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God brought them out of Egypt.
They have, as it were, the strength of a young bull;
they will devour hostile people,[a]
and will break their bones,
and will pierce them through with arrows.
They crouch and lie down like a lion,
and as a lioness,[b] who can stir him?
Blessed is the one who blesses you,
and cursed is the one who curses you!’”

10 Then Balak became very angry at Balaam, and he struck his hands together.[c] Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have done nothing but bless[d] them these three times!

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 24:8 tn Heb “they will devour nations,” their adversaries.
  2. Numbers 24:9 tn On the usage of this word see HALOT 517 s.v. לָבִיא.
  3. Numbers 24:10 sn This is apparently a sign of contempt or derision (see Job 27:23; and Lam 2:15).
  4. Numbers 24:10 tn The construction is emphatic, using the infinitive absolute with the perfect tense for “bless.”

“God brought them out of Egypt;
    they have the strength of a wild ox.
They devour hostile nations
    and break their bones in pieces;(A)
    with their arrows they pierce them.(B)
Like a lion they crouch and lie down,
    like a lioness(C)—who dares to rouse them?

“May those who bless you be blessed(D)
    and those who curse you be cursed!”(E)

10 Then Balak’s anger burned(F) against Balaam. He struck his hands together(G) and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies,(H) but you have blessed them(I) these three times.(J)

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