Numbers 24:4

Numbers 24:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He hath said, which heard the words of God, 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 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, 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, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open:

Context of Numbers 24:4

2When Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him, 3and 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, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls into a trance with his eyes uncovered: 5How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, your dwellings, Israel. 6They stretch out like river valleys, like gardens beside a stream, like aloes the Lord has planted, like cedars beside the water.

Numbers 24:4 word by word

נְאֻ֕ם שֹׁמֵ֖עַ אִמְרֵי־אֵ֑ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר 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
• which sawחָזָהchâzâh · to seeH2372
• the visionמַחֲזֶהmachăzeh · visionH4236
• of the Almightyשַׁדַּיshadday · AlmightyH7706
• fallingנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
• but having his eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• openגָּלָהgâlâh · to reveal: uncoverH1540

Commentaries on Numbers 24:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Falling into a trance - There is no indication in the Hebrew that he fell into a trance; these words are added by our translators, but they are not in the original. נפל nophel is the only word used, and simply signifies falling, or falling down, perhaps in this instance by way of religious prostration.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4The “falling” of which Balaam speaks was the condition under which the inward opening of his eyes took place. It indicates the force of the divine inspiration overpowering the seer. The faithful prophets of the Lord do not appear to have been subject to these violent illapses Daniel 8:17; Revelation 1:17. In Balaam and in Saul 1 Samuel 19:24 the word of God could only prevail by first subduing the alien will, and overpowering the bodily energies which the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-9The third message describes God's plan to bless Israel again.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 24:4

• Balaam
• Prophets
• Trance

In the dictionaries

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

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