Numeri 24

1And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord that he should bless Israel. he went not as he had gone before, to seek divination: but setting his face towards the desert,

2And lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel abiding in their tents by their tribes: and the spirit of God rushing upon him,

3He took up his parable and said: Balaam the son of Beor hath said: The man hath said, whose eye ire stopped up:

4The hearer of the words of God hath said, he that hath beheld the vision of the Almighty, he that falleth, and so his eyes are opened:

5How beautiful are thy tabernacles, O Jacob, and thy tents, O Israel!

6As woody valleys, as watered gardens near the rivers, as tabernacles which the Lord hath pitched, as cedars by the waterside.

7Water shall flow out of his bucket, and his seed shall be in many waters. For Agag his king shall be removed, and his kingdom shall be taken awry.

8God hath brought him out of Egypt, whose strength is like to the rhinoceros. They shall devour the nations that are his enemies, and break their bones, and pierce them with arrows.

9Lying down he hath slept as a lion, and as a lioness, whom none shall dare to rouse. He that blesseth thee, shall also himself be blessed: he that curseth thee shall be reckoned accursed.

10And Balac being angry against Balaam, clapped his hands together and said: I called thee to curse my enemies, and thou on the contrary hast blessed them three times.

11Return to thy place. I had determined indeed greatly to honour thee, but the Lord hath deprived thee of the honour designed for thee.

12Balaam made answer to Balac: Did I not say to thy messengers, whom thou sentest to me:

13If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to utter any thing of my own head either good or evil: but whatsoever the Lord shall say, that I will speak?

14But yet going to my people, I will give thee counsel, what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.

15Therefore taking up his parable, again he said: Balaam the son of Beor hath said: The man whose eye is stopped up, hath said:

16The hearer of the words of God hath said, who knoweth the doctrine of the Highest, and seeth the visions of the Almighty, who falling hath his eyes opened:

17I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not near. A STAR SHALL RISE out of Jacob and a sceptre shall spring up from Israel: and shall strike the chiefs of Moab, and shall waste all the children of Seth.

18And he shall possess Idumea: the inheritance of Seir shall come to their enemies, but Israel shall do manfully.

19Out of Jacob shall he come that shall rule, and shall destroy the remains of the city.

20And when he saw Amalec, he took up his parable, and said: Amalec the beginning of nations, whose latter ends shall be destroyed.

21He saw also the Cinite: and took up his parable, and said: Thy habitation indeed is strong: but though thou build thy nest in a rock,

22And thou be chosen of the stock of Cin, how long shalt thou be able to continue? For Assur shall take thee captive.

23And taking up his parable, again he said: Alas, who shall live when God shall do these things?

24They shall come in galleys from Italy, they shall overcome the Assyrians, and shall waste the Hebrews, and at the last they themselves also shall perish.

25And Balaam rose, and returned to his place: Balac also returned the way that he came.

1Cumque vidisset Balaam quod placeret Domino ut benediceret Israëli, nequaquam abiit ut ante perrexerat, ut augurium quæreret: sed dirigens contra desertum vultum suum,

2et elevans oculos, vidit Israël in tentoriis commorantem per tribus suas: et irruente in se spiritu Dei,

3assumpta parabola, ait: [Dixit Balaam filius Beor: dixit homo, cujus obturatus est oculus:

4dixit auditor sermonum Dei, qui visionem Omnipotentis intuitus est, qui cadit, et sic aperiuntur oculi ejus:

5Quam pulchra tabernacula tua, Jacob, et tentoria tua, Israël !

6ut valles nemorosæ, ut horti juxta fluvios irrigui, ut tabernacula quæ fixit Dominus, quasi cedri prope aquas.

7Fluet aqua de situla ejus, et semen illius erit in aquas multas. Tolletur propter Agag, rex ejus, et auferetur regnum illius.

8Deus eduxit illum de Ægypto, cujus fortitudo similis est rhinocerotis. Devorabunt gentes hostes illius, ossaque eorum confringent, et perforabunt sagittis.

9Accubans dormivit ut leo, et quasi leæna, quam suscitare nullus audebit. Qui benedixerit tibi, erit et ipse benedictus: qui maledixerit, in maledictione reputabitur.]

10Iratusque Balac contra Balaam, complosis manibus ait: Ad maledicendum inimicis meis vocavi te, quibus e contrario tertio benedixisti:

11revertere ad locum tuum. Decreveram quidem magnifice honorare te, sed Dominus privavit te honore disposito.

12Respondit Balaam ad Balac: Nonne nuntiis tuis, quos misisti ad me, dixi:

13Si dederit mihi Balac plenam domum suam argenti et auri, non potero præterire sermonem Domini Dei mei, ut vel boni quid vel mali proferam ex corde meo: sed quidquid Dominus dixerit, hoc loquar?

