Numbers 24
Coverdale Bible of 1535 Par ▾ 

Balaam’s Third Oracle

1Now whan Balaam sawe yt it pleased the LORDE, that he shulde blesse Israel, he wente not (as he dyd before) to seke witches, but set his face straight towarde the wyldernesse, 2lifte vp his eyes, and sawe Israel, how they laye acordinge to their trybes, and the sprete of God came vpon him,

3and he toke vp his parable, and sayde: Thus sayeth Balaam the sonne of Beor:

4Thus sayeth the man whose eyes are opened: Thus sayeth he which heareth the wordes of God, which sawe the vision of ye Allmightie: which fell downe, and his eyes were opened.

5How goodly are thy tetes O Iacob, and thy habitacions O Israel?

6Euen as the brode valleys, as the gardens by the waters syde, as ye tentes which the LORDE hath plated, & as the Ceder trees vpon ye water.

7The water shal flowe out of his boket, and his sede shalbe a greate water. His kynge shalbe hyer then Agag, & his kyngdome shalbe exalted.

8God hath broughte hi out of Egipte, his strength is as of an vnicorne. He shal eate vp the Heithen his enemies, and grynde their bones to poulder, and shute thorow them with his arowes.

9He hath layed him downe as a Lyon and as a Lyonesse. Who wyll rayse him vp? Blessed be he, yt blesseth the: and cursed, that curseth the.

Balak Dismisses Balaam

10The was Balac furious i wrath against Balaam, & smote his hades together, & sayde vnto him: I haue called the, yt thou shuldest curse myne enemies, and beholde, thou hast blessed the now thre tymes: 11& now get the hece to yi place. I thoughte yt I wolde promote the vnto honoure, but the LORDE hath kepte the backe from that worshipe. 12Balaam answered him: Tolde not I thy messaungers (whom thou sendedst vnto me) & sayde: 13Yf Balac wolde geue me his house full of syluer and golde, yet coulde I not go beyonde the worde of the LORDE, to do either euell or good after myne awne hert: but what ye LORDE speaketh, that must I speake also. 14And now beholde, for so moch as I go to my people, come therfore, I wyll shewe the what this people shal do vnto yi people after this tyme.

Balaam’s Fourth Oracle

15And he toke vp his parable, and sayde: Thus sayeth Balaam the sonne of Beor: Thus sayeth ye man, whose eyes are opened:

16Thus sayeth he which heareth the wordes of God, & yt hath the knowlege of ye hyest, eue he yt sawe ye visio of ye Allmightie, & fell downe, & his eyes were opened:

17I shal se him, but not now: I shal beholde him, but not nie at hade. There shal a starre come out of Iacob, & a cepter shall come vp out of Israel, and shal smyte ye rulers of the Moabites, and ouercome all the children of Seth.

18Edom shalbe his possession, and Seir shalbe his enemies possessio, but Israel shal do manfully.

19Out of Iacob shal come he yt hath dominion, and shall destroye the remnaunt of the cities.

Balaam’s Final Three Oracles

20And wha he sawe ye Amalechites, he toke vp his parable, & sayde: Amalec the first amoge the Heithe, but at ye last thou shalt perishe vtterly.

21And whan he sawe the Kenites, he toke vp his parable, & sayde: Stroge is yi dwellinge, and on a rocke hast thou put thy nest,

22neuertheles thou shalt be a burninge vnto Kain, tyll Assur take ye presoner.

23And he toke vp his parable agayne, & sayde: Alas, who shal lyue, wha God doth this?

24And shippes out of Citim shall subdue Assur and Eber. He himself also shal perishe vtterly.

25And Balaam gat him vp, and departed, and came againe vnto his place, and Balac wente his waye also.


Coverdale Bible of 1535

Section Headings Courtesy Berean Bible

Numbers 23
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