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Numbers 24

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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.

   


Thanks to the Kempton Project for the permission to use this New Church translation of the Word.

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Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture # 101

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101. Before the Current Word in the World Today, There Was a Word That Has Been Lost

Before the Word in the Israelite nation given through Moses and the Prophets, worship employing sacrifices was known, and people prophesied in the name of Jehovah, as can be seen from reports in the books of Moses.

That worship employing sacrifices was known: This can be seen from its being commanded to the children of Israel to overturn the altars of the gentiles, break in pieces their pillars, and cut down their groves (Exodus 34:13, Deuteronomy 7:5, 12:3).

It can be seen from the time when Israel in Shittim began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moab, that the daughters invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods, and especially that Israel joined itself to Baal-Peor, and Jehovah’s anger was inflamed therefore against Israel (Numbers 25:1-3).

It can also be seen from the altars that Balaam, who came from Syria, caused to be built, and from his sacrificing oxen and flocks (Numbers 22:40, 23:1-2, 14, 29-30).

[2] That people prophesied in the name of Jehovah: This can be seen from the prophecies of Balaam (Numbers 23:7-10, 18-24, 24:3-9, 15-24). His prophesying concerning the Lord, that a Star would arise out of Jacob and a scepter out of Israel (Numbers 24:17). His prophesying in the name of Jehovah (Numbers 22:13, 18, 23:3, 5, 8, 16, 26, 24:1, 13). It is apparent from this that a Divine worship like the worship in the Israelite nation instituted by Moses existed among gentiles.

[3] That such worship existed also before the time of Abram: A glimmer of this is reflected in Moses’ words in Deuteronomy 32:7-8. But it is still more plainly apparent from the action of Melchizedek, king of Salem, who brought out bread and wine and blessed Abram, and from Abram’s giving him tithes of everything (Genesis 14:18-20). Melchizedek, moreover, represented the Lord, for he is called the priest of God Most High (Genesis 14:18). Regarding the Lord, we are also told in the book of Psalms, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek” (Psalms 110:4). That is why Melchizedek brought out bread and wine as holy elements of the church, like the holy elements in the sacrament of Holy Supper, and why he could bless Abram, and why Abram gave him tithes of everything.

  
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Thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.