1 When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, as atsch. 23:3, 15 other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness.
2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw IsraeltSee ch. 2:22-31 camping tribe by tribe. AnduJudg. 3:10; 1 Sam. 19:20, 23; 2 Chr. 15:1; 20:14 the Spirit of God came upon him,
3 and hevSee ch. 23:7 took up his discourse and said,
“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,1Or closed, or perfect; also verse 15
4 the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
w[Ezek. 1:28; 3:23; Rev. 1:10, 17] falling down with his eyes uncovered:
5 How lovely are your tents, O Jacob,
your encampments, O Israel!
6 Like palm groves1Or valleys that stretch afar,
like gardens beside a river,
x[Ps. 1:3; Jer. 17:8] like aloesyPs. 104:16; Isa. 61:3 that the Lord has planted,
like cedar trees beside the waters.
7 Water shall flow from his buckets,
and his seed shall bez[Jer. 51:13; Rev. 17:1] in many waters;
his king shall be higher thana1 Sam. 15:8 Agag,
andb2 Sam. 5:12; 1 Chr. 14:2 his kingdom shall be exalted.
8 God brings him out of Egypt
and is for him like thecSee ch. 23:22 horns of the wild ox;
he shalld[ch. 14:9; 23:24] eat up the nations, his adversaries,
and shalleIsa. 38:13; Jer. 50:17 break their bones in pieces
andfPs. 45:5; Jer. 50:9 pierce them through with his arrows.
9 He crouched, he lay down like a lion
andgch. 23:24; Gen. 49:9 like a lioness; who will rouse him up?
hGen. 12:3; 27:29 Blessed are those who bless you,
and cursed are those who curse you. ”
10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and hei[Job 27:23; Lam. 2:15; Ezek. 21:14, 17; 22:13] struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam,jSee ch. 23:11 “I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. 11 Therefore now flee to your own place. I said,kch. 22:17, 37 ‘I will certainly honor you, ’ but the Lord has held you back from honor. ” 12 And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 13 lch. 22:18 ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or badmSee ch. 16:28 of my own will. What the Lord speaks, that will I speak ’? 14 And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come,n[Mic. 6:5; Rev. 2:14] I will let you know what this people will do to your peopleoSee Gen. 49:1 in the latter days. ”
15 p[ch. 21:27]; See ch. 23:7 And he took up his discourse and said,
“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
16 the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
and knows the knowledge ofqActs 7:48 the Most High,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
rSee ver. 4 falling down with his eyes uncovered:
17 s[ch. 23:9] I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near:
tMatt. 2:2; Rev. 22:16 a star shall come out of Jacob,
anduGen. 49:10 a scepter shall rise out of Israel;
it shallvJer. 48:45; [2 Sam. 8:2] crush the forehead of Moab
and break down all the sons of Sheth.
18 w[2 Sam. 8:14; Ps. 60:8, 9; Amos 9:12] Edom shall be dispossessed;
xGen. 32:3; 36:8 Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed.
Israel is doing valiantly.
19 And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion
and destroy the survivors of cities! ”
20 Then he looked on Amalek andySee ch. 23:7 took up his discourse and said,
“Amalek was the first among the nations,
z[Ex. 17:14; 1 Sam. 15:3, 8] but its end is utter destruction. ”
21 And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said,
“Enduring is your dwelling place,
and your nest is set in the rock.
22 Nevertheless, Kain shall be burned
when Asshur takes you away captive. ”
23 And he took up his discourse and said,
“Alas, who shall live when God does this?
24 But ships shall come fromaGen. 10:4; Dan. 11:30 Kittim
and shall afflict Asshur andbGen. 10:21, 25 Eber;
and he toocver. 20 shall come to utter destruction. ”
25 Then Balaam rose andd[ch. 31:8] went back to his place. And Balak also went his way.