1And Balaam saw that it was good in YHWH’s eyes to bless Israel, and he did not go as on previous times to divinations. And he turned his face to the wilderness, 2and Balaam raised his eyes and saw Israel, tenting according to its tribes, and God’s spirit* came on him. 3And he took up his pronouncement, and he said:
Word of Balaam, son of Beor,
and word of the man, opened of eye;
4 word of the one who hears God’s sayings,
who sees Shadday’s vision,
falling, but with eyes uncovered.5 How good your tents are, Jacob,
your tabernacles, Israel.
6 They spread like palms,
like gardens by a river,
like aloes YHWH planted,
like cedars by water.
7 It drips water from its branches
and its seed in plentiful water.
And its king will be higher than Agag, and its kingdom will be elevated.
8 God who brought it out from Egypt
is like a wild ox’s horns for it.
He shall eat up nations, its foes,
and break their bones and pierce with His arrows.
9 It bent, lay down, like a lion;
and, like a feline, who will rouse it?
Those who bless you: he’s blessed.
And those who curse you: he’s cursed.
10And Balak’s anger flared at Balaam, and he wrung his hands, and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to execrate my enemies; and, here, you’ve blessed these three times! “And now, flee to your place! I said I would honor you; and, here, YHWH has held you back from honor!”
12And Balaam said to Balak, “Didn’t I speak to your messengers whom you sent to me as well, saying, 13‘If Balak would give me a houseful of silver and gold of his I wouldn’t be able to go against the mouth of YHWH, to do good or bad from my own heart. Whatever YHWH speaks, that is what I’ll speak.’ 14And now, here, I’m going to my people. Come. I’ll advise you of what this people will do to your people in the future days.” 15And he took up his pronouncement, and he said:
Word of Balaam, son of Beor,
and word of the man whose eye is whole;
16 word of the one who hears God’s sayings
and who knows the Highest’s knowledge,
who sees Shadday’s vision,
falling, but with eyes uncovered.
17 I see it—and not now;
I view it—and not close:
a star has stepped from Jacob,
and a scepter has come up from Israel
and pierced the temples of Moab
and the crown of all the children of Seth.
18 And Edom was a possession,
and Seir was a possession of its enemies,
and Israel was making triumph.
19 And one from Jacob dominated
and destroyed a remnant from a city.
20And he saw Amalek, and he took up his pronouncement, and he said:
Amalek was foremost of nations,
and its future arrives at destruction.
21And he saw the Kenites, and he took up his pronouncement and said:
Your residence is strong,
and set your nest in a cliff.
22 But Cain will be for burning
How long will Asshur hold you prisoner?
23And he took up his pronouncement, and he said:
Woe. Who will live more than what God set him?
24 And ships from the hand of Kittim:
And they degraded Asshur, and they degraded Eber.
And it, too, arrives at destruction.
25And Balaam got up and went, and he went back to his place.* And Balak, too, went his way.**