Balaam’s Third Oracle

1  וַיַּ֣רְא (And saw) בִּלְעָ֗ם (Balaam) כִּ֣י (that) ט֞וֹב (it was good) בְּעֵינֵ֤י (in the eyes) יְהוָה֙ (of YHWH) לְבָרֵ֣ךְ (to bless) אֶת־ (-) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (Israel), וְלֹא־ (and not) הָלַ֥ךְ (he did go) כְּפַֽעַם־ (as time) בְּפַ֖עַם (by time) לִקְרַ֣את (to seek) נְחָשִׁ֑ים (to use sorcery), וַיָּ֥שֶׁת (and he set) אֶל־ (toward) הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר (the wilderness) פָּנָֽיו׃ (his face). 2  וַיִּשָּׂ֨א (And lifted up) בִלְעָ֜ם (Balaam) אֶת־ (-) עֵינָ֗יו (his eyes) וַיַּרְא֙ (and saw) אֶת־ (-) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (Israel) שֹׁכֵ֖ן (encamped) לִשְׁבָטָ֑יו (according to their tribes), וַתְּהִ֥י (and came) עָלָ֖יו (upon him) ר֥וּחַ (the Spirit) אֱלֹהִֽים׃ (of God). 3  וַיִּשָּׂ֥א (And he lifted up) מְשָׁל֖וֹ (his oracle) וַיֹּאמַ֑ר (and said):

נְאֻ֤ם (A declaration) בִּלְעָם֙ (of Balaam) בְּנ֣וֹ (son) בְעֹ֔ר (of Beor),

וּנְאֻ֥ם (and a declaration) הַגֶּ֖בֶר (of the man) שְׁתֻ֥ם (are opened) הָעָֽיִן׃ (whose eyes).

4  נְאֻ֕ם (A declaration) שֹׁמֵ֖עַ (of him who hears) אִמְרֵי־ (the words) אֵ֑ל (of God),

אֲשֶׁ֨ר (who) מַחֲזֵ֤ה (a vision) שַׁדַּי֙ (of Shaddai) יֶֽחֱזֶ֔ה (sees),

נֹפֵ֖ל (who falls down) וּגְל֥וּי (and with wide open) עֵינָֽיִם׃ (eyes).

5  מַה־ (How) טֹּ֥בוּ (lovely are) אֹהָלֶ֖יךָ (your tents), יַעֲקֹ֑ב (O Jacob),

מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶ֖יךָ (Your dwellings), יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (O Israel)!

6  כִּנְחָלִ֣ים (Like valleys) נִטָּ֔יוּ (that stretch out),

כְּגַנֹּ֖ת (like gardens) עֲלֵ֣י (by) נָהָ֑ר (the river),

כַּאֲהָלִים֙ (like aloes) נָטַ֣ע (planted by) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH),

כַּאֲרָזִ֖ים (like cedars) עֲלֵי־ (beside) מָֽיִם׃ (the waters).

7  יִֽזַּל־ (He shall pour) מַ֙יִם֙ (water) מִדָּ֣לְיָ֔ו (from his buckets),

וְזַרְע֖וֹ (and his seed is) בְּמַ֣יִם (in waters) רַבִּ֑ים (abundant).

וְיָרֹ֤ם (And shall be higher) מֵֽאֲגַג֙ (than Agag) מַלְכּ֔וֹ (His king),

וְתִנַּשֵּׂ֖א (and shall be exalted) מַלְכֻתֽוֹ׃ (his kingdom).

8  אֵ֚ל (God) מוֹצִיא֣וֹ (brings him) מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם (out of Egypt);

כְּתוֹעֲפֹ֥ת (strength like) רְאֵ֖ם (a wild ox) ל֑וֹ (is unto him).

יֹאכַ֞ל (He shall consume) גּוֹיִ֣ם (the nations), צָרָ֗יו (his enemies), וְעַצְמֹתֵיהֶ֛ם (and their bones) יְגָרֵ֖ם (He shall break),

וְחִצָּ֥יו (and with his arrows) יִמְחָֽץ׃ (pierce them).

9  כָּרַ֨ע (He crouches), שָׁכַ֧ב (he lies down) כַּאֲרִ֛י (like a lion),

וּכְלָבִ֖יא (and as a lioness), מִ֣י (who) יְקִימֶ֑נּוּ (shall rouse him)?

