lord has kept you from being paid.”
12 But Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers who sent for me, 13 ‘If Balak were to give me a house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord on my own either for good or for bad. Whatever the Lord proclaims, that I must speak!’ 14 Now I am going back to my own people; come, allow me to let you know what this people will do to your people in the future.”
15 Balaam’s Fourth Oracle. So he took up the oracle and said,
“Balaam, the son of Beor,
the man whose eyes are open says,
16 The oracle of he
who has heard the words of God,
who has knowledge of the Most High,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
who falls down with his eyes open:
17 [d]I see him, but not now.
I behold him, but not near.
A star comes forth from Jacob,
and a scepter rises out of Israel.
He will crush the brow of Moab,
he will destroy the children of Seth.
18 Edom[e] will become a possession,
and Seir also will become a possession of its enemies,
but Israel will grow strong.
19 A ruler will come out of Jacob,
he will destroy the remnant of the city.”
20 He then looked toward Amalek and said,
“Amalek was the first of the nations,
but he will be the last until he perishes.”
21 He looked upon the Kenites[f] and took up his oracle and said,
“Strong is your dwelling place,
and your nest is in the rock;
22 but Kain will be consumed.
How long until Asshur[g] carries you away as a captive?”
23 He continued his oracle saying,
“Alas, who can live when God does this?
24 Ships will come from Kittim,
and will humble Asshur and Eber.
They, too, will face destruction.”
25 Then Balaam got up and went home, and Balak also went his way.
Footnotes
- Numbers 24:2 The Spirit of God came upon him: the unusual wording here suggests that God has intervened and will use Balaam for his purposes.
- Numbers 24:3 One whose eye is opened: one who scrutinizes the secrets of God.
- Numbers 24:7 Agag: the king of the Amalekites, whom Saul will conquer (1 Sam 15:8).
- Numbers 24:17 This star, the sign of a hero sent by God, heralds King David, in keeping with the ancient promises made to Judah (Gen 49:10); this hero was expected to make subjects of the peoples who were Israel’s neighbors. But behind this conqueror can be seen the glorious Messiah, Jesus Son of David (Mt 2:2; Rev 22:16).
- Numbers 24:18 Edom: in the Negeb, the desert in southern Palestine.
- Numbers 24:21 Kenites: nomads of southern Palestine.
- Numbers 24:22 Asshur: the tribe of the Asshurites (Gen 25:3), rather than the Assyrians.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
