| New American Standard Bible 1995 | New Living Translation |
| 1When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times to seek omens but he set his face toward the wilderness. | 1By now Balaam realized that the LORD was determined to bless Israel, so he did not resort to divination as before. Instead, he turned and looked out toward the wilderness, |
| 2And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came upon him. | 2where he saw the people of Israel camped, tribe by tribe. Then the Spirit of God came upon him, |
| 3He took up his discourse and said, "The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, And the oracle of the man whose eye is opened; | 3and this is the message he delivered: “This is the message of Balaam son of Beor, the message of the man whose eyes see clearly, |
| 4The oracle of him who hears the words of God, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered, | 4the message of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open: |
| 5How fair are your tents, O Jacob, Your dwellings, O Israel! | 5How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob; how lovely are your homes, O Israel! |
| 6"Like valleys that stretch out, Like gardens beside the river, Like aloes planted by the LORD, Like cedars beside the waters. | 6They spread before me like palm groves, like gardens by the riverside. They are like tall trees planted by the LORD, like cedars 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 Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted. | 7Water will flow from their buckets; their offspring have all they need. Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted. |
| 8"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 in pieces, And shatter them with his arrows. | 8God brought them out of Egypt; for them he is as strong as a wild ox. He devours all the nations that oppose him, breaking their bones in pieces, shooting them with arrows. |
| 9"He crouches, he lies down as a lion, And as a lion, who dares rouse him? Blessed is everyone who blesses you, And cursed is everyone who curses you." | 9Like a lion, Israel crouches and lies down; like a lioness, who dares to arouse her? Blessed is everyone who blesses you, O Israel, and cursed is everyone who curses you.” |
| 10Then 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! | 10King Balak flew into a rage against Balaam. He angrily clapped his hands and shouted, “I called you to curse my enemies! Instead, you have blessed them three times. |
| 11"Therefore, flee to your place now. I said I would honor you greatly, but behold, the LORD has held you back from honor." | 11Now get out of here! Go back home! I promised to reward you richly, but the LORD has kept you from your reward.” |
| 12Balaam said to Balak, "Did I not tell your messengers whom you had sent to me, saying, | 12Balaam told Balak, “Don’t you remember what I told your messengers? I said, |
| 13'Though 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, that I will speak '? | 13‘Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the LORD.’ I told you that I could say only what the LORD says! |
| 14"And now, behold, I am going to my people; come, and I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the days to come." | 14Now I am returning to my own people. But first let me tell you what the Israelites will do to your people in the future.” Balaam’s Final Messages |
| 15He took up his discourse and said, "The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, And the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, | 15This is the message Balaam delivered: “This is the message of Balaam son of Beor, the message of the man whose eyes see clearly, |
| 16The oracle 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. | 16the message of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open: |
| 17"I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star shall come forth from Jacob, A scepter shall rise from Israel, And shall crush through the forehead of Moab, And tear down all the sons of Sheth. | 17I see him, but not here and now. I perceive him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel. It will crush the heads of Moab’s people, cracking the skulls of the people of Sheth. |
| 18"Edom shall be a possession, Seir, its enemies, also will be a possession, While Israel performs valiantly. | 18Edom will be taken over, and Seir, its enemy, will be conquered, while Israel marches on in triumph. |
| 19"One from Jacob shall have dominion, And will destroy the remnant from the city." | 19A ruler will rise in Jacob who will destroy the survivors of Ir.” |
| 20And he looked at Amalek and took up his discourse and said, "Amalek was the first of the nations, But his end shall be destruction." | 20Then Balaam looked over toward the people of Amalek and delivered this message: “Amalek was the greatest of nations, but its destiny is destruction!” |
| 21And 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. | 21Then he looked over toward the Kenites and delivered this message: “Your home is secure; your nest is set in the rocks. |
| 22"Nevertheless Kain will be consumed; How long will Asshur keep you captive?" | 22But the Kenites will be destroyed when Assyria takes you captive.” |
| 23Then he took up his discourse and said, "Alas, who can live except God has ordained it? | 23Balaam concluded his messages by saying: “Alas, who can survive unless God has willed it? |
| 24"But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim, And they shall afflict Asshur and will afflict Eber; So they also will come to destruction." | 24Ships will come from the coasts of Cyprus ; they will oppress Assyria and afflict Eber, but they, too, will be utterly destroyed.” |
| 25Then Balaam arose and departed and returned to his place, and Balak also went his way. | 25Then Balaam left and returned home, and Balak also went on his way. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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