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Numbers 24
KJV
King James Version · 1611
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752
1And 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.
1Now when Balaam saw that it was the Lord's pleasure to give his blessing to Israel, he did not, as at other times, make use of secret arts, but turning his face to the waste land,
1And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord that he should bless Israel, he went not as he had gone before, to seek divination: but setting his face towards the desert,
2And 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.
2And lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel there, with their tents in the order of their tribes: and the spirit of God came on him.
2And lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel abiding in their tents by their tribes: and the spirit of God rushing upon him,
3And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
3And moved by the spirit, he said, These are the words of Balaam, son of Beor, the words of the man whose eyes are open:
3He took up his parable and said: Balaam the son of Beor hath said: The man hath said, whose eye is stopped up:
4He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
4He says, whose ears are open to the words of God, who has seen the vision of the Ruler of all, falling down, but having his eyes open:
4The bearer of the words of God hath said, he that hath beheld the vision of the Almighty, he that falleth, and so his eyes are opened:
5How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!
5How fair are your tents, O Jacob, your houses, O Israel!
5How beautiful are thy tabernacles O Jacob, and thy tents, O Israel!
6As 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.
6They are stretched out like valleys, like gardens by the riverside, like flowering trees planted by the Lord, like cedar-trees by the waters.
6As woody valleys, as watered gardens near the rivers, as tabernacles which the Lord hath pitched, as cedars by the waterside.
7He 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.
7Peoples will be in fear before his strength, his arm will be on great nations: his king will be higher than Agag, and his kingdom made great in honour.
7Water shall flow out of his bucket, and his seed shall be in many waters. For Agag his king shall be removed, and his kingdom shall be taken away.
8God 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.
8It is God who has taken him out of Egypt; his horns are like those of the mountain ox; the nations warring against him will be his food, their bones will be broken, they will be wounded with his arrows.
8God hath brought him out of Egypt, whose strength is like to the rhinoceros. They shall devour the nations that are his enemies, and break their bones, and pierce them with arrows.
9He 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.
9He took his sleep stretched out like a lion, and like a she-lion: by whom will his rest be broken? May a blessing be on everyone who gives you blessing, and a curse on everyone by whom you are cursed.
9Lying down he hath slept as a lion, and as a lioness, whom none shall dare to rouse. He that blesseth thee, shall also himself be blessed: he that curseth thee shall be reckoned accursed.
10And 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.
10Then Balak was full of wrath against Balaam, and angrily waving his hands he said to Balaam, I sent for you so that those who are against me might be cursed, but now, see, three times you have given them a blessing.
10And Balac being angry against Balaam, clapped his hands together and said: I called thee to curse my enemies, and thou on the contrary hast blessed them three times.
11Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honour.
11Go back quickly to the place you came from: it was my purpose to give you a place of honour, but now the Lord has kept you back from honour.
11Return to thy place. I had determined indeed greatly to honour thee, but the Lord hath deprived thee of the honour designed for thee.
12And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,
12Then Balaam said to Balak, Did I not say to the men you sent to me,
12Balaam made answer to Balac: Did I not say to thy messengers, whom thou sentest to me:
13If 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?
13Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, it would not be possible for me to go outside the orders of the Lord, doing good or evil at the impulse of my mind; whatever the Lord says I will say?
13If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to utter any thing of my own head either good or evil: but whatsoever the Lord shall say, that I will speak?
14And 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.
14So now I will go back to my people: but first let me make clear to you what this people will do to your people in days to come.
14But yet going to my people, I will give thee counsel, what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
15And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
15Then he went on with his story and said, These are the words of Balaam, the son of Beor, the words of him whose eyes are open:
15Therefore taking up his parable, again he said: Balaam the son of Beor hath said: The man whose eye is stopped up, hath said:
16He 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:
16He says, whose ear is open to the words of God, who has knowledge of the Most High, who has seen the vision of the Ruler of all, falling down and having his eyes open:
16The hearer of the words of God hath said, who knoweth the doctrine of the Highest, and seeth the visions of the Almighty, who falling hath his eyes opened:
17I 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.
17I see him, but not now: looking on him, but not near: a star will come out of Jacob, and a rod of authority out of Israel, sending destruction to the farthest limits of Moab and on the head of all the sons of Sheth.
17I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not near. A STAR SHALL RISE out of Jacob and a sceptre shall spring up from Israel: and shall strike the chiefs of Moab, and shall waste all the children of Seth
18And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
18Edom will be his heritage, and he will put an end to the last of the people of Seir.
18And he shall possess Idumea: the inheritance of Seir shall come to their enemies, but Israel shall do manfully.
19Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.
19And Israel will go on in strength, and Jacob will have rule over his haters.
19Out of Jacob shall he come that shall rule, and shall destroy the remains of the city.
20And 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.
20Then, turning his eyes to Amalek, he went on with his story and said, Amalek was the first of the nations, but his part will be destruction for ever.
20And when he saw Amalec, he took up his parable, and said: Amalec the beginning of nations, whose latter ends shall be destroyed.
21And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.
21And looking on the Kenites he went on with his story and said, Strong is your living-place, and your secret place is safe in the rock.
21He saw also the Cinite: and took up his parable, and said: Thy habitation indeed is strong: but though thou build thy nest in a rock,
22Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
22But still the Kenites will be wasted, till Asshur takes you away prisoner.
22And thou be chosen of the stock of Cin, how long shalt thou be able to continue? For Assur shall take thee captive.
23And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!
23Then he went on with his story and said, But who may keep his life when God does this?
23And taking up his parable, again he said: Alas, who shall live when God shall do these things?
24And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.
24But ships will come from the direction of Kittim, troubling Asshur and troubling Eber, and like the others their fate will be destruction.
24They shall come in galleys from Italy, they shall overcome the Assyrians, and shall waste the Hebrews, and at the last they themselves also shall perish.