מְבָרֲכֶ֣יךָ (He who blessees you) בָר֔וּךְ (is blessed)

וְאֹרְרֶ֖יךָ (and he who curses you) אָרֽוּר׃ (is cursed).

Balak Dismisses Balaam

10  וַיִּֽחַר־ (And was kindled) אַ֤ף (the anger) בָּלָק֙ (of Balak) אֶל־ (against) בִּלְעָ֔ם (Balaam) וַיִּסְפֹּ֖ק (and he struck together) אֶת־ (-) כַּפָּ֑יו (his hands). וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (And said) בָּלָ֜ק (Balak) אֶל־ (to) בִּלְעָ֗ם (Balaam), לָקֹ֤ב (To curse) אֹֽיְבַי֙ (my enemies) קְרָאתִ֔יךָ (I called you) וְהִנֵּה֙ (and look), בֵּרַ֣כְתָּ (blessing) בָרֵ֔ךְ (you have blessed them) זֶ֖ה (these) שָׁלֹ֥שׁ (three) פְּעָמִֽים׃ (times). 11  וְעַתָּ֖ה (And now) בְּרַח־ (flee) לְךָ֣ (for yourself) אֶל־ (to) מְקוֹמֶ֑ךָ (your place)! אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ (I said) כַּבֵּ֣ד (rewarding) אֲכַבֶּדְךָ֔ (I would richly reward you), וְהִנֵּ֛ה (and in fact) מְנָעֲךָ֥ (has kept you back) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) מִכָּבֽוֹד׃ (from honor).

12  וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (And said) בִּלְעָ֖ם (Balaam) אֶל־ (to) בָּלָ֑ק (Balak), הֲלֹ֗א (Was it not) גַּ֧ם (even) אֶל־ (to) מַלְאָכֶ֛יךָ (your messengers) אֲשֶׁר־ (whom) שָׁלַ֥חְתָּ (you sent) אֵלַ֖י (to me) דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי (that I spoke), לֵאמֹֽר׃ (saying) 13  אִם־ (that if) יִתֶּן־ (were to give) לִ֨י (to me) בָלָ֜ק (Balak) מְלֹ֣א (the fullness) בֵיתוֹ֮ (of his house) כֶּ֣סֶף (in silver) וְזָהָב֒ (and gold), לֹ֣א (not) אוּכַ֗ל (I could) לַעֲבֹר֙ (go beyond) אֶת־ (-) פִּ֣י (the word) יְהוָ֔ה (of YHWH) לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת (to do) טוֹבָ֛ה (good) א֥וֹ (or) רָעָ֖ה (bad) מִלִּבִּ֑י (of my own will)? אֲשֶׁר־ (That which) יְדַבֵּ֥ר (says) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH), אֹת֥וֹ (that) אֲדַבֵּֽר׃ (I must speak)? 14  וְעַתָּ֕ה (And) הִנְנִ֥י (indeed) הוֹלֵ֖ךְ (I am going) לְעַמִּ֑י (to my people); לְכָה֙ (come), אִיעָ֣צְךָ֔ (I will counsel you) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (what) יַעֲשֶׂ֜ה (will do) הָעָ֥ם (the people) הַזֶּ֛ה (this) לְעַמְּךָ֖ (to your people) בְּאַחֲרִ֥ית (in latter) הַיָּמִֽים׃ (the days).

Balaam’s Fourth Oracle

15  וַיִּשָּׂ֥א (And he lifted up) מְשָׁל֖וֹ (his oracle) וַיֹּאמַ֑ר (and said),

נְאֻ֤ם (A declaration) בִּלְעָם֙ (of Balaam) בְּנ֣וֹ (son) בְעֹ֔ר (of Beor)

וּנְאֻ֥ם (and a declaration) הַגֶּ֖בֶר (of the man) שְׁתֻ֥ם (with opened) הָעָֽיִן׃ (eyes),

16  נְאֻ֗ם (a declaration) שֹׁמֵ֙עַ֙ (of him who hears) אִמְרֵי־ (the words) אֵ֔ל (of God)

וְיֹדֵ֖עַ (and has) דַּ֣עַת (the knowledge) עֶלְי֑וֹן (of the Most High),

מַחֲזֵ֤ה (the vision) שַׁדַּי֙ (of Shaddai) יֶֽחֱזֶ֔ה (he sees),

נֹפֵ֖ל (falling down) וּגְל֥וּי (and wide open) עֵינָֽיִם׃ (eyes).

