1Balaam 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. 2He looked out and saw Israel. They had set up their camps tribe by tribe. The Spirit of God came on him. 3Balaam spoke the message he had received from God. He said,
“Here is the message God gave Balaam, the son of Beor.
It’s the message God gave to the one who sees clearly.
4It’s the message God gave to the one who hears the words of God.
He sees a vision from the Mighty One.
He falls down flat with his face toward the ground.
His eyes have been opened by the Lord.
5“People of Jacob, your tents are very beautiful.
Israel, the places where you live are very beautiful.
6“They spread out like valleys.
They are like gardens beside a river.
They are like aloes the Lord has planted.
They are like cedar trees beside a stream.
7Their water buckets will run over.
Their seeds will have plenty of water.
“Their king will be greater than King Agag.
Their kingdom will be honored.
8“God brought them out of Egypt.
They are as strong as a wild ox.
They destroy nations at war with them.
They break their bones in pieces.
They wound them with their arrows.
9Like a male lion they lie down and sleep.
They are like a female lion.
Who dares to wake them up?
“May those who bless you be blessed!
May those who curse you be cursed!”
10Then Balak became very angry with Balaam. He slapped his hands together. He said to Balaam, “I sent for you to put a curse on my enemies. But you have given them a blessing three times. 11Get out of here right away! Go home! I said I’d make you very rich. But the Lord has kept you from getting rich.”
12Balaam answered Balak, “Here is what I told the messengers you sent me. 13I said, ‘Balak could give me all the silver and gold in his palace. Even if I wanted to, I still couldn’t do anything at all that goes beyond what the Lord commands. I must say only what the Lord tells me to say.’ 14Now I’m going back to my people. But come. Let me warn you about what these people will do to your people in days to come.”
Balaam’s Fourth Message From God
15Then Balaam spoke the message he had received from God. He said,
“Here is the message God gave Balaam, the son of Beor.
It’s the message God gave to the one who sees clearly.
16It’s the message God gave to the one who hears the words of God.
The Most High God has given him knowledge.
He sees a vision from the Mighty One.
He falls down flat with his face toward the ground.
His eyes have been opened by the Lord.
17“I see him, but I don’t see him now.
I view him, but he isn’t near.
A star will come from among the people of Jacob.
A king will rise up out of Israel.
He’ll crush the foreheads of the people of Moab.
He’ll crush the heads of all the people of Sheth.
18He’ll win the battle over Edom.
He’ll win the battle over his enemy Seir.
But Israel will grow strong.
19A ruler will come from among the people of Jacob.
He’ll destroy those from the city who are still alive.”
Balaam’s Fifth Message From God
20Then Balaam saw the Amalekites. He spoke the message he had received from God. He said,
“Amalek was the first nation to attack Israel.
But their end will be total destruction.”
Balaam’s Sixth Message From God
21Then Balaam saw the Kenites. He spoke the message he had received from God. He said,
“The place where you live is safe.
Your nest is on a high cliff.
22But you Kenites will be destroyed.
Ashur will take you as prisoners.”
Balaam’s Seventh Message From God
23Then Balaam spoke the message he had received from God. He said,
“Who can live when God does this?
24Ships will come from the shores of Cyprus.
They will bring Ashur and Eber under their control.
But they themselves will also be destroyed.”
25Then Balaam got up and returned home. And Balak went on his way.
124:1 Ndar 23:28Na rĩrĩ, rĩrĩa Balamu onire atĩ Jehova nĩakenaga nĩ kũrathima Isiraeli-rĩ, ndaacookire kũrũmĩrĩra ũragũri ta ũrĩa ekaga mahinda macio mangĩ, no ehũgũrire akĩrora werũ-inĩ. 2Rĩrĩa Balamu eroreire akĩona ũrĩa Isiraeli maambĩte hema kũringana na mĩhĩrĩga yao-rĩ, akĩiyũrwo nĩ Roho wa Ngai, 324:3 Ndar 24:15nake akĩaria ndũmĩrĩri yake, akiuga atĩrĩ:
“Ĩno nĩyo ndũmĩrĩri ya Balamu mũrũ wa Beori,
ndũmĩrĩri ya mũndũ ũrĩa riitho rĩake rĩonaga wega,
424:4 Ndar 22:9; Gũcook 15:1ndũmĩrĩri ya mũndũ ũrĩa ũiguaga ciugo cia Ngai,
ũrĩa wonaga kĩoneki kuuma kũrĩ Mwene-Hinya-Wothe,
ũrĩa ũgũũaga agakoma thĩ, namo maitho make makahingũka:
5“Kaĩ hema ciaku, wee Jakubu, nĩ thaka-ĩ,
o na ciikaro ciaku igagĩthakara, wee Isiraeli-ĩ!
6“Igĩtambũrũkĩte o ta cianda,
ikahaana ta mĩgũnda ĩrĩ hũgũrũrũ cia rũũĩ-inĩ,
itariĩ ta mĩtĩ ya thubiri ĩhaandĩtwo nĩ Jehova,
o na ta mĩtarakwa ĩrĩ hakuhĩ na maaĩ.
