Open English Translation NUM Chapter 24

24 By now, Bileam had realised that Yahweh wanted to bless the Israelis, so he didn’t use his usual divinations but instead, he just looked towards the wilderness. 2 He looked up and saw Yisrael in their tents laid out by tribe. Then God’s spirit came onto him, 3 and he made his pronouncement,

“This is the declaration of Bileam, son of Beor—

≈ the utterance of a man whose eyes are open.

4 The declaration of someone who heard God’s message,

≈ someone who sees the all-powerful one’s vision,

who bows to the ground with his eyes wide open.

5 Yes Yakov, your tents look good.

≈ Yes Yisrael, the places where you’re living:

6 They stretch out like a riverbed.

≈ Like gardens beside a river.

Like palms that Yahweh has planted,

≈ Like cedar trees beside the waters.

7 Water will spill over the top of his buckets,

and his descendants will flow out like water.

Yisrael’s king will be greater than King Agag,

and his kingdom will become honoured.

8 God is bringing him here from Egypt

with power like the horns of a wild bull.

He’ll devastate those nations that oppose him.

He’ll break their bones, and his arrows will pierce them.

9 He crouched—lying down like a lion or a lioness.

Who will rouse him?

Those who bless, you will be blessed,

^ but those who curse you, will be cursed.[ref]

10 Then King Balak got very angry with Bileam, and he banged his hands together and said angrily, “I called you to curse my enemies, and blast you, you’ve actually blessed them three times now! 11 Now get back to where you came from! I said that I’d honour you very well, but man, Yahweh has kept you from any honour!”

12 But Bileam replied, “Didn’t I also tell the messengers that you sent to me that 13 even if you gave me a house full of gold and silver, I wouldn’t be able to say anything other than what Yahweh tells me—whether good or evil? Whatever Yahweh tells me, that’s what I have to say. 14 So yes, I’ll go back home now, but first, allow me to tell you what that people group will do to your people in the future.”

15 Then Bileam gave this pronouncement to Balak,

“This is the declaration of Bileam, son of Beor—

≈ the utterance of a man whose eyes are open.

16 The statement from someone who hears God’s messages,

≈ and the one who receives knowledge from the highest one,

who sees visions from the powerful one.

≈ The one who falls to his knees with his eyes opened.

17 I see him, but not now.

≈ I’ll look at him, but he’s not close.

A star has marched out from Yakov (Jacob),

≈ and a staff has risen from Yisrael (Israel).

He will crush Moav’s corners,

≈ and destroy all of Shet’s (Seth’s) descendants.

18 Edom will become their possession,

≈ as will his enemy, Seir.

Yisrael will project strength.

19 A ruler will come from Yakov,

→ and destroy the city’s survivors.”

20 Then Bileam looked towards Amalek and made this pronouncement,

“Amalek is the first of the nations,

^ but its end will be destruction.”

21 Then he looked towards the Kenites and made this pronouncement,

“Your dwelling is permanent,

≈ and your nest is set in the cliffs.

22 but you Kenites will be destroyed

when Ashhur (the Assyrians) take you captive.”

23 Then finally, Bileam made this pronouncement,

“Oh dear, who can survive when God does all that?

24 Ships will come from the Kittim coast (Cyprus),

and they’ll damage Asshur and Ever,

but they themselves will be destroyed as well.”

25 Then Bileam packed up and went home, and King Balak also went on his way.

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