17  אֶרְאֶ֙נּוּ֙ (I see Him) וְלֹ֣א (but not) עַתָּ֔ה (now);

אֲשׁוּרֶ֖נּוּ (I behold Him) וְלֹ֣א (but not) קָר֑וֹב (near).

דָּרַ֨ךְ (Shall come) כּוֹכָ֜ב (a star) מִֽיַּעֲקֹ֗ב (out of Jacob)

וְקָ֥ם (and shall rise) שֵׁ֙בֶט֙ (a scepter) מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (out of Israel)

וּמָחַץ֙ (and batter) פַּאֲתֵ֣י (the brow) מוֹאָ֔ב (of Moab)

וְקַרְקַ֖ר (and destroy) כָּל־ (all) בְּנֵי־ (the sons) שֵׁ֔ת׃ (of tumult).

18  וְהָיָ֨ה (And shall be) אֱד֜וֹם (Edom) יְרֵשָׁ֗ה (a possession),

וְהָיָ֧ה (and shall be) יְרֵשָׁ֛ה (a possession) שֵׂעִ֖יר (Seir) אֹיְבָ֑יו (for his enemies),

וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (and Israel) עֹ֥שֶׂה (does) חָֽיִל׃ (valiantly).

19  וְיֵ֖רְדְּ (And one shall have dominion) מִֽיַּעֲקֹ֑ב (out of Jacob)

וְהֶֽאֱבִ֥יד (and destroy) שָׂרִ֖יד (the remains) מֵעִֽיר׃ (of the city).

Balaam’s Final Three Oracles

20  וַיַּרְא֙ (And he saw) אֶת־ (-) עֲמָלֵ֔ק (Amalek), וַיִּשָּׂ֥א (and he lifted up) מְשָׁל֖וֹ (his oracle) וַיֹּאמַ֑ר (and said),

רֵאשִׁ֤ית (First among) גּוֹיִם֙ (the nations) עֲמָלֵ֔ק (Amalek was);

וְאַחֲרִית֖וֹ (and his end) עֲדֵ֥י (is utter) אֹבֵֽד׃ (destruction).

21  וַיַּרְא֙ (And he looked on) אֶת־ (-) הַקֵּינִ֔י (the Kenite), וַיִּשָּׂ֥א (and he lifted up) מְשָׁל֖וֹ (his oracle) וַיֹּאמַ֑ר (and said),

אֵיתָן֙ (Enduring) מֽוֹשָׁבֶ֔ךָ (is your dwelling place),

וְשִׂ֥ים (and is set) בַּסֶּ֖לַע (in the rock) קִנֶּֽךָ׃ (your nest).

22  כִּ֥י (For) אִם־ (nevertheless) יִהְיֶ֖ה (shall be) לְבָ֣עֵֽר (for burning) קָ֑יִן (the Kenite),

עַד־ (until) מָ֖ה (when) אַשּׁ֥וּר (Asshur) תִּשְׁבֶּֽךָּ׃ (will take you captive).

23  וַיִּשָּׂ֥א (And he lifted up) מְשָׁל֖וֹ (his oracle) וַיֹּאמַ֑ר (and said),

א֕וֹי (Alas), מִ֥י (who) יִחְיֶ֖ה (shall live)

מִשֻּׂמ֥וֹ (when does this) אֵֽל׃ (God).

24  וְצִים֙ (And ships shall come) מִיַּ֣ד (from the hand) כִּתִּ֔ים (of Kittim),

וְעִנּ֥וּ (and they shall afflict) אַשּׁ֖וּר (Asshur) וְעִנּוּ־ (and afflict) עֵ֑בֶר (Eber),

וְגַם־ (and) ה֖וּא (he is) עֲדֵ֥י (for utter) אֹבֵֽד׃ (destruction).

25  וַיָּ֣קָם (And rose) בִּלְעָ֔ם (Balaam) וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ (and departed) וַיָּ֣שָׁב (and returned) לִמְקֹמ֑וֹ (to his place), וְגַם־ (and also) בָּלָ֖ק (Balak) הָלַ֥ךְ (went) לְדַרְכּֽוֹ׃פ (his way).