20 Then 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.”

21 Then 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;
22 Nevertheless Kain shall be burned.
How long until Asshur carries you away captive?”

23 Then he took up his oracle and said:

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

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

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 24:24 Heb. Kittim
  2. Numbers 24:24 Lit. he or that one

20     And he looked at Amalek, uttered[a] his oracle, and said,
“Amalek is first[b] of the nations,
    but his future will be forever ruin.”

21 And he looked at the Kenites,[c] uttered[d] 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[e] you captive?”

23 Again he uttered[f] his oracle and said,

“Woe, who will live when God establishes this?[g]
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.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 24:20 Literally “lifted up”
  2. Numbers 24:20 Or “among”
  3. Numbers 24:21 Hebrew “Kenite”
  4. Numbers 24:21 Literally “lifted up”
  5. Numbers 24:22 Hebrew “take”
  6. Numbers 24:23 Literally “lifted up”
  7. Numbers 24:23 Hebrew “it”