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.

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, And knows the knowledge of the Most High, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered:

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

I see him, but not now; I look at him, but not near; A star shall appear from Jacob, A scepter shall rise from Israel, And shall smash the forehead of Moab, And overcome all the sons of Sheth.

I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

"And Edom shall be a possession, Seir, its enemies, also will be a possession, While Israel performs valiantly.

And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.

"One from Jacob shall rule, And will eliminate the survivors from the city."

Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.

And he looked at Amalek and took up his discourse and said, "Amalek was the first of the nations, But his end shall be destruction."

And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.

And he looked at the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said, "Your dwelling place is enduring, And your nest is set in the cliff.

And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.

"Nevertheless Kain will suffer devastation; How long will Asshur keep you captive?"

Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.

Then he took up his discourse and said, "Oh, who can live unless God has ordained it?

And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!

"But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim, And they shall oppress Asshur and oppress Eber; So they also will come to destruction."

And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.

Then Balaam arose, and he departed and returned to his place, and Balak also went on his way.

And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.