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1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased God to bless Israel, he did not go according to his custom to meet the omens, but turned his face towards the wilderness. 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and sees Israel encamped by their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him. 3 And he took up his parable and said, Balaam son of Beor says, the man who sees truly says, 4 he says who hears the oracle of the Mighty One, who saw a vision of God in sleep; his eyes were opened: 5 How goodly are your habitations, Jacob, and your tents, Israel! 6 as shady groves, and as gardens by a river, and as tents which God pitched, and as cedars by the waters. 7 There shall come a man out of his seed, and he shall rule over many nations; and the kingdom of Gog shall be exalted, and his kingdom shall be increased. 8 God led him out of Egypt; he has as it were the glory of a unicorn: he shall consume the nations of his enemies, and he shall * drain their marrow, and with his darts he shall shoot through the enemy. 9 He lay down, he rested as a lion, and as a young lion; who shall stir him up? they that bless you are blessed, and they that curse you are cursed. 10 And Balac was angry with Balaam, and clapped his hands together; and Balac said to Balaam, I called you to curse my enemy, and behold you have decidedly blessed him this third time. 11 Now therefore flee to your place: I said, I will honour you, but now the Lord has deprived you of glory. 12 And Balaam said to Balac, Did I not speak to your messengers also whom you sent to me, saying, 13 If Balac should give me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to † transgress the word of the Lord to make it good or bad by myself; whatever things God shall say, them will I speak. 14 And now, behold, I return to my place; come, I will advise you of what this people shall do to your people in the last days. 15 And he took up his parable and said, Balaam the son of Beor says, the man who sees truly says, 16 hearing the oracles of God, ‡ receiving knowledge from the Most High, and having seen a vision of God in sleep; his eyes were § opened. 17 I will point to him, but not now; I bless him, but he draws not near: a star shall rise out of Jacob, a man shall spring out of Israel; and shall crush the princes of Moab, and shall spoil all the sons of Seth. 18 And Edom shall be an inheritance, and Esau his enemy shall be an inheritance of Israel, and Israel wrought valiantly. 19 And one shall arise out of Jacob, and destroy out of the city him that escapes. 20 And having seen Amalec, he took up his parable and said, Amalec is the first of the nations; yet his seed shall perish. 21 And having seen the Kenite, he took up his parable and said, your dwelling-place is strong; yet though you should put your nest in a rock, 22 and though Beor should have a ** skilfully contrived hiding-place, the Assyrians shall carry you away captive. 23 And he looked upon Og, and took up his parable and said, Oh, oh, who shall live, when God shall †† do these things? 24 And one shall come forth from the hands of the Citians, and shall afflict Assur, and shall afflict the ‡‡ Hebrews, and they shall perish together. 25 And Balaam rose up and departed and returned to his place, and Balac went §§ to his own home.
* 24:8 Gr. suck the marrow out of their fat bones † 24:13 or, go beyond ‡ 24:16 Gr. knowing knowledge § 24:16 Or, unveiled ** 24:22 Gr. nest of cunning †† 24:23 Gr. put ‡‡ 24:24 Or, men of Heber. §§ 24:25 Gr. q. d. chez lui