24: 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.
24: 3 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, And the man whose eye 160was closed saith;
160Or, is opened saith; And in vs. 15.
24: 4 He saith, who heareth the words of God, Who seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:
24: 5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, Thy tabernacles, O Israel!
24: 6 As valleys are they spread forth, As gardens by the river-side, 161As tents that Jehovah hath set up, As cedar-trees beside the waters.
161So Sam., Sept., Aram., Vg., 4QNumb. Massoretic reads As lign-aloes which Jehovah hath planted,
24: 7 Water shall flow from his buckets, And his seed shall be in many waters, And his king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted.
24: 8 God bringeth him forth out of Egypt; He hath as it were the strength of a wild-ox: He shall eat up the nations his adversaries, And shall break their bones in pieces, And smite them through with his arrows.
24: 9 He couched, he lay down as a lion, And as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Blessed be every one that blesseth thee, And cursed be every one that curseth thee!
24: 10 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.
24: 11 Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honor; but, lo, Jehovah hath kept thee back from honor.
24: 12 And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers that thou sentest unto me, saying,
24: 13 If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; what Jehovah speaketh, that will I speak?
24: 14 And now, behold, I go unto my people: come, and I will advise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
24: 15 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, And the man whose eye was closed saith;
24: 16 He saith, who heareth the words of God, And knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, Who seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:
24: 17 I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh: There shall come forth a star out of Jacob, And a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, And shall smite through the corners of Moab, And break down all the sons 162of tumult.
162Or, of Sheth.
24: 18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession, who were his enemies; While Israel doeth valiantly.
24: 19 And out of Jacob shall one have dominion, And shall destroy the remnant from the city.
24: 20 And he looked on Amalek, and took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the 163first of the nations; But his latter end shall come to destruction;
163Or, first of the nations to attack Israel;
24: 21 And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwelling-place, And thy nest is set in the rock.
24: 22 Nevertheless 164Kain shall be wasted, 165Until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
164Or, the Kenites shall be wasted,
165Or, How long? Asshur shall etc.
24: 23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God 166doeth this?
166Or, establisheth him
24: 24 But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim, And they shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict 167Eber; And he also shall come to destruction.
167Quite possibly, Ebla; though past its prime.
24: 25 And Balaam 168rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.
168Josephus says, Balaam then taught Balak and his allies to seduce Israel with their women; so God would be angry with Israel. Antiq. VI, vi, 6-12. Compare ch. 31:16; Rv 2:14.
