The Fourth Book of Moses: Numbers

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 24 -

And Balaam sees that [it is] good in the eyes of YHWH to bless Israel, and he has not gone as time by time to seek enchantments, and he sets his face toward the wilderness;

and Balaam lifts up his eyes, and sees Israel dwelling by its tribes, and the Spirit of God is on him,

and he takes up his allegory and says: “An affirmation of Balaam son of Beor, || And an affirmation of the man whose eyes are shut,

An affirmation of him who is hearing sayings of God, || Who sees a vision of the Almighty, || Falling—and eyes uncovered:

How good have been your tents, O Jacob, || Your dwelling places, O Israel;

They have been stretched out as valleys, || As gardens by a river; As aloes YHWH has planted, || As cedars by waters;

He makes water flow from his buckets, || And his seed [is] in many waters; And his King [is] higher than Gog [[ or Agag]], || And his kingdom is exalted.

God is bringing him out of Egypt, || As the swiftness of a wild ox for him, || He eats up nations—his adversaries, || And he breaks their bones, || And he strikes [with] his arrows.

He has bent, he has lain down as a lion, || And as a lioness, who raises him up? He who is blessing you [is] blessed, || And he who is cursing you [is] cursed.”

Balak Dismisses Balaam

And the anger of Balak burns against Balaam, and he strikes his hands; and Balak says to Balaam, “I called you to pierce my enemies, and behold, you have certainly blessed these three times;

and now, flee for yourself to your place; I have said, I greatly honor you, and behold, YHWH has kept you back from honor.”

And Balaam says to Balak, “Did I not also speak to your messengers whom you have sent to me, saying,

If Balak gives to me the fullness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of YHWH, to do good or evil of my own heart; that which YHWH speaks—it I speak?

And now, behold, I am going to my people; come, I counsel you [concerning] that which this people does to your people in the latter end of the days.”

Balaam’s Fourth Oracle

And he takes up his allegory and says: “An affirmation of Balaam son of Beor, || And an affirmation of the man whose eyes [are] shut;

An affirmation of him who is hearing sayings of God, || And knowing knowledge of the Most High; He sees a vision of the Almighty, || Falling—and eyes uncovered:

I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A star has proceeded from Jacob, || And a scepter has risen from Israel, || And has struck corners of Moab, || And has destroyed all sons of Seth.

And Edom has been a possession, || And Seir has been a possession [for] his enemies, || And Israel is doing valiantly;

And [One] rules out of Jacob, || And has destroyed a remnant from the city.”

Balaam’s Final Three Oracles

And he sees Amalek, and takes up his allegory, and says: “Amalek [is] first [among] nations, || But his latter end—destruction forever.”

And he sees the Kenite, and takes up his allegory, and says: “Your dwelling [is] enduring, || And your nest is being set in a rock,

But the Kenite is for a burning; Until when does Asshur keep you captive?”

And he takes up his allegory and says: “Woe! Who lives when God does this?

But ships [come] from the side of Chittim, || And they have humbled Asshur, || And they have humbled Eber, || But it is also perishing forever.”

And Balaam rises, and goes, and turns back to his place, and Balak has also gone on his way.

When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he didn’t go, as at the other times, to use divination, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came on him.

He took up his parable, and said, “Balaam the son of Beor says, the man whose eyes are open says;

he says, who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, and having his eyes open:

How goodly are your tents, Jacob, and your dwellings, Israel!

As valleys they are spread out, as gardens by the riverside, as aloes which the LORD has planted, as cedar trees beside the waters.

Water shall flow from his buckets. His seed shall be in many waters. His king shall be higher than Agag. His kingdom shall be exalted.

God brings him out of Egypt. He has as it were the strength of the wild ox. He shall consume the nations his adversaries, shall break their bones in pieces, and pierce them with his arrows.

He couched, he lay down as a lion, as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Everyone who blesses you is blessed. Everyone who curses you is cursed.”

Balak Dismisses Balaam

Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have altogether blessed them these three times.

Therefore, flee to your place, now! I thought to promote you to great honor; but, behold, the LORD has kept you back from honor.”

Balaam said to Balak, “Didn’t I also tell your messengers whom you sent to me, saying,

‘If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond the LORD’s word, to do either good or bad from my own mind. I will say what the LORD says’?

Now, behold, I go to my people. Come, I will inform you what this people shall do to your people in the latter days.”

Balaam’s Fourth Oracle

He took up his parable, and said, “Balaam the son of Beor says, the man whose eyes are open says;

he says, who hears the words of God, knows the knowledge of the Most High, and who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, and having his eyes open:

I see him, but not now. I see him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob. A scepter will rise out of Israel, and shall strike through the corners of Moab, and crush all the sons of Sheth.

Edom shall be a possession. Seir, his enemy, also shall be a possession, while Israel does valiantly.

Out of Jacob shall one have dominion, and shall destroy the remnant from the city.”

Balaam’s Final Three Oracles

He looked at Amalek, and took up his parable, and said, “Amalek was the first of the nations, but his latter end shall come to destruction.”

He looked at the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said, “Your dwelling place is strong. Your nest is set in the rock.

Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted, until Asshur carries you away captive.”

He took up his parable, and said, “Alas, who shall live when God does this?

But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim. They shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber. He also shall come to destruction.”

Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.