Berean Standard Bible

Numbers 24

1And when BalaamH1109 sawH7200 thatH3588 it pleasedH2895 H5869 the LORDH3068 to blessH1288 IsraelH3478, he did notH3808 seekH1980 omensH5173 as on previous occasionsH6471 H7122, but he turnedH7896 his faceH6440 towardH413 the wildernessH4057. 2When BalaamH1109 looked upH5375 H5869 and sawH7200 IsraelH3478 encampedH7931 tribe by tribeH7626, the SpiritH7307 of GodH430 cameH1961 upon himH5921, 3and he lifted upH5375 an oracleH4912, sayingH559:

“This is the prophecyH5002 of BalaamH1109 sonH1121 of BeorH1160,the prophecyH5002 of a manH1397 whose eyesH5869 are openH8365,4the prophecyH5002 of one who hearsH8085 the wordsH561 of GodH410,whoH834 seesH2372 a visionH4236 from the AlmightyH7706,1who bows downH5307 with eyesH5869 wide openH1540:5HowH4100 lovely areH2895 your tentsH168, O JacobH3290,your dwellingsH4908, O IsraelH3478!6They spread outH5186 like palm grovesH5158,2like gardensH1593 besideH5921 a streamH5104,like aloesH174 the LORDH3068 has plantedH5193,like cedarsH730 besideH5921 the watersH4325.7WaterH4325 will flowH5140 from his bucketsH1805,and his seedH2233 will have abundantH7227 waterH4325.His kingH4428 will be greaterH7311 than AgagH90,and his kingdomH4438 will be exaltedH5375.8GodH410 brought himH3318 out of EgyptH4714with strengthH8443 like a wild oxH7214,to devourH398 hostileH6862 nationsH1471 and crushH1633 their bonesH6106,to pierce themH4272 with arrowsH2671.9He crouchesH3766, he lies downH7901 like a lionH738,like a lionessH3833—whoH4310 dares to rouse himH6965?Blessed areH1288 those who bless youH1288and cursed areH779 those who curse youH779.”

Balak Dismisses Balaam

10Then Balak’sH1111 angerH639 burnedH2734 againstH413 BalaamH1109, and he struck his handsH3709 togetherH5606 and saidH559 H1111 toH413 BalaamH1109, “I summoned youH7121 to curseH6895 my enemiesH341, but beholdH2009, you have persisted in blessingH1288 them theseH2088 threeH7969 timesH6471. 11Therefore, fleeH1272 at onceH6258 toH413 your homeH4725! I saidH559 I would reward you richlyH3513, but insteadH2009 the LORDH3068 has deniedH4513 your rewardH3519.”

12BalaamH1109 H413 answeredH559 BalakH1111, “Did I notH3808 alreadyH1571 H413 tellH1696 H559 the messengersH4397 you sent meH7971 H413 13that even ifH518 BalakH1111 were to giveH5414 me his houseH1004 fullH4393 of silverH3701 and goldH2091, I couldH3201 notH3808 doH6213 anything of my own accordH3820, goodH2896 orH176 badH7451, to go beyondH5674 the commandH6310 of the LORDH3068? I must speakH1696 whateverH834 the LORDH3068 saysH1696. 14NowH6258 H2005 I am going backH1980 to my peopleH5971, but comeH1980, let me warn youH3289 whatH834 thisH2088 peopleH5971 will doH6213 to your peopleH5971 in the daysH3117 to comeH319.”

15Then Balaam lifted upH5375 an oracleH4912, sayingH559,

“This is the prophecyH5002 of BalaamH1109 sonH1121 of BeorH1160,the prophecyH5002 of a manH1397 whose eyesH5869 are openH8365,16the prophecyH5002 of one who hearsH8085 the wordsH561 of GodH410,who has knowledgeH3045 H1847 from the Most HighH5945,who seesH2372 a visionH4236 from the AlmightyH7706,who bows downH5307 with eyesH5869 wide openH1540:17I see himH7200, but notH3808 nowH6258;I behold himH7789, but notH3808 nearH7138.A starH3556 will come forthH1869 from JacobH3290,and a scepterH7626 will ariseH6965 from IsraelH3478.He will crushH4272 the skullsH6285 3 of MoabH4124and strike downH6979 allH3605 the sonsH1121 of ShethH8351.18EdomH123 will becomeH1961 a possessionH3424,as willH1961 SeirH8165, his enemyH341;but IsraelH3478 will performH6213 with valorH2428.19A ruler will comeH7287 from JacobH3290and destroyH6 the survivorsH8300 of the cityH5892.”

20Then Balaam sawH7200 AmalekH6002 and lifted upH5375 an oracleH4912, sayingH559:

“AmalekH6002 was firstH7225 among the nationsH1471,but his endH319 H5704 is destructionH8.”

21Next he sawH7200 the KenitesH7017 and lifted upH5375 an oracleH4912, sayingH559:

“Your dwelling placeH4186 is secureH386,and your nestH7064 is setH7760 in a cliffH5553.22YetH3588 H518 KainH7014 will beH1961 destroyedH1197whenH5704 H4100 AsshurH804 4 takes you captiveH7617.”

23Once more Balaam lifted upH5375 an oracleH4912, sayingH559:

“AhH188, whoH4310 can liveH2421unless GodH410 has ordained itH7760?24ShipsH6716 will come from the coastsH3027 of CyprusH3794;5they will subdueH6031 AsshurH804 H6031 and EberH5677,but theyH1931 tooH1571 will perishH8 foreverH5704.”

25Then BalaamH1109 aroseH6965 and returnedH1980 H7725 to his homelandH4725, and BalakH1111 alsoH1571 wentH1980 on his wayH1870.

1. Numbers 24:4 Hebrew Shaddai; also in verse 16 ↩
2. Numbers 24:6 Or like valleys ↩
3. Numbers 24:17 SP foreheads; Hebrew corners (of the head); LXX princes ↩
4. Numbers 24:22 Or Assyria; also in verse 24 ↩
5. Numbers 24:24 Hebrew Kittim ↩