Study Desk

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.

And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

And Balaam raised his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.

Then he took up his discourse and said, "The declaration of Balaam the son of Beor, And the declaration of the man whose eye is opened;

And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:

The declaration of him who hears the words of God, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered,

He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

How pleasant are your tents, Jacob, Your dwelling places, Israel!

How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!

"Like valleys that stretch out, Like gardens beside a river, Like aloes planted by the LORD, Like cedars beside the waters.

As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the Lord hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.

"Water will flow from his buckets, And his seed will be by many waters, And his king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted.

He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.

"God brings him out of Egypt, He is for him like the horns of the wild ox. He will devour the nations who are his adversaries, And will crush their bones, And smash them with his arrows.

God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.

"He crouches, he lies down like a lion, And like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? Blessed is everyone who blesses you, And cursed is everyone who curses you."

He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.

Then Balak's anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his 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!

And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.

"So flee to your place now. I said I would honor you greatly, but behold, the LORD has held you back from honor."

Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honour.

And Balaam said to Balak, "Did I not in fact tell your messengers whom you had sent to me, saying,

And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,

'If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything contrary to the command of the LORD, either good or bad, of my own accord. What the LORD speaks, I will speak'?

If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord , to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will I speak?

"So now, behold, I am going to my people; come, and I will advise you of what this people will do to your people in the days to come."

And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.