Num 24 | NASB1995 | STEP | When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel , he did not go as at other times to seek omens but he set his face toward the wilderness .

Numbers 24

The Prophecy from Peor

1 When Balaam saw that it ^{▼▼ Lit was good in the eyes of}pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times to ^{▼▼ Lit encounter}seek ^comens but he set his face toward the ^dwilderness. 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel ^{▼▼ Lit dwelling}camping tribe by tribe; and ^fthe Spirit of God came upon him. 3 He took up his ^{▼▼ Lit parable, and so throughout the ch}discourse and said, ^h“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
And the oracle of the man whose eye is opened;
4 The oracle of him who ⁱhears the ^{▼▼ Lit sayings}words of God,
Who sees the ^kvision of ^{▼▼ Heb Shaddai}the Almighty,
Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered,
5 How fair are your tents, O Jacob,
Your dwellings, O Israel!
6 “Like ^{▼▼ Or possibly palm trees}valleys that stretch out,
Like gardens beside the river,
Like ⁿaloes planted by the Lord,
Like ^ocedars beside the waters.
7 “Water will flow from his buckets,
And his seed will be by many waters,
And his king shall be higher than ^pAgag,
^qAnd his kingdom shall be exalted.
8 ^r“God brings him out of Egypt,
He is for him like the horns of the wild ox.
^sHe will devour the nations who are his adversaries,
And will crush their bones in pieces,
And shatter them with his ^tarrows.
9 ^u“He ^{▼▼ Lit bows down}couches, he lies down as a lion,
And as a ^{▼▼ Or lioness}lion, who ^{▼▼ Lit shall}dares rouse him?
^yBlessed is everyone who blesses you,
And cursed is everyone who curses you.”

10 Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his ^{▼▼ Lit palms}hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have persisted in blessing them these three times! 11 “Therefore, ^{▼▼ Lit flee for yourself}flee to your place now. I said I would honor you greatly, but behold, the Lord has held you back from honor.” 12 Balaam said to Balak, ^ab“Did I not tell your messengers whom you had sent to me, saying, 13 ‘Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything contrary to the ^{▼▼ Lit mouth}command of the Lord, either good or bad, ^adof my own ^{▼▼ Lit heart}accord. ^afWhat the Lord speaks, that I will speak’? 14 “And now, behold, ^agI am going to my people; come, and I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the ^{▼▼ Lit end of the days}days to come.”

15 He took up his discourse and said, ^ai“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
And the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
16 The oracle of him who hears the ^{▼▼ Lit sayings}words of God,
And knows the knowledge of the ^{▼▼ Heb Elyon}Most High,
Who sees the vision of ^{▼▼ Heb Shaddai}the Almighty,
Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered.
17 “I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near;
A star shall come forth from Jacob,
^amA scepter shall rise from Israel,
^anAnd shall crush through the ^{▼▼ Lit corners}forehead of Moab,
And ^{▼▼ Another reading is the crown of the head of}tear down all the sons of ^{▼▼ I.e. tumult}Sheth.
18 ^ar“Edom shall be a possession,
^asSeir, its enemies, also will be a possession,
While Israel performs valiantly.
19 “One from Jacob shall have dominion,
And will destroy the remnant from the city.”

20 And he looked at Amalek and took up his discourse and said, “Amalek was the first of the nations,
^atBut his end shall be ^{▼▼ Lit to destroying}destruction.”

21 And he looked at the ^avKenite, and took up his discourse and said, “Your dwelling place is enduring,
And your nest is set in the cliff.
22 “Nevertheless Kain will be consumed;
How long will ^awAsshur ^{▼▼ Lit take}keep you captive?”

23 Then he took up his discourse and said, “Alas, who can live except God has ordained it?
24 “But ships shall come from the coast of ^ayKittim,
And they shall afflict Asshur and will afflict ^azEber;
^baSo they also will come to destruction.”

25 Then Balaam arose and departed and returned to ^bbhis place, and Balak also went his way.