Numbers 24:16

Numbers 24:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
• New International Version (NIV)the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
• English Standard Version (ESV)the oracle of him who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered:
• New King James Version (NKJV)The utterance of him who hears the words of God, And has the knowledge of the Most High, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open:

Context of Numbers 24:16

14Now I am going back to my people, but first, let me warn you what these people will do to your people in the future.” 15Then he proclaimed his poem: The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eyes are opened; the oracle of one who hears the sayings of God and has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls into a trance with his eyes uncovered: 17I see him, but not now; I perceive him, but not near. A star will come from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will smash the forehead of Moab and strike down all the Shethites. 18Edom will become a possession; Seir will become a possession of its enemies, but Israel will be triumphant.

Numbers 24:16 word by word

נְאֻ֗ם שֹׁמֵ֙עַ֙ אִמְרֵי־אֵ֔ל וְיֹדֵ֖עַ דַּ֣עַת עֶלְי֑וֹן מַחֲזֵ֤ה שַׁדַּי֙ יֶֽחֱזֶ֔ה נֹפֵ֖ל וּגְל֥וּי עֵינָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• He hath saidנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
• which heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• the wordsאֵמֶר'êmer · wordH561
• of Godאֵל'êl · GodH410
• and knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• the knowledgeדַּ֫עַתda‛ath · knowledgeH1847
• of the most Highעֶלְיוֹן‛elyôn · Most HighH5945
• sawחָזָהchâzâh · to seeH2372
• the visionמַחֲזֶהmachăzeh · visionH4236
• of the Almightyשַׁדַּיshadday · AlmightyH7706
• fallingנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
• but having his eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• openגָּלָהgâlâh · to reveal: uncoverH1540

Cross-references for Numbers 24:16

• Job 19:25But I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the end he will stand on the dust.
• Zechariah 12:10“Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the house of David and the residents of Jerusalem, and they will look at me whom they pierced. They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly for him as one weeps for a firstborn.
• Jude 1:11Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, have plunged into Balaam’s error for profit, and have perished in Korah’s rebellion.
• Revelation 1:7Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. So it is to be. Amen.
• Matthew 2:2saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.”
• Luke 1:78Because of our God’s merciful compassion, the dawn from on high will visit us
• 2 Peter 1:19We also have the prophetic word strongly confirmed, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
• Revelation 22:16“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to attest these things to you for the churches. I am the Root and descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
• Genesis 49:10The scepter will not depart from Judah or the staff from between his feet until he whose right it is comes and the obedience of the peoples belongs to him.
• Psalms 45:6Your throne, God, is forever and ever; the scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of justice.
• Psalms 78:70He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens;
• Psalms 110:2The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion. Rule over your surrounding enemies.
• Isaiah 9:7The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Armies will accomplish this.
• Luke 1:32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.
• Hebrews 1:8but to the Son: Your throne, God, is forever and ever, and the scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of justice.
• 1 Samuel 14:38Saul said, “All you leaders of the troops, come here. Let’s investigate how this sin has occurred today.

Commentaries on Numbers 24:16

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16And knew, the knowledge of the Most High - With the addition of these words, which point to the greater importance and the more distinctly predictive character of what follows, the introduction to this last parable is the same as the introduction to the preceding parable.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-25Verses 15-25 Under the powerful influence of the Spirit of prophecy, Balaam foretold the future prosperity and extensive dominion of Israel. Balaam boasts that his eyes are open. The prophets were in old times called seers. He had heard the words of God, which many do who neither heed them, nor hear God in them. He knew the knowledge of the Most High. A man may be full of the knowledge of God, yet utterly destitute of the grace of God. He calls God the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-25This prophecy gives more specific details than the first three messages. It is based on another vision from God (the Most High, 24:16). It also predicts the appearance of a great leader who will play a major role in these military victories (24:17).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-251. to seek for--that is, to use enchantments. His experience on the two former occasions [Nu 23:3, 15] had taught him that these superstitious accompaniments of his worship were useless, and therefore he now simply looked towards the camp of Israel, either with a secret design to curse them, or to await the divine afflatus.Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 24:16

• Prophets
• Trance

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Most High
• Advertise
• Coast
• Rise
• Tabernacle
• Abel-Shittim
• Balaam
• Balak

Commentaries on Numbers 24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings