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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Numbers 24 New American Bible</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/numbers/24.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmcc/numbers/24-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com/catholic">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NABRE</a> > Numbers 24</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../numbers/23.htm" title="Numbers 23">◄</a> Numbers 24 <a href="../numbers/25.htm" title="Numbers 25">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New American Bible Revised Edition</td><td width="1%" valign="top"></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><section id="ch04024" class="chapter"> <h1 id="cn04024" class="cn"></h1> <p class="pf"><span id="v04024001" class="ver">1</span>Balaam, however, perceiving that the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> was pleased to bless Israel, did not go aside as before to seek omens, but turned his gaze toward the wilderness. <span id="v04024002" class="ver">2</span>When Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped, tribe by tribe, the spirit of God came upon him, <span id="v04024003" class="ver">3</span>and he recited his poem:</p> <div class="senseline"> <p class="slf">The oracle of Balaam, son of Beor,</p> <p class="sl1">the oracle of the man whose eye is true,</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v04024004" class="ver">4</span>The oracle of one who hears what God says,</p> <p class="sl1">and knows what the Most High knows,</p> <p class="sl">Of one who sees what the Almighty sees,</p> <p class="sl1">in rapture<a id="rfn04024004-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn04024004-1">*</a> and with eyes unveiled:</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v04024005" class="ver">5</span>How pleasant are your tents, Jacob;</p> <p class="sl1">your encampments, Israel!</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v04024006" class="ver">6</span>Like palm trees spread out,</p> <p class="sl1">like gardens beside a river,</p> <p class="sl">Like aloes the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> planted,</p> <p class="sl1">like cedars beside water;</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v04024007" class="ver">7</span>Water will drip from their buckets,</p> <p class="sl1">their seed will have plentiful water;</p> <p class="sl">Their king will rise higher than Agag<a id="rfn04024007-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn04024007-1">*</a></p> <p class="sl1">and their dominion will be exalted.</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v04024008" class="ver">8</span>They have the like of a wild ox’s horns:</p> <p class="sl1">God who brought them out of Egypt.</p> <p class="sl">They will devour hostile nations,</p> <p class="sl1">break their bones, and crush their loins.<a id="ren04024008-a" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en04024008-a">a</a></p> <p class="sl"><span id="v04024009" class="ver">9</span>Crouching, they lie like a lion,</p> <p class="sl1">or like a lioness; who will arouse them?</p> <p class="sl">Blessed are those who bless you,</p> <p class="sl1l">and cursed are those who curse you!<a id="ren04024009-b" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en04024009-b">b</a></p> </div> <p><span id="v04024010" class="ver">10</span>In a blaze of anger at Balaam, Balak clapped his hands<a id="rfn04024010-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn04024010-1">*</a> and said to him, “It was to lay a curse on my foes that I summoned you here; yet three times now you have actually blessed them!<a id="ren04024010-c" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en04024010-c">c</a> <span id="v04024011" class="ver">11</span>Now flee to your home. I promised to reward you richly, but the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> has withheld the reward from you!” <span id="v04024012" class="ver">12</span>Balaam replied to Balak, “Did I not even tell the messengers whom you sent to me, <span id="v04024013" class="ver">13</span>‘Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not of my own accord do anything, good or evil, contrary to the command of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>’? Whatever the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> says I must say.<a id="ren04024013-d" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en04024013-d">d</a></p> <p class="psec"><span class="hemb">The Fourth Oracle.</span> <span id="v04024014" class="ver">14</span>“But now that I am about to go to my own people, let me warn you what this people will do to your people in the days to come.” <span id="v04024015" class="ver">15</span>Then he recited his poem:</p> <div class="senseline"> <p class="slf">The oracle of Balaam, son of Beor,</p> <p class="sl1">the oracle of the man whose eye is true,</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v04024016" class="ver">16</span>The oracle of one who hears what God says,</p> <p class="sl1">and knows what the Most High knows,</p> <p class="sl">Of one who sees what the Almighty sees,</p> <p class="sl1">in rapture and with eyes unveiled.</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v04024017" class="ver">17</span>I see him, though not now;</p> <p class="sl1">I observe him, though not near:</p> <p class="sl">A star shall advance from Jacob,</p> <p class="sl1">and a scepter<a id="rfn04024017-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn04024017-1">*</a> shall rise from Israel,</p> <p class="sl">That will crush the brows of Moab,<a id="ren04024017-e" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en04024017-e">e</a></p> <p class="sl1">and the skull of all the Sethites,</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v04024018" class="ver">18</span>Edom will be dispossessed,</p> <p class="sl1">and no survivor is left in Seir.</p> <p class="sl">Israel will act boldly,</p> <p class="sl1l"><span id="v04024019" class="ver">19</span>and Jacob will rule his foes.</p> </div> <p class="pcon"><span id="v04024020" class="ver">20</span>Upon seeing Amalek, Balaam recited his poem:</p> <div class="senseline"> <p class="slf">First<a id="rfn04024020-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn04024020-1">*</a> of the nations is Amalek,</p> <p class="sl1l">but their end is to perish forever.<a id="ren04024020-f" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en04024020-f">f</a></p> </div> <p class="pcon"><span id="v04024021" class="ver">21</span>Upon seeing the Kenites,<a id="rfn04024021-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn04024021-1">*</a> he recited his poem:</p> <div class="senseline"> <p class="slf">Though your dwelling is safe,</p> <p class="sl1">and your nest is set on a cliff;</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v04024022" class="ver">22</span>Yet Kain will be destroyed</p> <p class="sl1l">when Asshur<a id="rfn04024022-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn04024022-1">*</a> takes you captive.</p> </div> <p class="pcon"><span id="v04024023" class="ver">23</span>Upon seeing<a id="rfn04024023-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn04024023-1">*</a> [the Ishmaelites?] he recited his poem:</p> <div class="senseline"> <p class="slf">Alas, who shall survive of Ishmael,</p> <p class="sl1"><span id="v04024024" class="ver">24</span>to deliver them from the hands of the Kittim?</p> <p class="sl">When they have conquered Asshur and conquered Eber,</p> <p class="sll">They too shall perish forever.</p> </div> <p><span id="v04024025" class="ver">25</span>Then Balaam set out on his journey home; and Balak also went his way.</p> </section> <br /><h1 class="cn"><a class="xref" href="intro.htm"><span class="ac">Book Introduction</span></a></h1><h1 class="cn"><a class="xref" href="footnotes.htm"><span class="ac">Footnotes</span></a></h1></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the <i>New American Bible, revised edition</i> © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../numbers/23.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Numbers 23"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Numbers 23" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../numbers/25.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Numbers 25"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Numbers 25" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhchap.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>