724:7 Thaam 17:8-16; 1Maũ 14:2; Thab 89:27Maaĩ makaiyũra ndoo ciao nginya maitĩke;
o nayo mbegũ yao ĩgakorwo na maaĩ maingĩ.
“Mũthamaki wao akaaneneha gũkĩra Agagi;
ũthamaki wao nĩũgaatũgĩrio.
8“Ngai aamarutire bũrũri wa Misiri;
marĩ na hinya ta wa ndegwa ya gĩthaka.
Matambuuraga ndũrĩrĩ iria imathũire,
na makoinanga mahĩndĩ ma cio tũcunjĩ;
macitheecaga na mĩguĩ yao.
9O ta mũrũũthi, methunaga magĩkoma,
o ta mũrũũthi wa mũgoma, nũũ ũngĩgeria kũmaarahũra?
“Arĩa makũrathimaga marorathimwo,
nao arĩa makũrumaga maronyiitwo nĩ kĩrumi!”
1024:10 Ayub 27:23; Ndar 23:11Nake Balaki agĩcinwo nĩ marakara nĩ ũndũ wa Balamu. Akĩhũũra hĩ ciake, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ndagwĩtire ũnumĩre thũ ciakwa, no wee ũcirathimĩte maita macio matatũ. 11Na rĩrĩ, ũkĩra o rĩu ũinũke! Ndoigĩte nĩngũkũrĩha wega mũno, no Jehova nĩagirĩtie ũrĩhwo.”
1224:12 Ndar 22:18Balamu agĩcookeria Balaki atĩrĩ, “Githĩ ndierire andũ arĩa wandũmĩire atĩrĩ, 1324:13 Ndar 22:20‘O na Balaki angĩĩhe nyũmba yake ya ũthamaki ĩiyũrĩtio betha na thahabu, ndingĩhota gwĩka ũndũ wakwa mwene, mwega kana mũũru, njagarare watho wa Jehova; no nginya njuge ũrĩa Jehova oigĩte’? 14Na rĩrĩ, niĩ nĩngũcooka o kũrĩ andũ aitũ, no ũka, ngũmenyithie ũrĩa andũ aya mageeka andũ aku matukũ marĩa magooka.”
Ndũmĩrĩri ya Balamu ya Kana
15Ningĩ akĩaria ndũmĩrĩri yake, akiuga atĩrĩ:
“Ĩno nĩyo ndũmĩrĩri ya Balamu mũrũ wa Beori,
ndũmĩrĩri ya mũndũ ũrĩa riitho rĩake rĩonaga wega,
1624:16 Kĩam 14:18ndũmĩrĩri ya mũndũ ũrĩa ũiguaga ciugo cia Ngai,
ũrĩa ũrĩ na ũmenyo uumĩte kũrĩ Ũrĩa-ũrĩ-Igũrũ-Mũno,
ũrĩa wonaga kĩoneki kuuma kũrĩ Mwene-Hinya-Wothe,
ũrĩa ũgũũaga agakoma thĩ, namo maitho make makahingũka, ekuuga ũũ:
17“Nĩndĩramuona, no ti rĩu;
nĩndĩmũcũthĩrĩirie, no ndarĩ hakuhĩ.
Njata nĩĩkoima kũrĩ Jakubu;
njũgũma ya ũnene yume kũrĩ Isiraeli.
Nĩakahehenja mothiũ ma Moabi,
na ahehenje, mahĩndĩ ma mĩtwe ya ariũ othe a Shethu.
1824:18 2Sam 8:12; Thab 60:8; Obad 1:2Edomu nĩgũkahootwo;
Seiru, thũ yake, nĩakahootwo,
no Isiraeli agakĩrĩrĩria kũgĩa na hinya.
19Mwathani mũnene akoima kũrĩ Jakubu
na aanange andũ arĩa magaakorwo matigaire a itũũra inene.”
Ndũmĩrĩri ya Balamu ya Mũthia
20Ningĩ Balamu akĩona Amaleki, na akĩaria ndũmĩrĩri yake, akiuga atĩrĩ:
“Amaleki nĩwe warĩ wa mbere harĩ ndũrĩrĩ,
no marigĩrĩrio-inĩ nĩakanangwo.”
2124:21 Thab 37:27; Thim 1:33Ningĩ akĩona Akeni, na akĩaria ndũmĩrĩri yake, akiuga atĩrĩ:
“Gĩikaro gĩaku nĩ kĩgitĩre,
gĩtara gĩaku gĩakĩtwo thĩinĩ wa rwaro rwa ihiga;
22no rĩrĩ, inyuĩ andũ a Akeni nĩmũkanangwo
hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Ashuri makaamũtaha.”
23Ningĩ akĩaria ndũmĩrĩri yake, akiuga atĩrĩ:
“Hĩ! Nũũ ũngĩtũũra muoyo rĩrĩa Ngai areka ũguo?
24Meeri nĩigooka ciumĩte hũgũrũrũ-inĩ cia Kitimu;
nĩigatooria Ashuri o na Eberi,
no rĩrĩ, o nacio nĩikaanangwo.”
25Nake Balamu agĩgĩũkĩra, akĩinũka gwake mũciĩ, nake Balaki agĩthiĩ na njĩra ciake.
