Num 24:20-21 | NETfull | STEP | Then Balaam looked on Amalek and delivered this oracle: “Amalek was the first of the nations, but his end will be that he will perish.”

Numbers 24:20-21

Balaam’s Final Prophecies

20 Then Balaam ^{▼▼ Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} looked on Amalek and delivered this oracle: ^{▼▼ Heb “and he lifted up his oracle and said.” So also in vv. 21, 23.}

“Amalek was the first ^{▼▼ This probably means that it held first place, or it thought that it was “the first of the nations.” It was not the first, either in order or greatness.} of the nations,
but his end will be that he will perish.”
21 Then he looked on the Kenites and uttered this oracle:

“Your dwelling place seems strong,
and your nest ^{▼▼ A pun is made on the name Kenite by using the word “your nest” (קִנֶּךָ, qinnekha); the location may be the rocky cliffs overlooking Petra.} is set on a rocky cliff.