Numbers 24 · Parashat Balak

And when Bil῾am saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Yisra᾽el, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

And Bil῾am lifted up his eyes, and he saw Yisra᾽el abiding according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.

And he took up his discourse, and said, The speech of Bil῾am the son Be῾or, and the speech of the man whose eyes are open:

the saying of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, but having his eyes open:

how goodly are thy tents, O, Ya῾aqov, and thy tabernacles, O Yisra᾽el!

like the winding brooks, like gardens by the river’s side, like aloes which the Lord has planted, and cedar trees beside the waters.

He shall pour the water out of his buckets, moistening his seed plentifully, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.

God brought him out of Miżrayim: he has as it were the strength of a wild ox: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.

He couched, he lay down like a lion, and like a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesses thee, and cursed is he that curses thee.

And Balaq’s anger was kindled against Bil῾am, and he smote his hands together: and Balaq said to Bil῾am, I called thee to curse my enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.

Therefore now flee to thy place: I thought to promote thee to great honour; but, the Lord has kept thee back from honour.

And Bil῾am said to Balaq, Did I not speak also to thy messengers which thou didst send to me, saying,

If Balaq 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 my own mind; but what the Lord says, that will I speak?

And now, behold, I go to my people: come therefore, and I will advise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.

And he took up his discourse, and said, The speech of Bil῾am the son of Be῾or, and the speech of the man whose eyes are open:

the saying of him that hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the most High, seeing the vision of the Almighty, falling down but having his eyes open:

I see it, but not now: I behold it, but it is not near: there shall come a star out of Ya῾aqov, and a sceptre shall rise out of Yisra᾽el, and shall smite the corners of Mo᾽av, and destroy all the children of Shet.

And Edom shall be his possession, Se῾ir also, his enemies, shall be his possession; and Yisra᾽el shall do valiantly.

Out of Ya῾aqov shall come a ruler, and shall destroy him that remains of the city.

And when he looked on ῾Amaleq, he took up his discourse, and said, ῾Amaleq was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be everlasting perdition.

And he looked on the Qeni, and took up his discourse, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.

Nevertheless Qayin shall be wasted; whither shall Ashshur carry thee away captive?

And he took up his discourse, and said, Alas, who shall live when he does these things.

And ships shall come from the coast of Kittim, and shall afflict Ashshur, and shall afflict ῾Ever, and he also shall perish for ever.

And Bil῾am rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balaq also went his way.