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 chapterNotas al pie
- 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
Expanded Bible
24 Balaam saw that ·the Lord wanted [L it was good in the eyes/sight of the Lord] to bless Israel, so he did not try to use any ·magic [divination] but looked toward the ·desert [wilderness]. 2 When Balaam ·saw [L lifted his eyes and saw] the Israelites camped in their tribes, the Spirit of God ·took control of [L was on] him, 3 and he gave this ·message [or oracle; or poem]:
“This is the ·message [utterance] of Balaam son of Beor,
the ·message [utterance] of a man ·who sees clearly [L whose eye is open];
4 this is the ·message [utterance] of a man who hears the words of God.
I see a vision from the Almighty,
and my eyes are open as I fall before him.
5 ·Your tents are beautiful [L How beautiful/fair are your tents], people of Jacob!
·So are your homes [L Your dwellings], Israel!
6 Your tents spread out like ·valleys [wadis],
like gardens beside a river.
They are like ·spices [L aloes] planted by the Lord,
like cedar trees growing by the water.
7 Israel’s water buckets will always ·be full [or flow],
and their ·crops [L seed] will have plenty of water.
Their king will be greater than Agag [C perhaps a dynastic name of the Amalekites (Ex. 17:8–13); 1 Sam. 15:7–9, 32–33];
their kingdom will be very great.
8 God brought them out of Egypt;
they are ·as strong as [L like the horns of] a wild ox.
They will defeat their enemies
and break their enemies’ bones;
they will ·shoot [L strike] them with arrows.
9 Like a lion, they lie waiting to attack;
like a lioness, ·no one would be brave enough to wake [L who will rouse…?] them.
Anyone who blesses you will be blessed,
and anyone who curses you will be cursed [Gen. 12:3].”
10 Then Balak was angry with Balaam, and he ·pounded his fist [or struck his hands together]. He said to Balaam, “I called you here to curse my enemies, but you have continued to bless them three times. 11 Now go home! I said I would ·pay you well [make you wealthy], but the Lord has ·made you lose [denied you] your reward.”
12 Balaam said to Balak, “When you sent messengers to me, ·I told [L did I not tell…?] them, 13 ‘Balak could give me his ·palace [L house] filled with silver and gold, but I still cannot ·go against [transgress] the Lord’s commands. I could not do anything, good or bad, on my own, but I must say what the Lord says.’ 14 Now I am going back to my own people, but I will ·tell [L advise] you what these people will do to your people in the ·future [L later days].”
Read full chapterNET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.