14verumtamen pergens ad populum meum, dabo consilium, quid populus tuus populo huic faciat extremo tempore.

15Sumpta igitur parabola, rursum ait: [Dixit Balaam filius Beor: dixit homo, cujus obturatus est oculus:

16dixit auditor sermonum Dei, qui novit doctrinam Altissimi, et visiones Omnipotentis videt, qui cadens apertos habet oculos:

17Videbo eum, sed non modo: intuebor illum, sed non prope. Orietur stella ex Jacob, et consurget virga de Israël: et percutiet duces Moab, vastabitque omnes filios Seth.

18Et erit Idumæa possessio ejus: hæreditas Seir cedet inimicis suis: Israël vero fortiter aget.

19De Jacob erit qui dominetur, et perdat reliquias civitatis.]

20Cumque vidisset Amalec, assumens parabolam, ait: [Principium gentium Amalec, cujus extrema perdentur.]

21Vidit quoque Cinæum: et assumpta parabola, ait: [Robustum quidem est habitaculum tuum: sed si in petra posueris nidum tuum,

22et fueris electus de stirpe Cin, quamdiu poteris permanere? Assur enim capiet te.]

23Assumptaque parabola iterum locutus est: [Heu ! quis victurus est, quando ista faciet Deus?

24Venient in trieribus de Italia: superabunt Assyrios, vastabuntque Hebræos, et ad extremum etiam ipsi peribunt.]

25Surrexitque Balaam, et reversus est in locum suum: Balac quoque via, qua venerat, rediit.

1And when Balaam had seen that it was pleasing to the Lord that he should bless Israel, he by no means went out as he had gone before, to seek divination. But directing his face opposite the desert,

2and lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel dwelling in tents by their tribes. And with the Spirit of God rushing into him,

3taking up his parable, he said: “Balaam, the son of Beor, the man whose eye has been obstructed,

4the hearer of the sermon of God, he who has gazed upon a vision of the Almighty, he who falls down and so his eyes are opened, has declared:

5‘How beautiful are your tabernacles, O Jacob, and your tents, O Israel!

6They are like forested valleys, like gardens irrigated next to rivers, like tabernacles which the Lord has fixed, like cedars close to waters.

7Water shall flow from his jar, and his offspring shall be amid many waters, because Agag, his king, shall be taken, and his kingdom shall be removed.

8Away from Egypt, God has led him, whose strength is like the rhinoceros. They shall devour the nations that are his enemies, and break their bones, and pierce them with arrows.

9Lying down, he has slept like a lion, and like a lioness, whom no one would dare to awaken. He who blesses you, shall himself also be blessed. He who curses you, shall be considered cursed.”

10And Balak, being angry against Balaam, clapped his hands together and said: “I called you to curse my enemies, and, to the contrary, you have blessed them three times.

11Return to your place. I had decided, indeed, to honor you greatly, but the Lord has deprived you of the designated honor.”

12Balaam responded to Balak: “Did I not say to your messengers, whom you sent to me:

13Even if Balak would give me his house, filled with silver and gold, I still could not go away from the word of the Lord my God, so as to offer anything, either good or evil, from my own heart; but whatever the Lord will speak, this, too, I shall speak.

14Yet truly, as I continue on to my own people, I will give you counsel as to what this people shall do to your people in the end times.”

15Therefore, taking up his parable, he again spoke: “Balaam the son of Beor, the man whose eye has been obstructed,

16the hearer of the sermon of God, he who knows the doctrine of the Most High, and who sees the visions of the Almighty, who, falling down, has his eyes opened, has declared:

17I shall see him, but not presently. I shall gaze upon him, but not soon. A star shall rise out of Jacob, and a rod shall spring up from Israel. And he shall strike down the commanders of Moab, and he shall devastate all the sons of Seth.

18And he shall possess Idumea; the inheritance of Seir shall fall to their enemies. Yet truly, Israel shall act with strength.

19From Jacob will be he who shall be ruler. And he shall perish the remnants of the city.”

20And when he saw Amalek, taking up his parable, he said: “Amalek, first among the Gentiles, whose very end shall be perdition.”

21Likewise, he saw the Kainites, and taking up his parable, he said: “Robust, indeed, is your habitation. But though you will set your nest in a rock,

22and you will be elect among the stock of Kain, how long will you be able to remain? For Assur shall take you captive.”

23And taking up his parable once more he said: “Alas! Who will be able to survive, when God will do these things?

24They shall arrive in Greek warships from Italy. They shall overcome the Assyrians, and they shall devastate the Hebrews, and yet, at the very end, even they themselves shall perish.”

25And Balaam rose up, and he returned to his place. Likewise, Balak went back, along the way by which he had arrived.