New International Version NIV
Orthodox Jewish Bible OJB
1 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to divination as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness.
1 4 And when Balaam saw that it was tov in the eyes of Hashem to bless Yisroel, he went not, as at other times, to use nechashim (sorceries, divination, looking for omens) but he set his face toward hamidbar.
2 When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him
2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Yisroel encamped according to their Shevatim; and the Ruach Elohim came upon him.
3 and he spoke his message: “The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
3 And he took up his mashal, and said, Balaam ben Beor hath said, the man whose eyes are open hath said,
4 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty,who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
4 He hath said which heard the words of El, which saw the machazeh Shaddai (vision of Shaddai), which falling prostrate, but having his eyes open:
5 “How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel!
5 Mah tovu ohalecha (How goodly, beautiful, are thy tents), O Ya’akov, and mishkenotecha (thy dwellings, tabernacles), O Yisroel!
6 “Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the LORD, like cedars beside the waters.
6 As the valleys are they [the tents of Yisroel] spread forth, as ganot (gardens) by the riverside, like aloes which Hashem hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the mayim.
7 Water will flow from their buckets; their seed will have abundant water. “Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted.
7 He shall pour the [rainfall] mayim out of his buckets, and his zera shall have mayim rabbim, and his Melech shall be more exalted than Agag, and Malchuso (His Kingdom) shall be upraised.
8 “God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. They devour hostile nations and break their bones in pieces; with their arrows they pierce them.
8 El brought him forth out of Mitzrayim. He hath the strength of a wild bull. He shall devour the Goyim his enemies and break their atzmot, and pierce them through with his khitzim.
9 Like a lion they crouch and lie down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse them? “May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!”
9 He crouched, he lay down as an ari, and as the lioness; who shall stir him up? Mevarakhecha is he that makes a barucha on thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
10 Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times.
10 And af Balak (anger of Balak) was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said unto Balaam, I summoned thee to curse mine enemies, and, hinei, thou hast altogether blessed them these shalosh p’amim.
11 Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the LORD has kept you from being rewarded.”
11 Therefore now flee thou to thy mekom; I thought to kibed (honor, reward) thee honorably; but, hinei, Hashem hath kept thee back from kavod (honor, reward).
12 Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me,
12 And Balaam said unto Balak, Spoke I not also to thy malachim which thou didst send unto me, saying,
13 ‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD—and I must say only what the LORD says’?
13 If Balak would give me his bais full of kesef and zahav, I cannot go beyond the commandment of Hashem, to do either tovah or ra’ah of mine own lev; but what Hashem saith, that will I say!
14 Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”
14 And now, hinei, I go back unto my people; come therefore, and I will warn thee what HaAm HaZeh shall do to thy people in the Acharit HaYamim.
15 Then he spoke his message: “The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
15 And he took up his mashal, and said, Balaam ben Beor hath said, the man whose eyes are open hath said,
16 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
16 He hath said, which heard the words of El, and knew the Da’as Elyon, which saw the Machazeh Shaddai, falling prostrate, but having his eyes open:
17 “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth.
17 I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not karov (near); there shall come a Kokhav (Star, i.e. Moshiach, see Targums) out of Ya’akov, and a Shevet (Sceptre) shall rise out of Yisroel, and shall strike through the temples (i.e., sides of the head) of Moav, and destroy all the Bnei Shet.
18 Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong.
18 And Edom shall be a possession; Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; but Yisroel shall do valiantly.
19 A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.”
19 Out of Ya’akov shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the Ir.
20 Then Balaam saw Amalek and spoke his message: “Amalek was first among the nations, but their end will be utter destruction.”
20 And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his mashal, and said, Amalek was the reshit of the Goyim; but his acharit (latter end) shall be that unto destruction.
21 Then he saw the Kenites and spoke his message: “Your dwelling place is secure, your nest is set in a rock;
21 And he looked on the Keini (Kenites), and took up his mashal, and said, Strong is thy moshav (dwelling place), and thou puttest thy ken (nest) in a rock.
22 yet you Kenites will be destroyed when Ashur takes you captive.”
22 Nevertheless Kayin shall be for burning, while Asshur (Assyria) shall carry thee away captive.
23 Then he spoke his message: “Alas! Who can live when God does this?
23 And he took up his mashal, and said, Oy, who shall live when El doeth this?
24 Ships will come from the shores of Cyprus; they will subdue Ashur and Eber, but they too will come to ruin.”
24 And ships shall come from the coast of Kittim (Cyprus), and shall afflict Asshur (Assyria), and shall afflict 'Ever (i.e., Region beyond the River [Euphrates]), and he also shall be unto destruction.
25 Then Balaam got up and returned home, and Balak went his own way.
25 And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his makom (place, home); and Balak also went his way.
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The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.