Numbers 24

Numbers · Chapter 24

Numbers 24:20

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.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.3And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: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:5How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, 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.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.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.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.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.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.12And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,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?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.15And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open 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: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.18And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.19Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth 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.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.22Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.23And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!24And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.25And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
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.Then Balaam saw Amalek and lifted up an oracle, saying: “Amalek was first among the nations, but his end is destruction.”And he looked on Amalek, and took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; But his latter end shall come to destruction.

In context

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Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and he sawוַיַּרְא֙vai-yaR'H7200G
to see: see

רָאָה (ra.ah) : see/show 1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to see 1a2) to see, perceive 1a3) to see, have vision 1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out 1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish 1a6) to look at, gaze at 1a7) to provide, choose 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to appear, present oneself 1b2) to be seen 1b3) to be visible 1c) (Pual) to be seen 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to see, show 1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at 1e) (Hophal) …

Amalekעֲמָלֵ֔ק'a-ma-LEKH6002G
Amalek

עֲמָלֵק (a.ma.leq) Amalek = "dweller in a valley" people in southern Canaan 2) descendants of Amalek Also named: a.ma.le.qi (עֲמָלֵקִי "Amalekite" H6003)

and he lifted upוַיִּשָּׂ֥אvai-yi-SA'H5375N
to lift: raise

נָשָׂא (na.sa) : raise/take_up 1) to lift, bear up, carry, take 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to lift, lift up 1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure 1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted 1b2) to lift oneself up, rise up 1b3) to be borne, be carried 1b4) to be taken away, be carried off, be swept away 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to lift up, exalt, support, aid, assist 1c2) to desire, long (fig.) 1c3) to carry, bear continuously 1c4) to take, take away 1d) (Hithpael) to lift oneself up, exalt oneself 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to cause one to bear (iniquity) …

oracle hisמְשָׁל֖וֹme-sha-LOH4912
proverb

מָשָׁל (ma.shal) 1) proverb, parable 1a) proverb, proverbial saying, aphorism 1b) byword 1c) similitude, parable 1d) poem 1e) sentences of ethical wisdom, ethical maxims

and he saidוַיֹּאמַ֑רvai-yo-MARH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

[was the] first ofרֵאשִׁ֤יתre-SHITH7225G
first: beginning

רֵאשִׁית (re.shit) : beginning 1) first, beginning, best, chief 1a) beginning 1b) first 1c) chief 1d) choice part Also means: re.shit (רֵאשִׁית ": best" H7225H)

[the] nationsגּוֹיִם֙go-YIMH1471A
nation

גּוֹי (goy) 1) nation, people 1a) nation, people 1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people 1a2) of descendants of Abraham 1a3) of Israel 1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.)

Amalekעֲמָלֵ֔ק'a-ma-LEKH6002G
Amalek

עֲמָלֵק (a.ma.leq) Amalek = "dweller in a valley" people in southern Canaan 2) descendants of Amalek Also named: a.ma.le.qi (עֲמָלֵקִי "Amalekite" H6003)

and end itsוְאַחֲרִית֖וֹve-'a-cha-ri-TOH0319
end

אַחֲרִית (a.cha.rit) 1) after part, end 1a) end, issue, event 1b) latter time (prophetic for future time) 1c) posterity 1d) last, hindermost Aramaic equivalent: a.cha.rit (אַחֲרִית "latter" H0320)

[will be] toעֲדֵ֥י'a-DEIH5704
till

עַד (ad) prep 1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as 1a) of space 1a1) as far as, up to, even to 1b) in combination 1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from) 1c) of time 1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end 1d) of degree 1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like conj 2) until, while, to the point that, so that even Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)

destructionאֹבֵֽד׃'o-VEDH0008
destruction

אֹבֵד (o.ved) destruction

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.