The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
King James Version KJV
1 When Bil'am saw that it pleased ADONAI to bless Isra'el, he didn't go, as at the other times, to make use of divination, but looked out toward the desert.
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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 Bil'am raised his eyes and saw Isra'el encamped tribe by tribe. Then the Spirit of God came upon him,
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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 made his pronouncement: "This is the speech of Bil'am, son of B'or; the speech of the man whose eyes have been opened;
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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 the speech of him who hears God's words; who sees what Shaddai sees, who has fallen, yet has open eyes:
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He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
5 "How lovely are your tents, Ya'akov; your encampments, Isra'el!
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How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!
6 They spread out like valleys, like gardens by the riverside, like succulent aloes planted by ADONAI, like cedar trees next to the water.
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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 "Water will flow from their branches, their seed will have water aplenty. Their king will be higher than Agag and his kingdom lifted high.
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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, who brought them out of Egypt, gives them the strength of a wild ox. They will devour the nations opposing them, break their bones, pierce them with their arrows.
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God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.
9 "When they lie down they crouch like a lion, or like a lioness - who dares to rouse it? Blessed be all who bless you! Cursed be all who curse you!"
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He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
10 Balak blazed with fury against Bil'am. He struck his hands together and said to Bil'am, "I summoned you to curse my enemies. But here, you have done nothing but bless them - three times already!
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And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.
11 Now you had better escape to your own place! I had planned to reward you very well, but now ADONAI has deprived you of payment."
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Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.
12 Bil'am answered Balak, "Didn't I tell the messengers you sent me
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And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,
13 that even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not of my own accord go beyond the word of ADONAI to do either good or bad? that what ADONAI said is what I would say?
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If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?
14 But now that I am going back to my own people, come, I will warn you what this people will do to your people in the acharit-hayamim.
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And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
15 So he made his pronouncement: "This is the speech of Bil'am, son of B'or; the speech of the man whose eyes have been opened;
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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 the speech of him who hears God's words; who knows what 'Elyon knows, who sees what Shaddai sees, who has fallen, yet has open eyes:
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He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
17 "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not soon -a star will step forth from Ya'akov, a scepter will arise from Isra'el, to crush the corners of Mo'av and destroy all descendants of Shet.
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I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
18 His enemies will be his possessions -Edom and Se'ir, possessions. Isra'el will do valiantly,
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And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
19 From Ya'akov will come someone who will rule, and he will destroy what is left of the city."
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Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.
20 He saw 'Amalek and made this pronouncement: "First among nations was 'Amalek, but destruction will be its end."
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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 perish for ever.
21 He saw the Keini and made this pronouncement: "Though your dwelling is firm, your nest set on rock,
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And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.
22 Kayin will be wasted while captive to Ashur."
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Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
23 Finally, he made this pronouncement: "Oh no! Who can live when God does this?
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And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!
24 But ships will come from the coast of Kittim to subdue Ashur and subdue 'Ever, but they too will come to destruction."
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And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.
25 Then Bil'am got up, left and returned to his home; and Balak too went his way.
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And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The King James Version is in the public domain.