Numbers 24:20

Balaam’s Final Prophecies

24:20 Then Balaam ¹  looked on Amalek and delivered this oracle: ² 

“Amalek was the first ³  of the nations,

but his end will be that he will perish.”

Numbers 24:8

24:8 God brought them out of Egypt.

They have, as it were, the strength of a young bull;

they will devour hostile people ⁴ 

and will break their bones

and will pierce them through with arrows.

[24:20]  ¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:20]  ² tn Heb “and he lifted up his oracle and said.” So also in vv. 21, 23.

[24:20]  ³ sn This probably means that it held first place, or it thought that it was “the first of the nations.” It was not the first, either in order or greatness.

[24:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “they will devour nations,” their adversaries.