Bible in Basic English
Then Balak was full of wrath against Balaam, and angrily waving his hands he said to Balaam, I sent for you so that those who are against me might be cursed, but now, see, three times you have given them a blessing.
Go back quickly to the place you came from: it was my purpose to give you a place of honour, but now the Lord has kept you back from honour.
Then Balaam said to Balak, Did I not say to the men you sent to me,
Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, it would not be possible for me to go outside the orders of the Lord, doing good or evil at the impulse of my mind; whatever the Lord says I will say?
So now I will go back to my people: but first let me make clear to you what this people will do to your people in days to come.
Then he went on with his story and said, These are the words of Balaam, the son of Beor, the words of him whose eyes are open:
He says, whose ear is open to the words of God, who has knowledge of the Most High, who has seen the vision of the Ruler of all, falling down and having his eyes open:
I see him, but not now: looking on him, but not near: a star will come out of Jacob, and a rod of authority out of Israel, sending destruction to the farthest limits of Moab and on the head of all the sons of Sheth.
Edom will be his heritage, and he will put an end to the last of the people of Seir.
And Israel will go on in strength, and Jacob will have rule over his haters.
Then, turning his eyes to Amalek, he went on with his story and said, Amalek was the first of the nations, but his part will be destruction for ever.
And looking on the Kenites he went on with his story and said, Strong is your living-place, and your secret place is safe in the rock.
But still the Kenites will be wasted, till Asshur takes you away prisoner.
Then he went on with his story and said, But who may keep his life when God does this?
But ships will come from the direction of Kittim, troubling Asshur and troubling Eber, and like the others their fate will be destruction.
Then Balaam got up and went back to his place: and Balak went away.
— Numbers 24:10-1964, Bible in Basic English
“And 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. Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honour. And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying, If 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? And 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. And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: He 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: I 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. And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly. Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city. And 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. And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock. Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive. And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this! And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever. And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way. ”
“Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have altogether blessed them these three times. Therefore now flee you to your place! I thought to promote you to great honor; but, behold, Yahweh has kept you back from honor." Balaam said to Balak, "Didn't I also tell your messengers who you sent to me, saying, 'If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can't go beyond the word of Yahweh, to do either good or bad of my own mind. I will say what Yahweh says'? Now, behold, I go to my people: come, [and] I will inform you what this people shall do to your people in the latter days." He took up his parable, and said, "Balaam the son of Beor says, the man whose eye was closed says; he says, who hears the words of God, knows the knowledge of the Most High, and who sees the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open: I see him, but not now. I see him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob. A scepter will rise out of Israel, and shall strike through the corners of Moab, and break down all the sons of Sheth. Edom shall be a possession. Seir, his enemies, also shall be a possession, while Israel does valiantly. Out of Jacob shall one have dominion, and shall destroy the remnant from the city." He looked at Amalek, and took up his parable, and said, "Amalek was the first of the nations, But his latter end shall come to destruction." He looked at the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said, "Your dwelling place is strong. Your nest is set in the rock. Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted, until Asshur carries you away captive." He took up his parable, and said, "Alas, who shall live when God does this? But ships [shall come] from the coast of Kittim. They shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber. He also shall come to destruction." Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.”
Peoples will be in fear before his strength, his arm will be on great nations: his king will be higher than Agag, and his kingdom made great in honour.
It is God who has taken him out of Egypt; his horns are like those of the mountain ox; the nations warring against him will be his food, their bones will be broken, they will be wounded with his arrows.
He took his sleep stretched out like a lion, and like a she-lion: by whom will his rest be broken? May a blessing be on everyone who gives you blessing, and a curse on everyone by whom you are cursed.
Then Balak was full of wrath against Balaam, and angrily waving his hands he said to Balaam, I sent for you so that those who are against me might be cursed, but now, see, three times you have given them a blessing.
Go back quickly to the place you came from: it was my purpose to give you a place of honour, but now the Lord has kept you back from honour.
Then Balaam said to Balak, Did I not say to the men you sent to me,
Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, it would not be possible for me to go outside the orders of the Lord, doing good or evil at the impulse of my mind; whatever the Lord says I will say?
So now I will go back to my people: but first let me make clear to you what this people will do to your people in days to come.
Then he went on with his story and said, These are the words of Balaam, the son of Beor, the words of him whose eyes are open:
He says, whose ear is open to the words of God, who has knowledge of the Most High, who has seen the vision of the Ruler of all, falling down and having his eyes open:
I see him, but not now: looking on him, but not near: a star will come out of Jacob, and a rod of authority out of Israel, sending destruction to the farthest limits of Moab and on the head of all the sons of Sheth.
Edom will be his heritage, and he will put an end to the last of the people of Seir.
And Israel will go on in strength, and Jacob will have rule over his haters.
Then, turning his eyes to Amalek, he went on with his story and said, Amalek was the first of the nations, but his part will be destruction for ever.
And looking on the Kenites he went on with his story and said, Strong is your living-place, and your secret place is safe in the rock.
But still the Kenites will be wasted, till Asshur takes you away prisoner.
Then he went on with his story and said, But who may keep his life when God does this?
But ships will come from the direction of Kittim, troubling Asshur and troubling Eber, and like the others their fate will be destruction.
Then Balaam got up and went back to his place: and Balak went away.