1 When Balaam saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel, he didn’t go, as at the other times, to use divination, but he set his face toward the wilderness. 2 Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came on him. 3 He took up his parable, and said,
"Balaam the son of Beor says,
the man whose eyes are open says;
4 he says, who hears the words of God,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
falling down, and having his eyes open:
5 How goodly are your tents, Jacob,
and your dwellings, Israel!
6 As valleys they are spread out,
as gardens by the riverside,
as aloes which Yahweh has planted,
as cedar trees beside the waters.
7 Water shall flow from his buckets.
His seed shall be in many waters.
His king shall be higher than Agag.
His kingdom shall be exalted.
8 God brings him out of Egypt.
He has as it were the strength of the wild ox.
He shall consume the nations his adversaries,
shall break their bones in pieces,
and pierce them with his arrows.
9 He couched, he lay down as a lion,
as a lioness;
who shall rouse him up?
Everyone who blesses you is blessed.
Everyone who curses you is cursed."
10 Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have altogether blessed them these three times. 11 Therefore, flee to your place, now! I thought to promote you to great honor; but, behold, Yahweh has kept you back from honor."
12 Balaam said to Balak, "Didn’t I also tell your messengers whom you sent to me, saying, 13 ‘If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond Yahweh’s word, to do either good or bad from my own mind. I will say what Yahweh says’? 14 Now, behold, I go to my people. Come, I will inform you what this people shall do to your people in the latter days."
15 He took up his parable, and said,
"Balaam the son of Beor says,
the man whose eyes are open says;
16 he says, who hears the words of God,
knows the knowledge of the Most High,
and who sees the vision of the Almighty,
falling down, and having his eyes open:
17 I see him, but not now.
I see him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob.
A scepter will rise out of Israel,
and shall strike through the corners of Moab,
and crush all the sons of Sheth.
18 Edom shall be a possession.
Seir, his enemy, also shall be a possession,
while Israel does valiantly.
19 Out of Jacob shall one have dominion,
and shall destroy the remnant from the city."
20 He looked at Amalek, and took up his parable, and said,
"Amalek was the first of the nations,
But his latter end shall come to destruction."
21 He looked at the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said,
"Your dwelling place is strong.
Your nest is set in the rock.
22 Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted,
until Asshur carries you away captive."
23 He took up his parable, and said,
"Alas, who shall live when God does this?
24 But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim.
They shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber.
He also shall come to destruction."
25 Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.
1 Toe B¡leam sien dat dit goed was in die oë van die HERE om Israel te seën, het hy hom nie soos die vorige kere tot towery gewend nie, maar sy gesig na die woestyn gedraai.
2 Toe B¡leam sy oë opslaan en Israel sien soos hy volgens sy stamme in die laer staan, het die Gees van God op hom gekom.
3 En hy het sy spreuk aangehef en gesê: B¡leam, die seun van Beor, spreek, en die man met geopende oog spreek.
4 Die hoorder van die woorde van God spreek, hy wat die gesigte van die Almagtige sien, wat neerval en geopende oë het.
5 Hoe mooi is jou tente, o Jakob, jou wonings, o Israel!
6 Soos dale met waterlope wat hulle ver uitstrek, soos tuine by 'n rivier, soos alewees wat die HERE geplant het, soos seders by die water.
7 Water vloei uit sy emmers, en sy saad is by baie waters. En laat sy koning hoër wees as Agag, en sy koninkryk hom verhef!
8 God wat hom uit Egipte uitgelei het, is vir hom soos die horings van 'n buffel; hy sal nasies, sy vyande, verteer en hulle gebeente stukkend breek en met sy pyle verbrysel.
9 Hy buig hom, hy gaan lê soos 'n leeu en soos 'n leeuin: wie sal hom opjaag? Geseënd is hulle wat jou seën, en vervloek is hulle wat jou vervloek!
10 Toe het Balak baie kwaad geword vir B¡leam en sy hande saamgeslaan, en Balak het aan B¡leam gesê: Ek het jou laat roep om my vyande te vloek, en kyk, jy het nou al drie maal net geseën!
11 Trek dan nou gou na jou woonplek! Ek het gesê dat ek jou hoog sal vereer; maar kyk, die HERE het jou van verering teruggehou.
12 Toe het B¡leam vir Balak gesê: Het ek nie alreeds met jou boodskappers wat jy na my gestuur het, gespreek en gesê nie:
13 Al gee Balak my sy huis vol silwer en goud, ek kan die bevel van die HERE nie oortree om goed of kwaad uit my eie hart te doen nie; wat die HERE spreek, dit sal ek spreek.
14 En nou, kyk, ek gaan na my volk toe. Kom, ek sal jou inligting gee, wat hierdie volk jou volk sal aandoen aan die einde van die dae.
15 Toe het hy sy spreuk aangehef en gesê: B¡leam, die seun van Beor, spreek, en die man met geopende oog spreek.
16 Die hoorder van die woorde van God spreek, en hy wat die wetenskap van die Allerhoogste ken, wat die gesigte van die Almagtige sien wat neerval en geopende oë het.
17 Ek sien hom, maar nie nou nie, ek aanskou hom, maar nie naby nie: 'n ster kom te voorskyn uit Jakob, en 'n septer kom uit Israel op, en hy verbrysel die slape van die hoof van Moab en werp al die oorlogsugtiges omver.
18 Ook sal Edom 'n besitting wees; en Se‹r, sy vyande, sal 'n besitting wees, maar Israel neem toe in krag.
19 En laat daar een uit Jakob heers en die vrygeraaktes uit die stede vernietig.
20 Toe hy Amalek sien, het hy sy spreuk aangehef en gesê: Amalek is die eersteling van die heidene, maar sy einde is ondergang.
21 Toe hy die Keniete sien, het hy sy spreuk aangehef en gesê: Jou woonplek is vas, en jou nes is gebou op die rots.
22 Ewenwel sal Kain tot verwoesting wees. Hoe lank nog? Assur sal jou as gevangene wegvoer.
23 Verder het hy sy spreuk aangehef en gesê: Wee, wie sal lewe as God d¡t beskik?
24 En skepe kom van die kant van die Kittiërs af, en hulle verneder Assur en hulle verneder Heber; en hy is ook tot ondergang bestem.
25 Toe het B¡leam hom klaargemaak en weggetrek en na sy woonplek teruggekeer. En Balak het ook sy koers gegaan.