Numbers 24
The Message
24 1-3 By now Balaam realized that God wanted to bless Israel. So he didn’t work in any sorcery as he had done earlier. He turned and looked out over the wilderness. As Balaam looked, he saw Israel camped tribe by tribe. The Spirit of God came on him, and he spoke his oracle-message:
3-9 Decree of Balaam son of Beor,
yes, decree of a man with 20/20 vision;
Decree of a man who hears God speak,
who sees what The Strong God shows him,
Who falls on his face in worship,
who sees what’s really going on.
What beautiful tents, Jacob,
oh, your homes, Israel!
Like valleys stretching out in the distance,
like gardens planted by rivers,
Like sweet herbs planted by the gardener God,
like red cedars by pools and springs,
Their buckets will brim with water,
their seed will spread life everywhere.
Their king will tower over Agag and his ilk,
their kingdom surpassingly majestic.
God brought them out of Egypt,
rampaging like a wild ox,
Gulping enemies like morsels of meat,
crushing their bones, snapping their arrows.
Israel crouches like a lion and naps,
king-of-the-beasts—who dares disturb him?
Whoever blesses you is blessed,
whoever curses you is cursed.
10-11 Balak lost his temper with Balaam. He shook his fist. He said to Balaam: “I got you in here to curse my enemies and what have you done? Blessed them! Blessed them three times! Get out of here! Go home! I told you I would pay you well, but you’re getting nothing. You can blame God.”
12-15 Balaam said to Balak, “Didn’t I tell you up front when you sent your emissaries, ‘Even if Balak gave me his palace stuffed with silver and gold, I couldn’t do anything on my own, whether good or bad, that went against God’s command’? I’m leaving for home and my people, but I warn you of what this people will do to your people in the days to come.” Then he spoke his oracle-message:
15-19 Decree of Balaam son of Beor,
decree of the man with 20/20 vision,
Decree of the man who hears godly speech,
who knows what’s going on with the High God,
Who sees what The Strong God reveals,
who bows in worship and sees what’s real.
I see him, but not right now,
I perceive him, but not right here;
A star rises from Jacob
a scepter from Israel,
Crushing the heads of Moab,
the skulls of all the noisy windbags;
I see Edom sold off at auction,
enemy Seir marked down at the flea market,
while Israel walks off with the trophies.
A ruler is coming from Jacob
who’ll destroy what’s left in the city.
* * *
20 Then Balaam spotted Amalek and delivered an oracle-message. He said,
Amalek, you’re in first place among nations right now,
but you’re going to come in last, ruined.
* * *
21-22 He saw the Kenites and delivered his oracle-message to them:
Your home is in a nice secure place,
like a nest high on the face of a cliff.
Still, you Kenites will look stupid
when Asshur takes you prisoner.
* * *
23-24 Balaam spoke his final oracle-message:
Doom! Who stands a chance
when God starts in?
Sea-Peoples, raiders from across the sea,
will harass Asshur and Eber,
But they’ll also come to nothing,
just like all the rest.
25 Balaam got up and went home. Balak also went on his way.
Numbers 24
Revised Standard Version
Balaam’s Third Oracle
24 When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and saw Israel encamping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, 3 and he took up his discourse, and said,
“The oracle of Balaam the son of Be′or,
the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,[a]
4 the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
falling down, but having his eyes uncovered:
5 How fair are your tents, O Jacob,
your encampments, O Israel!
6 Like valleys that stretch afar,
like gardens beside a river,
like aloes that the Lord has planted,
like cedar trees beside the waters.
7 Water shall flow from his buckets,
and his seed shall be in many waters,
his king shall be higher than Agag,
and his kingdom shall be exalted.
8 God brings him out of Egypt;
he has as it were the horns of the wild ox,
he shall eat up the nations his adversaries,
and shall break their bones in pieces,
and pierce them through with his arrows.
9 He couched, he lay down like a lion,
and like a lioness; who will rouse him up?
Blessed be every one who blesses you,
and cursed be every one who curses you.”
Balaam’s Fourth Oracle
10 And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. 11 Therefore now flee to your place; I said, ‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the Lord has held you back from honor.” 12 And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 13 ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own will; what the Lord speaks, that will I speak’? 14 And now, behold, I am going to my people; come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.” 15 And he took up his discourse, and said,
“The oracle of Balaam the son of Be′or,
the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,[b]
16 the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
and knows the knowledge of the Most High,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
falling down, but having his eyes uncovered:
17 I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not nigh:
a star shall come forth out of Jacob,
and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;
it shall crush the forehead[c] of Moab,
and break down all the sons of Sheth.
18 Edom shall be dispossessed,
Se′ir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed,
while Israel does valiantly.
19 By Jacob shall dominion be exercised,
and the survivors of cities be destroyed!”
20 Then he looked on Am′alek, and took up his discourse, and said,
“Am′alek was the first of the nations,
but in the end he shall come to destruction.”
21 And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his discourse, and said,
“Enduring is your dwelling place,
and your nest is set in the rock;
22 nevertheless Kain shall be wasted.
How long shall Asshur take you away captive?”
23 And he took up his discourse, and said,
“Alas, who shall live when God does this?
24 But ships shall come from Kittim
and shall afflict Asshur and Eber;
and he also shall come to destruction.”
