Numbers 24:20–21

Balaam’s Final Prophecies

24:20 Then Balaam40 looked on Amalek and delivered this oracle:41

“Amalek was the first42 of the nations,

but his end will be that he will perish.”

24:21 Then he looked on the Kenites and uttered this oracle:

“Your dwelling place seems strong,

and your nest43 is set on a rocky cliff.

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40	tn Heb “he”; the referent (Balaam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
41	tn Heb “and he lifted up his oracle and said.” So also in vv. 21, 23.
42	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.
43	sn A pun is made on the name Kenite by using the word “your nest” (קִנֶּךָ, qinnekha); the location may be the rocky cliffs overlooking Petra.