Num 24 | NASB2020 | STEP | When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel , he did not go as at other times to seek omens , rather he turned his attention 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, rather he turned his ^{▼▼Lit face}attention toward the ^ewilderness. 2 And Balaam raised his eyes and saw Israel ^{▼▼Lit dwelling}camping tribe by tribe; and ^gthe Spirit of God came upon him. 3 Then he took up his discourse and said,

“ ^hThe declaration of Balaam the son of Beor,
And the declaration of the man whose eye is opened;
4 The declaration 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 pleasant are your tents, Jacob,
Your dwelling places, Israel!
6 “Like ^{▼▼Or possibly palm trees}valleys that stretch out,
Like gardens beside a 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 “ ^rGod 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,
And smash them with his ^tarrows.
9 “ ^uHe ^{▼▼Lit bows down}crouches, he lies down like a lion,
And like a lioness, who ^{▼▼Lit will}dares to rouse him?
^xBlessed 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 So ^{▼▼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 And Balaam said to Balak, “ ^aaDid I not in fact tell your messengers whom you had sent to me, saying, 13 ‘If 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, ^acof my own ^{▼▼Lit heart}accord. ^aeWhat the Lord speaks, I will ^{▼▼Lit speak it}speak’? 14 So now, behold, ^agI am going to my people; come, and I will advise you of what this people will do to your people in the ^{▼▼Lit end of the days}days to come.”

15 Then he took up his discourse and said,

“ ^aiThe declaration of Balaam the son of Beor,
And the declaration of the man whose eye is opened,
16 The declaration 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 look at him, but not near;
A star shall appear from Jacob,
^amA scepter shall rise from Israel,
^anAnd shall smash the ^{▼▼Lit corners}forehead of Moab,
And overcome all the sons of Sheth.
18 “ ^apAnd Edom shall be a possession,
^aqSeir, its enemies, also will be a possession,
While Israel performs valiantly.
19 “One from Jacob shall rule,
And will eliminate the survivors from the city.”
20 And he looked at Amalek and took up his discourse and said,

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

“Your dwelling place is enduring,
And your nest is set in the cliff.
22 “Nevertheless Kain will suffer devastation;
How long will ^auAsshur ^{▼▼Lit take}keep you captive?”
23 Then he took up his discourse and said,

“Oh, who can live unless God has ordained it?
24 “But ships shall come from the coast of ^awKittim,
And they shall oppress Asshur and oppress ^axEber;
^aySo they also will come to destruction.”
25 Then Balaam arose, and he departed and returned to ^azhis place, and Balak also went on his way.