Balam

Book of Angels #219
Masada World page

Official Releases

Mycale: The Book of Angels, Volume 13

Lyrics

Text from Numbers 24:4-9
 
King Balak of Midian, afraid of the approaching Israelites who are about to enter Israel. sends a prophet, Balam. to curse them. Following a series of sacrifices, and an episode of his donkey speaking after seeing an angel-every time Balam tried to curse, his words turned into blessings, the most famous, "Ma Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov" (מַה-טֹּבוּ אֹהָלֶיךָ,יַעֲקֹב) has become a prelude to morning prayers.

The words of the one who hears the sayings of the Divine, who sees the vision, while fallen and with uncovered eyes:   How good are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel, Stretching out like brooks, like gardens by a river ... like cedars by water ...   He crouched and lay like a lion, and like a lion cub who can stand him up? Those who bless you are blessed and those who curse you are accursed ...

נְאֻם--שֹׁמֵעַ, אִמְרֵי-אֵל אֲשֶׁר מַחֲזֵה שַׁדַּי יֶחֱזֶה, נֹפֵל וּגְלוּי עֵינָיִם   מַה-טֹּבוּ אֹהָלֶיךָ, יַעֲקֹב; מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ, יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּנְחָלִים נִטָּיוּ, כְּגַנֹּת עֲלֵי נָהָר. . . כַּאֲרָזִים עֲלֵי-מָיִם   כָּרַע שָׁכַב כַּאֲרִי וּכְלָבִיא, מִי יְקִימֶנּוּ; מְבָרְכֶיךָ בָרוּךְ, וְאֹרְרֶיךָ אָרוּר

Depictions

Balaam and the Ass is a 1626 painting by the Dutch artist Rembrandt, dating from his time in Leiden
Musée Cognacq-Jay (Paris)

Notes

• commander of 40 legions of infernal spirits