24:7 He will pour the water out of his buckets, 1
and their descendants will be like abundant 2 water; 3
their king will be greater than Agag, 4
and their kingdom will be exalted.
24:8 God brought them out of Egypt.
They have, as it were, the strength of a young bull;
they will devour hostile people 5
and will break their bones
and will pierce them through with arrows.
24:9 They crouch and lie down like a lion,
and as a lioness, 6 who can stir him?
Blessed is the one who blesses you,
and cursed is the one who curses you!’”
24:10 Then Balak became very angry at Balaam, and he struck his hands together. 7 Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have done nothing but bless 8 them these three times! 24:11 So now, go back where you came from! 9 I said that I would greatly honor you; but now the Lord has stood in the way of your honor.”
24:12 Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not also tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 24:13 ‘If Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond 10 the commandment 11 of the Lord to do either good or evil of my own will, 12 but whatever the Lord tells me I must speak’? 24:14 And now, I am about to go 13 back to my own people. Come now, and I will advise you as to what this people will do to your people in the future.” 14
24:15 Then he uttered this oracle: 15
“The oracle of Balaam son of Beor;
the oracle of the man whose eyes are open;
24:16 the oracle of the one who hears the words of God,
and who knows the knowledge of the Most High,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
although falling flat on the ground with eyes open:
24:17 ‘I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not close at hand. 16
A star 17 will march forth 18 out of Jacob,
and a scepter 19 will rise out of Israel.
He will crush the skulls 20 of Moab,
and the heads 21 of all the sons of Sheth. 22
24:18 Edom will be a possession,
Seir, 23 his enemies, will also be a possession;
but Israel will act valiantly.
24:19 A ruler will be established from Jacob;
he will destroy the remains of the city.’” 24
24:20 Then Balaam 25 looked on Amalek and delivered this oracle: 26
“Amalek was the first 27 of the nations,
but his end will be that he will perish.”
24:21 Then he looked on the Kenites and uttered this oracle:
“Your dwelling place seems strong,
and your nest 28 is set on a rocky cliff.
24:22 Nevertheless the Kenite will be consumed. 29
How long will Asshur take you away captive?”
24:23 Then he uttered this oracle:
“O, who will survive when God does this! 30
24:24 Ships will come from the coast of Kittim, 31
and will afflict Asshur, 32 and will afflict Eber,
and he will also perish forever.” 33
24:25 Balaam got up and departed and returned to his home, 34 and Balak also went his way.