Howfairare your tents,O Jacob,Your dwellings,O Israel!
becausethey did not meetthe sonsof Israelwith breadand water,but hiredBalaamagainstthem to cursethem. However, our Godturnedthe curseinto a blessing.
My soullongedand evenyearnedfor the courtsof the LORD;My heartand my fleshsingfor joyto the livingGod.
Thisis the numberof the thingsfor the tabernacle,the tabernacleof the testimony,as they were numberedaccordingto the commandof Moses,for the serviceof the Levites,by the handof Ithamarthe sonof Aaronthe priest.
"You are altogetherbeautiful,my darling,And thereis noblemishin you.
"You are as beautifulas Tirzah,my darling,As lovelyas Jerusalem,As awesomeas an armywith banners.
You shall livein boothsfor sevendays;allthe native-bornin Israelshall livein booths,
"[As] for the manwhodoesthis, may the LORDcutofffrom the tentsof Jacob[everyone] who awakesand answers,or who presentsan offeringto the LORDof hosts.
Thus the sonsof Israeldid;according to allthat the LORDcommandedMoses,sothey campedby their standards,and sothey setout, everyoneby his familyaccordingto his father'shousehold.
And Balaamliftedup his eyesand sawIsraelcampingtribeby tribe;and the Spiritof Godcameupon him.
The oracleof him who hearsthe wordsof God,Whoseesthe visionof the Almighty,Fallingdown,yet having his eyesuncovered,
"Like valleysthat stretchout, Like gardensbesidethe river,Like aloesplantedby the LORD,Like cedarsbesidethe waters.
"Blessedare you, O Israel;Whois likeyou, a peoplesavedby the LORD,Who is the shieldof your helpAnd the swordof your majesty!So your enemieswill cringebefore you, And you will treadupon their highplaces."
But I was not willingto listento Balaam.So he hadto blessyou, and I deliveredyou from his hand.
