King James Version

Numbers 24:1

And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

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Hebrew

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וַיַּ֣רְאvayarand seeרָאָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and see”, the next action in the storyH7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), m…בִּלְעָ֗םbilamBalaamבִּלְעָםnoun, proper name — “Balaam”H1109Bilam, a Mesopotamian prophet; also a place in PalestineBalaam, Bileam.כִּ֣יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…ט֞וֹבtovbe betterטוֹבverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be better”, a completed actionH2895to be (transitively, do or make) good (or well) in the widest sensebe (do) better, cheer, be (do, seem) good, (make) goodly, [idiom] please, (be, do, go, play) well.בְּעֵינֵ֤יbeeynein eye , , -sightעַיִןpreposition, noun, common, both genders, dual, construct — “in eye , , -sight”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5869an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)affliction, outward appearance, [phrase] before, [phrase] think best, colour, conceit, [phrase] be content, countenance, [phrase] displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, [phrase] favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), [idiom] him…יְהוָה֙yehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).לְבָרֵ֣ךְlevarekheto blessבָרַךְpreposition, verb, piel, infinitive construct — “to bless”, the to-form of the verbH1288to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit); also (by euphemism) to curse (God or the king, as treason)[idiom] abundantly, [idiom] altogether, [idiom] at all, blaspheme, bless, congratulate, curse, [idiom] greatly, [idiom] indeed, kneel (down), praise, salute, [idiom] still, thank.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לyisraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלnoun, proper name — “Israel”H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterityIsrael.וְלֹאveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…הָלַ֥ךְhalakhwalkהָלַךְverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “walk”, a completed actionH1980to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)(all) along, apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant, depart, [phrase] be eased, enter, exercise (self), [phrase] follow, forth, forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on, out, up and down), [phrase] gre…כְּפַֽעַםkefaamas anvilפַּעַםpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “as anvil”, the ordinary formH6471a stroke, literally or figuratively (in various applications, as follow)anvil, corner, foot(-step), going, (hundred-) fold, [idiom] now, (this) [phrase] once, order, rank, step, [phrase] thrice, (often-), second, this, two) time(-s), twice, wheel.בְּפַ֖עַםbefaamin anvilפַּעַםpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “in anvil”, the ordinary formH6471a stroke, literally or figuratively (in various applications, as follow)anvil, corner, foot(-step), going, (hundred-) fold, [idiom] now, (this) [phrase] once, order, rank, step, [phrase] thrice, (often-), second, this, two) time(-s), twice, wheel.לִקְרַ֣אתliqratto helpקִרְאָהpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to help”, the to-form of the verbH7125an encountering, accidental, friendly or hostile (also adverbially, opposite)[idiom] against (he come), help, meet, seek, [idiom] to, [idiom] in the way.נְחָשִׁ֑יםnechashimenchantmentנַחַשׁnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “enchantment”, the ordinary formH5173an incantation or auguryenchantment.וַיָּ֥שֶׁתvayashetand applyשִׁיתconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and apply”, the next action in the storyH7896to place (in a very wide application)apply, appoint, array, bring, consider, lay (up), let alone, [idiom] look, make, mark, put (on), [phrase] regard, set, shew, be stayed, [idiom] take.אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).הַמִּדְבָּ֖רhamidbarthe desertמִדְבָּרdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the desert”, the ordinary formH4057a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs)desert, south, speech, wilderness.פָּנָֽיוpanayva- foreפָּנִיםnoun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And when Balaam saw that it pleased Jehovah to bless Israel, he went not, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

Young’s Literal Translation

And Balaam seeth that [it is] good in the eyes of Jehovah to bless Israel, and he hath not gone as time by time to meet enchantments, and he setteth towards the wilderness his face;

World English Bible

When Balaam saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel, he didn’t go, as at the other times, to use divination, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

Darby Translation

And Balaam saw that it was good in the sight of Jehovah to bless Israel, and he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

Douay-Rheims

And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord that he should bless Israel. he went not as he had gone before, to seek divination: but setting his face towards the desert,

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And when Balaam saw that it pleased God to bless Israel, he did not go according to his custom to meet the omens, but turned his face toward the wilderness.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἰδὼν Βαλαὰμ ὅτι καλόν ἐστιν ἐναντίον Κυρίου εὐλογεῖν τὸν Ἰσραὴλ, οὐκ ἐπορεύθη κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς αὐτῷ εἰς συνάντησιν τοῖς οἰωνοῖς, καὶ ἀπέστρεψε τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν ἔρημον.