FROM THIS WEEK’S TORAH PORTION – BALAQ:

The Prophecies of Bila’am:

“From the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I observe him. Look, a people dwelling alone, not reckoning itself among the nations.”

“And YHWH put a word in the mouth of Bil’am, and said, ‘Return to Balaq, and this is what you say.’ And he returned to him and saw him standing by his ascending offering, he and all the heads of Mo’av. And he took up his proverb and said, ‘Balaq the king of Mo’av has brought me from Aram, from the mountains of the east. Come, curse Ya’aqov for me, and come, rage at Yisra’el! How do I curse whom Ěl has not cursed? And how do I rage at whom YHWH has not raged? For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I observe him. Look, a people dwelling alone, not reckoning itself among the nations. Who shall count the dust of Ya’aqov, and the number of one-fourth of Yisra’el? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!’”

“And YHWH came to Bil’am, and put a word in his mouth, and said, ‘Go back to Balaq, and say this.’ So he went to him and saw him standing by his ascending offering, and the heads of Mo’av with him. And Balaq asked him, ‘What did YHWH say?’ And he took up his proverb and said, ‘Rise up, Balaq, and hear! Listen to me, son of Tsippor! Ěl is not a man, to lie; nor a son of man, to repent! Has He said, and would He not do it; or spoken, and would not confirm it? See, I have received, to bless. And He has blessed, and I do not reverse it. He has not looked upon wickedness in Ya’aqov, nor has He seen trouble in Yisra’el. YHWH his Elohim is with him, and the shout of a King is in him. Ěl who brought them out of Mitsrayim, is for them like the horns of a wild ox. For there is no sorcery against Ya’aqov, nor is there any divination against Yisra’el. Now it is said to Ya’aqov and to Yisra’el, ‘What has Ěl done!’ Look, a people rises like a lioness, and lifts itself up like a lion; it lies not down until it devours the prey, and drinks the blood of the slain.’”

“The saying of Bil’am, son of Be’or, and the saying of the man whose eyes are opened, the saying of him who hears the words of Ěl, who sees the vision of the Almighty, who falls down, with eyes opened wide: ‘How excellent are your tents, O Ya’aqov, your dwellings, O Yisra’el! Like wadis that stretch out, like gardens by a river, like aloes planted by YHWH, like cedars beside waters. He makes water flow from his buckets, and his seed is in many waters. His king is higher than Aḡaḡ, and his kingdom is exalted. Ěl who brought him out of Mitsrayim is for them like the horns of a wild ox; he devours nations, his enemies; and he breaks their bones, and with his arrows he smites. He bowed down, he lay down like a lion. And, like a lion, who would rouse him? Blessed is he who blesses you, and cursed is he who curses you.’”

“The saying of Bil’am, son of Be’or, and the saying of the man whose eyes are opened, the saying of him who hears the words of Ěl, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, who falls down, with eyes opened wide: ‘I see Him, but not now; I observe Him, but not near. A Star shall come out of Ya’aqov, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Yisra’el, and shall smite the corners of Mo’av, and shall destroy all the sons of Sheth. And Edom shall be a possession; and Se’ir shall be a possession – enemies – and Yisra’el is doing mightily. And out of Ya’aqov One shall rule and destroy the remnant from Ar.’ He then looked on Amaleq, and he took up his proverb and said, ‘Amaleq was first among the nations, but his latter end is to perish forever.’’ He then looked on the Qeynites, and he took up his proverb and said, Firm is your dwelling place, and your nest is set in the rock, but Qayin is to be burned. Till when does Asshur keep you captive?’ And he took up his proverb and said, ‘Oh, who does live when Ěl does this? And ships shall come from the coast of Kittim, and they shall afflict Asshur and afflict Ěver, and so shall Amaleq, and he also perishes.’”