Numbers 24

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) ²When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him^(D) ³and he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
    the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,^(E)
⁴the 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)
⁷Water will flow from their buckets;
    their seed will have abundant water.

“Their king will be greater than Agag;^(L)
their kingdom will be exalted.^(M)

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)
⁹Like a lion they crouch and lie down,
    like a lioness^(P)—who dares to rouse them?

“May those who bless you be blessed^(Q)
and those who curse you be cursed!”^(R)

¹⁰Then 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) ¹¹Now leave at once and go home!^(X) I said I would reward you handsomely,^(Y) but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”

¹²Balaam 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) ¹⁴Now 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)

Balaam’s Fourth Message

¹⁵Then he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
    the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
¹⁶the prophecy of one who hears the words^(AD) of God,
    who has knowledge from the Most High,^(AE)
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
    who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

¹⁷“I see him, but not now;
    I behold him, but not near.^(AF)
A star will come out of Jacob;^(AG)
    a scepter will rise out of Israel.^(AH)
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,^(AI)
    the skulls^[b]^(AJ) of^[c] all the people of Sheth.^[d]
¹⁸Edom^(AK) will be conquered;
    Seir,^(AL) his enemy, will be conquered,^(AM)
    but Israel^(AN) will grow strong.
¹⁹A ruler will come out of Jacob^(AO)
    and destroy the survivors of the city.”

Balaam’s Fifth Message

²⁰Then Balaam saw Amalek^(AP) and spoke his message:

“Amalek was first among the nations,
but their end will be utter destruction.”^(AQ)

Balaam’s Sixth Message

²¹Then he saw the Kenites^(AR) and spoke his message:

“Your dwelling place is secure,^(AS)
your nest is set in a rock;
²²yet you Kenites will be destroyed
when Ashur^(AT) takes you captive.”

Balaam’s Seventh Message

²³Then he spoke his message:

“Alas! Who can live when God does this?^[e]
²⁴ Ships will come from the shores of Cyprus;^(AU)
they will subdue Ashur^(AV) and Eber,^(AW)
but they too will come to ruin.^(AX)”

²⁵Then Balaam^(AY) got up and returned home, and Balak went his own way.

Footnotes

Numbers 24:4 Hebrew Shaddai; also in verse 16
Numbers 24:17 Samaritan Pentateuch (see also Jer. 48:45); the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
Numbers 24:17 Or possibly Moab, / batter
Numbers 24:17 Or all the noisy boasters
Numbers 24:23 Masoretic Text; with a different word division of the Hebrew The people from the islands will gather from the north.

Numbers 24

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.

²And 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.

³And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:

⁴He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

⁵How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!

⁶As 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.

⁷He 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.

⁸God 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.

⁹He 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.

¹⁰And 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.

¹¹Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honour.

¹²And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,

¹³If 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?

¹⁴And 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.

¹⁵And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:

¹⁶He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

¹⁷I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

¹⁸And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.

¹⁹Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.

²⁰And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.

²¹And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.

²²Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.

²³And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!

²⁴And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.

²⁵And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.

Números 24

Nueva Versión Internacional

24 Pero cuando Balán se dio cuenta de que al Señor le complacía que se bendijera a Israel, no recurrió a la hechicería como otras veces, sino que volvió su rostro hacia el desierto. ²Cuando Balán alzó la vista y vio a Israel acampando por tribus, el Espíritu de Dios vino sobre él; ³entonces pronunció su mensaje:

«Palabras de Balán, hijo de Beor;
    palabras del varón clarividente.
⁴Palabras del que oye las palabras de Dios,
    del que contempla la visión del Todopoderoso,
    del que cae en trance y tiene visiones.

⁵»¡Cuán hermosas son tus tiendas, Jacob!
¡Qué bello es tu campamento, Israel!

⁶»Son como arroyos que se ensanchan,
    como jardines a la orilla del río,
como áloes plantados por el Señor,
    como cedros junto a las aguas.
⁷Sus cántaros rebosan de agua;
    su semilla goza de agua abundante.

»Su rey es más grande que Agag;
su reinado se engrandece.

⁸»Dios los sacó de Egipto
    con la fuerza de un toro salvaje.
Israel devora a las naciones hostiles
    y les parte los huesos;
    las atraviesa con sus flechas.
⁹Se agacha como un león,
    se tiende como una leona:
    ¿quién se atreverá a despertarlo?

»¡Benditos sean los que te bendigan!
¡Malditos sean los que te maldigan!».

¹⁰Entonces la ira de Balac se encendió contra Balán, y chasqueando los dedos le dijo:

—Te mandé llamar para que maldijeras a mis enemigos, ¡y estas tres veces no has hecho sino bendecirlos! ¹¹¡Más te vale volver a tu tierra! Prometí que te recompensaría, pero esa recompensa te la ha negado el Señor.

¹²Balán contestó:

—Dije a los mensajeros que me enviaste: ¹³“Aun si Balac me diera su palacio lleno de oro y de plata, yo no podría hacer nada bueno ni malo, sino ajustarme al mandamiento del Señor. Lo que el Señor me ordene decir, eso diré”. ¹⁴Ahora que vuelvo a mi pueblo, voy a advertirte en cuanto a lo que este pueblo hará con tu pueblo en el futuro.

