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24 [1] And Bileam, seeing that it was good before the Lord to bless Israel, went not, as once and again before, in quest of divinations, but set his face toward the wilderness, to recall to memory the work of the calf which they had there committed.
[2] And Bileam lifted up his eyes, but beheld Israel dwelling together by their tribes in their schools, and (saw) that their doors were arranged so as not to overlook the doors of their companions: and the Spirit of prophecy from before the Lord rested upon him.
[3] But he took up the parable of his prophecy, and said: Bileam, son of Beor, speaketh; the man speaketh who is more honourable than his father, (because) the dark mysteries hidden from the prophets have been revealed to him; and who, because he was not circumcised, fell upon his face when the angel stood over against him:
[4] he hath said who heard the Word from before the living God; who beheld the vision before God the Almighty, and, seeking that it might be discovered to him, fell upon his face, and the secret mysteries hidden from the prophets were revealed to him.
[5] How beautiful your houses of instruction, in the tabernacle where Jakob your father ministered; and how beautiful this tabernacle of ordinance which is found among you, and the tents that surround it, O house of Israel!
[6] As tides of waters, so are the house of Israel, dwelling like flocks made strong by the doctrine of the law; and as gardens planted by the flowing streams, so are their disciples in the fellowships of their schools. The light of their faces shineth as the brightness of the firmament which the Lord created on the second day of the creation of the world, and outspread for the glory of the Shekinah. They are exalted and lifted up above all the nations, like cedars of Lebanon planted by fountains of waters.
[7] From them their King shall arise, and their Redeemer be of them and among them, and the seed of the children of Jakob shall rule over many nations. The first who will reign over them will make war with the house of Amalek, and will be exalted above Agag their king; but because he had spared him his kingdom will be taken from him.
[8] Unto Eloha, who brought them out free from Mizraim, belong might, and exaltation, and glory, and power. He will destroy the nations of their adversaries, and break down their strength and will send forth the plague-arrows of His vengeance among them, and destroy them.
[9] They shall repose and dwell as a lion, and as an old lion, that sleeping who will (dare to) awake? They who bless them are blessed, as Mosheh the prophet, the scribe of Israel; and they who curse them are accursed, as Bileam son of Beor.
[10] And Balak's wrath grew strong against Bileam, and, smiting his hands, Balak said to Bileam, I brought thee to curse my enemies, and, behold, in blessing thou hast blessed them these three times.
[11] And now flee to thy place. I had said that honouring I would honour thee; but, behold, the Lord hath kept back Bileam from honour.
[12] But Bileam said to Balak, Did I not tell thy messengers whom thou sentest to me, saying,
[13] If Balak would give me the fulness of his treasures of silver and gold, I have no power to transgress the decree of the Word of the Lord to do good or evil of my own will: what the Lord saith shall I not speak.
[14] And now, behold, I return to go to my people. Come, I will give thee counsel: Go, furnish tavern houses, and employ seductive women to sell food and drinks cheaply, and to bring this people together to eat and drink, and commit whoredom with them, that they may deny their God; then in a brief time will they be delivered into thy hand, and many of them fall. Nevertheless, after this they will still have dominion over thy people at the end of the days.
[15] And he took up the parable of his prophecy, and said Bileam the son of Beor speaketh; the man speaketh who is more honourable than his father, because the mysteries hidden from prophets have been revealed to him;
[16] he speaketh who heard the Word from before the Lord, and who knoweth the hour when the Most High God will be wroth with him; (he speaketh) who saw the vision before the Almighty, seeking, prostrate on his face, that it should be revealed to him; the secret, concealed from the prophets, was disclosed unto him.
[17] I shall see Him, but not now; I shall behold Him, but it is not near. When the mighty King of Jakob's house shall reign, and the Meshiha, the Power-sceptre of Israel, be anointed, He will slay the princes of the Moabaee, and bring to nothing all the children of Sheth, the armies of Gog who will do battle against Israel and all their carcases shall fall before Him.
[18] And the Edomaee will be utterly driven out, even the sons of Gabela from before Israel their foes, and Israel will be strengthened with their riches and possess them.
[19] And a prince of the house of Jakob will arise and destroy and consume the remnant that have escaped from Constantina the guilty city, and will lay waste and ruin the rebellious city, even Kaiserin the strong city of the Gentiles.
[20] And he looked on the house of Amalek, and took up the parable of his prophecy, and said: The first of the nations who made war with the house of Israel were those of the house of Amalek; and they at last, in the days of the King Meshiha, with all the children of the east, will make war against Israel; but all of them together will have eternal destruction in their end.
[21] And he looked upon Jethro, who had been made proselyte, and took up the parable of his prophecy, and said: How strong is thy habitation, who hast set thy dwelling in the clefts of the rocks!
[22] Yet so is it decreed that the children of the Shalmaia must be despoiled, but not until Sancherib the king of Athur shall come and make thee captive.
[23] And he took up the parable of his prophecy, and said, Woe to them who are alive at the time when the Word of the Lord shall be revealed, to give the good reward to the righteous, and to take vengeance on the wicked, to smite the nations and the kings, and bring these things upon them!
[24] And ships (lit., sails) armed for war will come forth with urreat armies from Lombarnia, and from the land of Italia, conjoined with the legions that will come forth from Constantina, and will afflict the Athuraee, and bring into captivity all the sons of Eber; nevertheless the end of these and of those is to fall by the hand of the King Meshiha, and be brought to everlasting destruction:
[25] And Bileam rose up and went to return to his place, and Balak also went upon his way, and appointed the daughters of the Midianites for the tavern booths at Beth Jeshimotb, by the snow mountain, where they sold sweetmeats cheaper than their price, after the counsel of Bileam the wicked, at the dividing of the way.
Version: The Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel, trans. J. W. Etheridge, London, 1862
Source: http://targum.info/targumic-texts/pentateuchal-targumim/
License: Public Domain