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20 Upon seeing Amalek, Balaam recited his poem:

First[a] of the nations is Amalek,
    but their end is to perish forever.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 24:20 First: lit., “the beginning.” In the Bible, Amalek is a people indigenous to Palestine and therefore considered as of great antiquity. There is a deliberate contrast here between the words “first” and “end.”

Balaam’s Fifth Message

20 Then Balaam saw Amalek(A) and spoke his message:

“Amalek was first among the nations,
    but their end will be utter destruction.”(B)

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20 And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.

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