Numbers 24 - New Century Version (NCV)

24 Balaam saw that the Lord wanted to bless Israel, so he did not try to use any magic but looked toward the desert. 2 When Balaam saw the Israelites camped in their tribes, the Spirit of God took control of him, 3 and he gave this message:

“This is the message of Balaam son of Beor,
the message of a man who sees clearly;
4 this is the message of a man who hears the words of God.
I see a vision from the Almighty,
and my eyes are open as I fall before him.
5 Your tents are beautiful, people of Jacob!
So are your homes, Israel!
6 Your tents spread out like valleys,
like gardens beside a river.
They are like spices planted by the Lord,
like cedar trees growing by the water.
7 Israel’s water buckets will always be full,
and their crops will have plenty of water.
Their king will be greater than Agag;
their kingdom will be very great.
8 God brought them out of Egypt;
they are as strong as a wild ox.
They will defeat their enemies
and break their enemies’ bones;
they will shoot them with arrows.
9 Like a lion, they lie waiting to attack;
like a lioness, no one would be brave enough to wake them.
Anyone who blesses you will be blessed,
and anyone who curses you will be cursed.”

10 Then Balak was angry with Balaam, and he pounded his fist. He said to Balaam, “I called you here to curse my enemies, but you have continued to bless them three times. 11 Now go home! I said I would pay you well, but the Lord has made you lose your reward.”

12 Balaam said to Balak, “When you sent messengers to me, I told them, 13 ‘Balak could give me his palace filled with silver and gold, but I still cannot go against the Lord’s commands. I could not do anything, good or bad, on my own, but I must say what the Lord says.’ 14 Now I am going back to my own people, but I will tell you what these people will do to your people in the future.”

Balaam’s Final Message

15 Then Balaam gave this message:

“This is the message of Balaam son of Beor,
the message of a man who sees clearly;
16 this is the message of a man who hears the words of God.
I know well the Most High God.
I see a vision from the Almighty,
and my eyes are open as I fall before him.
17 I see someone who will come someday,
someone who will come, but not soon.
A star will come from Jacob;
a ruler will rise from Israel.
He will crush the heads of the Moabites
and smash the skulls of the sons of Sheth.
18 Edom will be conquered;
his enemy Edom will be conquered,
but Israel will grow wealthy.
19 A ruler will come from the descendants of Jacob
and will destroy those left in the city.”

20 Then Balaam saw Amalek and gave this message:

“Amalek was the most important nation,
but Amalek will be destroyed at last.”

21 Then Balaam saw the Kenites and gave this message:

“Your home is safe,
like a nest on a cliff.
22 But you Kenites will be burned up;
Assyria will keep you captive.”

23 Then Balaam gave this message:

“No one can live when God does this.
24 Ships will sail from the shores of Cyprus
and defeat Assyria and Eber,
but they will also be destroyed.”

25 Then Balaam got up and returned home, and Balak also went on his way.

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Numbers 24 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

24 And Balaam seeth that [it is] good in the eyes of Jehovah to bless Israel, and he hath not gone as time by time to meet enchantments, and he setteth towards the wilderness his face; 2 and Balaam lifteth up his eyes, and seeth Israel tabernacling, by its tribes, and the Spirit of God is upon him, ...
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Numbers 24 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

24 And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord that he should bless Israel, he went not as he had gone before, that he should seek false divining by chittering of birds, but he (ad)dressed his face against the desert, (And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord when he blessed Israel, he went not...
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Numbers 24 - World English Bible (WEB)

24 When Balaam saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel, he didn’t go, as at the other times, to use divination, but he set his face toward the wilderness. 2 Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came on him. 3 He took up his parab...
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Numbers 24 - The Voice (VOICE)

24 Meanwhile, it was obvious to Balaam that the Eternal One was quite happy to bless Israel, so he didn’t go through the trouble of looking for omens of God’s intent. Instead, Balaam contemplated the wilderness stretched out before him. 2 Seeing the Israelites camping there, in their orderly arrang...
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Numbers 24 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

How Lovely the Tents of Jacob24 When Balaam realized that it was pleasing in the eyes of Adonai to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorceries as at the other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness. 2 Lifting up his eyes, Balaam saw Israel dwelling by tribes. The Ruach Elohim came over h...
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Numbers 24 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Balaam’s Third Oracle24 When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and saw Israel encamping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, 3 and he too...
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Numbers 24 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Balaam’s Third Oracle24 When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and saw Israel encamping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, 3 and he too...
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Numbers 24 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Balaam’s Third Oracle24 Now Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, so he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face towards the wilderness. 2 Balaam looked up and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. Then the spirit of God came upon him, 3 and he uttered his ora...
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Numbers 24 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Balaam’s Third Oracle24 Now Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, so he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens but set his face toward the wilderness.(A)2 Balaam looked up and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. Then the spirit of God came upon him,(B)3 and he uttered his ora...
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Numbers 24 - New Living Translation (NLT)

24 By now Balaam realized that the Lord was determined to bless Israel, so he did not resort to divination as before. Instead, he turned and looked out toward the wilderness, 2 where he saw the people of Israel camped, tribe by tribe. Then the Spirit of God came upon him, 3 and this is the message h...
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Numbers 24 - New Life Version (NLV)

24 Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to speak good of Israel. So he did not go, as at other times, and look for special things to see. Instead he looked toward the desert. 2 Balaam looked up and saw Israel living in their tents by their families. And the Spirit of God came upon him. 3 He began s...
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Numbers 24 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Balaam Foretells the Happiness of Israel24 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as at (A)other times, to seek to use [a]sorcery, but he set his face toward the wilderness. 2 And Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel (B)encamped according to their tribes; and ...
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Numbers 24 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

24 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 towards the wilderness. 2 When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him 3 and he spoke his message:‘The prophecy of...
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Numbers 24 - New International Version (NIV)

24 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel,(A) he did not resort to divination(B) as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness.(C) 2 When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him(D) 3 and he spoke his message:“The pr...
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Numbers 24 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

24 Balaam saw that the Lord was pleased to give his blessing to Israel. So he didn’t try to use evil magic as he had done at other times. Instead, he turned and looked toward the desert. 2 He looked out and saw Israel. They had set up their camps tribe by tribe. The Spirit of God came on him. 3 Ba...
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Numbers 24 - New English Translation (NET)

Balaam Prophesies Yet Again24 [a] When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel,[b] he did not go as at the other times[c] to seek for omens,[d] but he set his face[e] toward the wilderness. 2 When Balaam lifted up his eyes, he saw Israel camped tribe by tribe;[f] and the Spirit of God c...
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