25 Then Balaam rose, and went back to his place; and Balak also went his way.
Footnotes
- Numbers 24:3 Or closed or perfect
- Numbers 24:15 Or closed or perfect
- Numbers 24:17 Heb corners (of the head)
Bilang 24
Ang Salita ng Dios (Tagalog Contemporary Bible)
24 Samantala, nang mapag-isip-isip ni Balaam na gusto ng Panginoon na pagpalain ang Israel, hindi na siya nangkulam katulad ng ginawa niya noong una. Sa halip, humarap siya sa disyerto 2 at nakita niya ang mga Israelita na nagkakampo ayon sa kani-kanilang lahi. Pagkatapos, pinuspos siya ng Espiritu ng Dios, 3 at sinabi niya, “Ako si Balaam na anak ni Beor, at may malinaw akong pang-unawa.[a] 4 Narinig ko ang salita ng Dios, at nakakita ako ng isang pangitain na mula sa Makapangyarihang Dios. Nagpatirapa ako at nagpahayag siya sa akin.[b] Ito ang aking mensahe:
5 ‘Anong ganda ng mga toldang tinitirhan ng mga mamamayan ng Israel na mga lahi ni Jacob.
6 Katulad ito ng mga nakalinyang palma, o ng mga tanim sa tabi ng ilog.
Katulad din ito ng puno ng aloe na itinanim ng Panginoon, o ng mga puno ng sedro sa tabi ng tubig.
7 Umaapaw ang mga tubig sa kanilang mga lalagyan, at nagtatanim sila ng buto sa mga lupang sagana sa tubig.
Ang kanilang hari ay magiging mas makapangyarihan kaysa kay Agag na hari ng Amalekita, at ang kanilang kaharian ay magiging tanyag.
8 Inilabas sila ng Dios sa Egipto; para sa kanila, katulad siya ng isang malakas na toro.
Lulupigin nila ang kanilang mga kaaway; tutuhugin sa tulis ng pana at dudurugin ang kanilang mga buto.
9 Katulad sila ng mga leon na kapag nakatulog na ay wala nang mangangahas pang gumising sa kanila.
Pagpapalain ang mga nagpapala sa kanila at susumpain ang mga sumusumpa sa kanila.’ ”
10 Dahil dito, matindi ang galit ni Balak kay Balaam. Isinuntok niya ang kanyang kamao sa kanyang palad at sinabi, “Ipinatawag kita para sumpain ang aking mga kaaway, pero binasbasan mo pa sila ng tatlong beses. 11 Umuwi ka na lang! Nangako ako sa iyong babayaran kita ng malaking halaga, pero hindi pumayag ang Panginoon na matanggap mo ang bayad.” 12 Sumagot si Balaam kay Balak, “Hindi baʼt sinabihan ko ang iyong mga mensahero, 13 na kahit ibigay mo pa sa akin ang iyong palasyong puno ng pilak at ginto, hindi ako makakagawa ng sarili kong kagustuhan, masama man ito o mabuti. Kung ano ang sinasabi ng Panginoon sa akin, iyon lang ang aking sasabihin. 14 Uuwi ako ngayon din sa aking mga kababayan, pero bago ako umalis, paaalalahanan muna kita kung ano ang gagawin ng mga Israelitang ito sa iyong mga mamamayan balang araw.”
Ang Ikaapat na Mensahe ni Balaam
15 Pagkatapos, sinabi ni Balaam ang mensaheng ito: “Ako si Balaam na anak ni Beor, at may malinaw akong pang-unawa.[c] 16 Narinig ko ang salita ng Kataas-taasang Dios, at nakakita ako ng pangitain mula sa Makapangyarihang Dios. Nagpatirapa ako sa kanya at nagpahayag siya sa akin.[d] Ito ang aking mensahe:
17 “May nakita ako sa aking pangitain na hindi pa nangyayari. Sa hinaharap, mamamahala ang isang hari[e] sa Israel mula sa lahi ni Jacob. Ibabagsak niya ang mga Moabita at ang lahat ng lahi ni Set. 18 Sasakupin niya ang Edom na kanyang kaaway, na tinatawag din na Seir, habang tumatatag ang Israel. 19 Mamumuno ang isang pinuno sa Israel[f] at ibabagsak niya ang mga natirang buhay sa lungsod ng Moab.”
Ang Huling Mensahe ni Balaam
20 Pagkatapos, nakita ni Balaam sa kanyang pangitain ang mga Amalekita at sinabi niya, “Ang Amalek noon ang nangunguna sa mga bansa, pero sa huli, babagsak ito.”
21 Pagkatapos, nakita na naman ni Balaam sa kanyang pangitain ang mga Keneo at sinabi niya, “Matatag ang inyong tinitirhan, dahil nakapatong ito sa mga bato 22 pero babagsak kayo kapag binihag kayo ng Asiria.”
23 At sinabi pa ni Balaam ang mensaheng ito, “Kahabag-habag, sino ba ang mabubuhay kung gagawin ito ng Dios? 24 Darating ang mga barko mula sa Kitim at sasakupin nila ang mga mamamayan ng Asiria at ng Eber, pero babagsak din ang Kitim.”
25 Pagkatapos, umuwi si Balaam at ganoon din si Balak.
Footnotes
- 24:3 pang-unawa: sa literal, paningin.
- 24:4 nagpahayag siya sa akin: sa literal, binuksan ang aking mga mata.
- 24:15 pang-unawa: Tingnan ang “footnote” sa 24:3.
- 24:16 nagpahayag siya sa akin: Tingnan ang “footnote” sa 24:4.
- 24:17 mamamahala ang isang hari: sa literal, may lilitaw na bituin, may lalabas na setro ng hari.
- 24:19 Israel: sa literal, Jacob.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Ang Salita ng Dios (Tagalog Contemporary Bible) Copyright © 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015 by Biblica, Inc. ®