¹ And Balaam saw that it was·​·good in the eyes of Jehovah to bless Israel, and he went^◦ not, as at earlier times^◦, to meet with foretellings^*, but he set^◦ his faces toward^▵ the wilderness.

² And Balaam lifted·​·up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding^◦ according·​·to^▵ his tribes^◦; and the spirit of God was upon him.

³ And he lifted·​·up his enunciation, and said, Balaam the son of Beor has said^◦, and the man^▫ whose eyes are·​·opened^▵ has said^◦:

⁴ he has said^◦, who heard the sayings of God^◦, who beheld the vision of Shaddai, falling forward, but having his eyes uncovered;

⁵ How good·​·are thy tents, O Jacob, thy habitations, O Israel!

⁶ As the brooks are they stretched^*, as gardens by^◦ the river, as the aloes which Jehovah has planted, as cedars by^◦ the waters.

⁷ He shall pour the water out·​·of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be made·​·higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be lifted·​·up.

⁸ God^◦ brought· him ·out from Egypt; he has^◦ as·​·it·​·were the powers^◦ of a unicorn; he shall eat·​·up the nations of his adversaries, and shall fracture^◦ their bones, and he shall strike^◦ with his arrows.

⁹ He stooped, he lay·​·down as a lion, and as an old·​·lion; who shall raise· him ·up? Blessed is he who blesses thee, and cursed is he who curses thee.

¹⁰ And the anger of Balak was·​·fierce toward^▵ Balaam, and he slapped the palms of his hands; and Balak said to^▵ Balaam, I called thee to curse^▵ my enemies, and, behold, blessing thou hast blessed them these three times^◦.

¹¹ And now for thyself run·​·away to^▵ thy place; I said glorifying I would glorify thee, and behold, Jehovah has withheld thee from glory.

¹² And Balaam said to^▵ Balak, Spoke I not also to^▵ thy messengers whom thou didst send to^▵ me, saying,

¹³ If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go·​·beyond^◦ the mouth of Jehovah, to do good or evil of my own heart. What Jehovah speaks, I will speak.

¹⁴ And now, behold, I go^◦ to my people; go therefore, and I will counsel thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.

¹⁵ And he lifted·​·up his enunciation, and said, Balaam the son of Beor has said^◦, and the man^▫ whose eyes are·​·opened^▵ has said^◦:

¹⁶ he has said^◦, who heard the sayings of God^◦, and knew the knowledge of the Most·​·High, who beheld the vision of Shaddai, falling forward, but having his eyes uncovered:

¹⁷ I shall see Him, but not now; I shall observe^◦ Him, but not near; there shall come a star^* out·​·of Jacob, and a scepter shall arise out·​·of Israel, and shall strike^◦ the corners^▵ of Moab, and topple all the sons of Sheth.

¹⁸ And Edom shall be a possession, and Seir shall be a possession of his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.

¹⁹ Out·​·of Jacob shall come He who shall have·​·dominion, and shall make· the survivor of the city ·perish.

²⁰ And he saw Amalek, and he lifted·​·up his enunciation, and said, Amalek was the beginning^◦ of the nations; but his last is to perish forever.

²¹ And he looked^◦ on the Kenites, and lifted·​·up his enunciation, and said, Strong^◦ is thy dwellingplace, and thou settest thy nest in a rock^◦.

²² But^◦ the Kenite shall be swept·​·away, until when Assyria shall take· thee ·captive.

²³ And he lifted·​·up his enunciation, and said, Woe! Who shall live when God^◦ does this!

²⁴ And boats shall come from the hand of Kittim, and shall afflict Assyria, and shall afflict Eber, and he^◦ also shall perish forever.

²⁵ And Balaam rose·​·up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went^◦ his way.