ዘኍልቍ 24

Balaam’s last oracles

¹When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go off to look for omens as he had done the other times. Instead he turned his face toward the wilderness. ²Balaam looked up and saw Israel camped tribe by tribe, and the Spirit of God came upon him. ³Then he spoke his oracle: \q “These are the words of Balaam son of Beor, \q the words of the man whose eye is opened,^{a 4}the words of one who hears what God says, \q who sees the vision of the Almighty, \q who falls to the ground with eyes wide open: ⁵How fine your tents are, Jacob, \q your dwellings, Israel! ⁶They are like stream valleys reaching far, \q like gardens by a river, \q like aloes that the LORD has planted, \q like cedars beside the water. ⁷Water will flow from his buckets, \q and his seed will have abundant water. \q His king will be greater than Agag, \q and his kingdom will be lifted high.^{b 8}God brings him out of Egypt; \q his strength is like the horns of a wild ox. \q He will devour the nations that are his enemies, crush their bones and strike them with his arrows.^{c 9}He crouches and lies down like a lion, like a lioness: who dares to rouse him? \q Blessed are those who bless you, \q and cursed are those who curse you!” ¹⁰Balak was furious with Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to Balaam, “I called you here to curse my enemies, and instead you have done nothing but bless them, three times now. ¹¹Now get out of here and go home! I said I would reward you with great honor, but the LORD has kept you from any honor.” ¹²Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent to me, ¹³‘Even if Balak gave me his house filled with silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the LORD to do anything good or bad of my own will. What the LORD says, that is what I will say’? ¹⁴So now I am going back to my people. But come, let me tell you what this people will do to your people in the days to come.” ¹⁵Then he spoke his oracle: \q “These are the words of Balaam son of Beor, \q the words of the man whose eye is opened, ¹⁶the words of one who hears what God says \q and has knowledge from the Most High, \q who sees the vision of the Almighty, \q who falls to the ground with eyes wide open: ¹⁷I see him, but not now; \q I look on him, but he is not near. \q A star will march out of Jacob, and a scepter will rise from Israel; \q he will crush the forehead of Moab \q and tear down all the people of Sheth.^{def 18}Edom will become his possession; Seir, his enemies, will become his possession, \q while Israel does mighty deeds. ¹⁹One from Jacob will rule, \q and he will wipe out the survivors of the city.”^{g 20}Then he looked at Amalek and spoke his oracle: \q “Amalek was first among the nations, \q but in the end it will perish completely.” ²¹Then he looked at the Kenites and spoke his oracle: \q “Your home is secure, \q and your nest is set in the rock, ²²yet Kain will be burned up. \q How long until Asshur carries you away captive?”^{h 23}Then he spoke his oracle again: \q “Alas, who can survive when God does this?^{ij 24}Ships will come from the coast of Kittim; \q they will bring down Asshur and bring down Eber, \q but he too will perish completely.”^{kl 25}Then Balaam got up and went back home, and Balak also went on his way.