1When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he didn’t go, as at the other times, to use divination, but he set his face toward the wilderness. 2Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came on him. 3He took up his parable, and said,
“Balaam the son of Beor says,
the man whose eyes are open says;
4he says, who hears the words of God,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
falling down, and having his eyes open:
5How goodly are your tents, Jacob,
and your dwellings, Israel!
6As valleys they are spread out,
as gardens by the riverside,
as aloes which the Lord has planted,
as cedar trees beside the waters.
7Water shall flow from his buckets.
His seed shall be in many waters.
His king shall be higher than Agag.
His kingdom shall be exalted.
8God 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.
9He 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.”
10Balak’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. 11Therefore, flee to your place, now! I thought to promote you to great honor; but, behold, the Lord has kept you back from honor.”
12Balaam 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 the Lord’s word, to do either good or bad from my own mind. I will say what the Lord says’? 14Now, behold, I go to my people. Come, I will inform you what this people shall do to your people in the latter days.”
15He took up his parable, and said,
“Balaam the son of Beor says,
the man whose eyes are open says;
16he 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:
17I 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.
18Edom shall be a possession.
Seir, his enemy, also shall be a possession,
while Israel does valiantly.
19Out of Jacob shall one have dominion,
and shall destroy the remnant from the city.”
20He 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.”
21He looked at the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said,
“Your dwelling place is strong.
Your nest is set in the rock.
22Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted,
until Asshur carries you away captive.”
23He took up his parable, and said,
“Alas, who shall live when God does this?
24But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim.
They shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber.
He also shall come to destruction.”
25Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.
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.