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¹ And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.² And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding [in his tents] according to their tribes, and the spirit of God came upon him.³ And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:⁴ He hath said, who heard the words of God, who saw the vision of the Almighty, falling [into a trance], but having his eyes open:⁵ How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, [and] thy tabernacles, O Israel!⁶ As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign-aloes which the LORD hath planted, [and] as cedar-trees beside the waters.⁷ He shall pour the water out of 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 brought him forth from Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of a unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce [them] through with his arrows.⁹ He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall rouse him? Blessed [is] he that blesseth thee, and cursed [is] he that curseth thee.

¹⁰ And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said to Balaam, I called thee to curse my enemies, and behold, thou hast altogether blessed [them] these three times.¹¹ Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee to great honor; but lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honor.¹² And Balaam said to Balak, Did I not speak also to thy messengers whom thou sentest to me, saying,¹³ If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do [either] good or bad of my own mind; [but] what the LORD saith, that will I speak?¹⁴ And now, behold, I go to my people: come [therefore], I will advertise thee what this people will do to thy people in the latter days.

¹⁵ And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:¹⁶ He hath said, who heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the Most High, [who] saw the vision of the Almighty, falling [into a trance], but having his eyes open:¹⁷ I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.¹⁸ And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.¹⁹ Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.²⁰ And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek [was] the first of the nations, but his latter end [shall be] that he shall perish for ever.²¹ And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwelling-place, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.²² Nevertheless, the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asher shall carry thee away captive.²³ And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!²⁴ And ships [shall come] from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Ashur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.²⁵ And Balaam arose, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.