Cuarto mensaje de Balán

¹⁵Entonces Balán pronunció su mensaje:

«Profecía de Balán, hijo de Beor,
    palabras del varón clarividente.
¹⁶Mensaje del que oye las palabras de Dios
    y conoce el pensamiento del Altísimo;
del que contempla la visión del Todopoderoso,
    del que cae en trance y tiene visiones:

¹⁷»Lo veo, pero no ahora;
    lo contemplo, pero no de cerca.
Una estrella saldrá de Jacob;
    un cetro surgirá en Israel.
Aplastará las sienes de Moab
    y el cráneo de todos los hijos de Set.
¹⁸Edom será conquistado;
    Seír, su enemigo, será dominado,
    mientras que Israel hará proezas.
¹⁹De Jacob saldrá un conquistador,
    y destruirá a los sobrevivientes de la ciudad».

Quinto mensaje de Balán

²⁰Balán miró a Amalec y pronunció este mensaje:

«Amalec fue el primero entre las naciones,
pero su fin será la destrucción total».

Sexto mensaje de Balán

²¹Luego miró Balán al quenita y pronunció este mensaje:

«Aunque tienes una morada segura
y tu nido está sobre la roca,
²²tú, quenita, serás destruido,
y Asiria te llevará cautivo».

Séptimo mensaje de Balán

²³Entonces Balán pronunció este mensaje:

«¡Ay! ¿Quién seguirá con vida
    cuando Dios determine hacer esto?
²⁴Vendrán barcos desde las costas de Chipre,
    que oprimirán a Asiria y a Éber,
    pues ellos también serán destruidos».

²⁵Después de esto Balán se levantó y volvió a su tierra. También Balac se fue por su camino.

Numbers 24

New King James Version

Balaam Foretells the Happiness of Israel

24 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as at ^(A)other times, to seek to use ^[a]sorcery, but he set his face toward the wilderness. ²And Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel ^(B)encamped according to their tribes; and ^(C)the Spirit of God came upon him.

³^(D)Then he took up his oracle and said:

“The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor,
The utterance of the man whose eyes are opened,
⁴The utterance of him who hears the words of God,
Who sees the vision of the Almighty,
Who ^(E)falls down, with eyes wide open:

⁵“How lovely are your tents, O Jacob!
Your dwellings, O Israel!
⁶Like valleys that stretch out,
Like gardens by the riverside,
^(F)Like aloes ^(G)planted by the Lord,
Like cedars beside the waters.
⁷He shall pour water from his buckets,
And his seed shall be ^(H)in many waters.

“His king shall be higher than ^(I)Agag,
And his ^(J)kingdom shall be exalted.

⁸“God^(K) brings him out of Egypt;
He has strength like a wild ox;
He shall ^(L)consume the nations, his enemies;
He shall ^(M)break their bones
And ^(N)pierce them with his arrows.
⁹‘He^(O) bows down, he lies down as a lion;
And as a lion, who shall rouse him?’

^(P)“Blessed is he who blesses you,
And cursed is he who curses you.”

¹⁰Then Balak’s anger was aroused against Balaam, and he ^(Q)struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, ^(R)“I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have bountifully blessed them these three times! ¹¹Now therefore, flee to your place. ^(S)I said I would greatly honor you, but in fact, the Lord has kept you back from honor.”

¹²So Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not also speak to your messengers whom you sent to me, saying, ¹³‘If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord, to do good or bad of my own will. What the Lord says, that I must speak’? ¹⁴And now, indeed, I am going to my people. Come, ^(T)I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the ^(U)latter days.”

Balaam’s Fourth Prophecy

¹⁵So he took up his oracle and said:

“The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor,
And the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened;
¹⁶The utterance of him who hears the words of God,
And has the knowledge of the Most High,
Who sees the vision of the Almighty,
Who falls down, with eyes wide open:

¹⁷“I^(V) see Him, but not now;
I behold Him, but not near;
^(W)A Star shall come out of Jacob;
^(X)A Scepter shall rise out of Israel,
And ^[b]batter the brow of Moab,
And destroy all the sons of ^[c]tumult.

¹⁸“And ^(Y)Edom shall be a possession;
Seir also, his enemies, shall be a possession,
While Israel does ^[d]valiantly.
¹⁹^(Z)Out of Jacob One ^[e]shall have dominion,
And destroy the remains of the city.”

²⁰Then he looked on Amalek, and he took up his oracle and said:

“Amalek was first among the nations,
But shall be last until he perishes.”

²¹Then he looked on the Kenites, and he took up his oracle and said:

“Firm is your dwelling place,
And your nest is set in the rock;
²²Nevertheless Kain shall be burned.
How long until Asshur carries you away captive?”

²³Then he took up his oracle and said:

“Alas! Who shall live when God does this?
²⁴But ships shall come from the coasts of ^(AA)Cyprus,^[f]
And they shall afflict Asshur and afflict ^(AB)Eber,
And so shall ^[g]Amalek, until he perishes.”

²⁵So Balaam rose and departed and ^(AC)returned to his place; Balak also went his way.

Footnotes

Numbers 24:1 enchantments
Numbers 24:17 shatter the forehead
Numbers 24:17 Heb. Sheth, Jer. 48:45
Numbers 24:18 mightily
Numbers 24:19 shall rule
Numbers 24:24 Heb. Kittim
Numbers 24:24 Lit. he or that one

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