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¹ And when Balaam saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel, he did not go, as at the other times, to use magic, but he set his face toward the wilderness.² And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came on him.³ And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor says, And the [special] man whose eye was closed 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, O Jacob, Your tabernacles, O Israel!⁶ As valleys are they spread forth, As gardens by the river-side, As lign-aloes which Yahweh has planted, As cedar-trees beside the waters.⁷ Water shall flow from his buckets, And his seed shall be in many waters, And his king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted.⁸ God brings him forth out of Egypt; He has as it were the strength of the wild-ox: He shall eat up the nations his adversaries, And shall break their bones in pieces, And smite [them] through with his arrows.⁹ He couched, he lay down as a lion, And as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Blessed be every one that blesses you, And cursed be every one that curses you.

¹⁰ And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, I called you to curse my enemies, and, look, you have altogether blessed them these three times.¹¹ Therefore now you flee to your place: I thought to promote you to great honor; but, look, Yahweh has kept you back from honor.¹² And Balaam said to Balak, Didn't I speak also to your messengers that you sent to me, saying,¹³ If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can't go beyond the word of Yahweh, to do either good or bad of my own mind; what Yahweh speaks, that I will speak?¹⁴ And now, look, I am going to my people: come, [and] I will advise you what this people shall do to your people in the latter days.

¹⁵ And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor says, And the [special] man whose eye was closed says;¹⁶ He says, who hears words of God, And knows knowledge of the Most High, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:¹⁷ I see him, but not now; I look at him, but not near: There shall come forth a star out of Jacob, And a scepter shall rise out of Israel, And shall smite through the corners of Moab, And the crown of the head of all the sons of tumult.¹⁸ And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession, [who were] his enemies; While Israel does valiantly.¹⁹ And out of Jacob shall one have dominion, And shall destroy the remnant from the city.²⁰ And he looked on Amalek, and took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; But his latter end will be to perish forever.²¹ And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is your dwelling-place, And your nest is set in the rock.²² Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted, Until Asshur shall carry you away captive.²³ And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who will come in bands out of the north?²⁴ Those who go out from the coast of Kittim, And they shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber; And he also will perish forever.²⁵ And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.