Numbers 24:1-14
New English Translation
Balaam Prophesies Yet Again
24 [a] When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel,[b] he did not go as at the other times[c] to seek for omens,[d] but he set his face[e] toward the wilderness. 2 When Balaam lifted up his eyes, he saw Israel camped tribe by tribe;[f] and the Spirit of God came upon him. 3 Then he uttered this oracle:[g]
“The oracle[h] of Balaam son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eyes are open,[i]
4 the oracle of the one who hears the words of God,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
although falling flat on the ground[j] with eyes open:[k]
5 ‘How[l] beautiful are your tents, O Jacob,
and your dwelling places, O Israel!
6 They are like[m] valleys[n] stretched forth,
like gardens by the river’s side,
like aloes[o] that the Lord has planted,
and like cedar trees beside the waters.
7 He will pour the water out of his buckets,[p]
and their descendants will be like abundant[q] water;[r]
their king will be greater than Agag,[s]
and their kingdom will be exalted.
8 God brought them out of Egypt.
They have, as it were, the strength of a young bull;
they will devour hostile people,[t]
and will break their bones,
and will pierce them through with arrows.
9 They crouch and lie down like a lion,
and as a lioness,[u] who can stir him?
Blessed is the one who blesses you,
and cursed is the one who curses you!’”
10 Then Balak became very angry at Balaam, and he struck his hands together.[v] Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have done nothing but bless[w] them these three times! 11 So now, go back where you came from![x] I said that I would greatly honor you, but now the Lord has stood in the way of your honor.”
12 Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not also tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 13 ‘If Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond[y] the commandment[z] of the Lord to do either good or evil of my own will,[aa] but whatever the Lord tells me I must speak’? 14 And now, I am about to go[ab] back to my own people. Come now, and I will advise you as to what this people will do to your people in future days.”[ac]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Numbers 24:1 sn For a thorough study of the arrangement of this passage, see E. B. Smick, “A Study of the Structure of the Third Balaam Oracle,” The Law and the Prophets, 242-52. He sees the oracle as having an introductory strophe (vv. 3, 4), followed by two stanzas (vv. 5, 6) that introduce the body (vv. 7b-9b) before the final benediction (v. 9b).
- Numbers 24:1 tn Heb “it was good in the eyes of the Lord.”
- Numbers 24:1 tn Heb “as time after time.”
- Numbers 24:1 tn The word נְחָשִׁים (nekhashim) means “omens,” or possibly “auguries.” Balaam is not even making a pretense now of looking for such things, because they are not going to work. God has overruled them.
- Numbers 24:1 tn The idiom signifies that he had a determination and resolution to look out over where the Israelites were, so that he could appreciate more their presence and use that as the basis for his expressing of the oracle.
- Numbers 24:2 tn Heb “living according to their tribes.”
- Numbers 24:3 tn Heb “and he took up his oracle and said.”
- Numbers 24:3 tn The word נְאֻם (neʾum) is an “oracle.” It is usually followed by a subjective genitive, indicating the doer of the action. The word could be rendered “says,” but this translations is more specific.
- Numbers 24:3 tn The Greek version reads “the one who sees truly.” The word has been interpreted in both ways, “shut” or “open.”
- Numbers 24:4 tn The phrase “flat on the ground” is supplied in the translation for clarity. The Greek version interprets the line to mean “falling asleep.” It may mean falling into a trance.
- Numbers 24:4 tn The last colon simply has “falling, but opened eyes.” The falling may simply refer to lying prone; and the opened eyes may refer to his receiving a vision. See H. E. Freeman, An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophets, 37-41.
- Numbers 24:5 tn Here מָה (mah) has an exclamatory sense: “How!” (see Gen 28:17).
- Numbers 24:6 tn Heb “as valleys they spread forth.”
- Numbers 24:6 tn Or “rows of palms.”
- Numbers 24:6 sn The language seems to be more poetic than precise. N. H. Snaith notes that cedars do not grow beside water; he also connects “aloes” to the eaglewood that is more exotic, and capable of giving off an aroma (Leviticus and Numbers [NCB], 298).
- Numbers 24:7 tc For this colon the LXX has “a man shall come out of his seed.” Cf. the Syriac Peshitta and Targum.
- Numbers 24:7 tn Heb “many.”
- Numbers 24:7 sn These two lines are difficult, but the general sense is that of irrigation buckets and a well-watered land. The point is that Israel will be prosperous and fruitful.
- Numbers 24:7 sn Many commentators see this as a reference to Agag of 1 Sam 15:32-33, the Amalekite king slain by Samuel, for that is the one we know. But that is by no means clear, for this text does not identify this Agag. If it is that king, then this poem, or this line in this poem, would have to be later, unless one were to try to argue for a specific prophecy. Whoever this Agag is, he is a symbol of power.
- Numbers 24:8 tn Heb “they will devour nations,” their adversaries.
- Numbers 24:9 tn On the usage of this word see HALOT 517 s.v. לָבִיא.
- Numbers 24:10 sn This is apparently a sign of contempt or derision (see Job 27:23; and Lam 2:15).
- Numbers 24:10 tn The construction is emphatic, using the infinitive absolute with the perfect tense for “bless.”
- Numbers 24:11 tn Heb “flee to your place.”
- Numbers 24:13 tn Heb “I am not able to go beyond.”
- Numbers 24:13 tn Heb “mouth.”
- Numbers 24:13 tn Heb “from my heart.”
- Numbers 24:14 tn The construction is the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) suffixed followed by the active participle. This is the futur instans use of the participle, to express something that is about to happen: “I am about to go.”
- Numbers 24:14 tn For “in future days,” see the note at Gen 49:1. For more on this expression, see E. Lipiński, “באחרית הימים dans les textes préexiliques,” VT 20 (1970): 445-50.
Numbers 24:1-14
English Standard Version
Balaam's Third Oracle
24 When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, as at (A)other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel (B)camping tribe by tribe. And (C)the Spirit of God came upon him, 3 and he (D)took up his discourse and said,
“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
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,
(E)falling down with his eyes uncovered:
5 How lovely are your tents, O Jacob,
your encampments, O Israel!
6 Like palm groves[b] that stretch afar,
like gardens beside a river,
(F)like aloes (G)that the Lord has planted,
like cedar trees beside the waters.
7 Water shall flow from his buckets,
and his seed shall be (H)in many waters;
his king shall be higher than (I)Agag,
and (J)his kingdom shall be exalted.
8 God brings him out of Egypt
and is for him like the (K)horns of the wild ox;
he shall (L)eat up the nations, his adversaries,
and shall (M)break their bones in pieces
and (N)pierce them through with his arrows.
9 He crouched, he lay down like a lion
and (O)like a lioness; who will rouse him up?
(P)Blessed are those who bless you,
and cursed are those who curse you.”
10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he (Q)struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, (R)“I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. 11 Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, (S)‘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 (T)‘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 (U)of my own will. What the Lord speaks, that will I speak’? 14 And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, (V)I will let you know what this people will do to your people (W)in the latter days.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Numbers 24:3 Or closed, or perfect; also verse 15
- Numbers 24:6 Or valleys
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