Numbers 24:8-10

24:8 God brought them out of Egypt.

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

they will devour hostile people ¹ 

and will break their bones

and will pierce them through with arrows.

24:9 They crouch and lie down like a lion,

and as a lioness, ²  who can stir him?

Blessed is the one who blesses you,

and cursed is the one who curses you!’”

24:10 Then Balak became very angry at Balaam, and he struck his hands together. ³  Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have done nothing but bless ⁴  them these three times!

[24:8]  ¹ tn Heb “they will devour nations,” their adversaries.

[24:9]  ² tn On the usage of this word see HALOT 517 s.v. לָבִיא.

[24:10]  ³ sn This is apparently a sign of contempt or derision (see Job 27:23; and Lam 2:15).

[24:10]  ⁴ tn The construction is emphatic, using the infinitive absolute with the perfect tense for “bless.”