NUMBERS 24

And when Balaam saw that it was good in the eyes of Yehowah to bless Israel, he did not go to seek for divination, as he had done before, but he set his face towards the desert. 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the spirit of God was upon him. 3 Then he took up his prophecy, and said,

The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, and the oracle of the man whose eye is open;

4 the oracle of him who hears the sayings of God, who beholds the vision of Shaddai, falling down, but having his eyes uncovered:

5 How fine are your tents, O Jacob, your tabernacles, O Israel! 6 Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes which Yehowah has planted, and like cedars beside the waters. 7 Water shall flow from his buckets, and his descendants shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. 8 God brings him out of Egypt;

he exerts for them the strength of a wild bull;

he shall eat up the nations, his opponents, and shall break their bones in pieces, and pierce them through with his arrows. 9 He crouched, he lay down like a lion, and like an old lion; who shall rouse him up? Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you.

10 Then Balak's anger flared up against Balaam, and he beat his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, I summoned you to curse my enemies, and see, you have done nothing but bless them these three times. 11 Therefore now get back to your place; I said that I would greatly honour you, but see, Yehowah has kept you back from honour. 12 And Balaam said to Balak, Did I not also tell your messengers whom you sent to me, and say, 13 Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of Yehowah, to do good or evil of my own accord; what Yehowah speaks, I must speak? 14 Very well then, I shall go to my people. Come, I will make known to you what this people will do to your people in time to come. 15 Then he took up his prophecy, and said,

The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, and the oracle of the man whose eye is open;

16 the oracle of him who hears the sayings of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who beholds the vision of Shaddai, falling down, but having his eyes uncovered:

17 I see him, but not now;

I behold him, but not near:

a star shall come out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and it shall pierce both sides of Moab, and destroy all the sons of Sheth. 18 Then Edom shall be a possession, and Seir also, his enemies, shall be a possession, and Israel shall do valiantly. 19 And one from Jacob shall have dominion, and shall destroy the survivors from the cities.

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

Amalek was the first of the nations, but his end shall be everlasting destruction.

21 Next he looked on the Kenites, and took up his prophecy, and said,

Your dwelling place is enduring, and your nest is built in the rock. 22 Nevertheless Kain shall be consumed. How long shall Asshur hold you captive?

23 And he took up his prophecy, and said,

Alas, who shall live when God does this! 24 But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim, and shall afflict both Asshur and Eber;

yet he also shall be destroyed for ever.

25 Then Balaam got up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.