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

14So I will now return to my own people. But listen! Before I go, I will tell you what these Israelites will do to your people in the future.’ 15Then Balaam spoke this message from God. He said, ‘This is the message of Balaam, the son of Beor. It is the message of a man who sees clearly. It is the message of a man who hears God's words. The Most High God has shown me things that only he knows. I am a man who sees a vision that God Almighty has shown to him. I lie down on the ground, but my eyes are open! I see this: 17I see a king who will come from among the Israelites. He will not come now, but at a future time. He will appear as king, like a bright star. He will knock down the leaders of Moab. He will destroy the descendants of Sheth. 18He will win against his enemies in Edom and Seir. The Israelites will become stronger.

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 19:25As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives. I know that, in the end, he will stand on the earth.
• Zechariah 12:10I will cause the family of David and the people in Jerusalem to think seriously about me. Then they will know that I am kind to them. And they will want to pray to me. They will look at me whom they pierced (made holes in). They will weep about him as those that weep after the death of their only son. They will cry aloud as if their only son was dead.
• Jude 1:11It will be terrible for them! They have lived in the way that Cain lived. They have made the same mistake that Balaam made, because they wanted to get money for themselves. Like Korah, they have refused to obey God. So God will destroy them.
• Revelation 1:7Look! He will come on the clouds! At that time, everyone will see him! Even the people who pushed a spear into his body will see him. People from all the nations on earth will be sad when they see him. Yes, it is true! Amen!
• Matthew 2:2When they arrived there, they asked people, ‘Where is the baby who has been born as the king of the Jews? We saw his special star when it first appeared in the sky. So now we have come here to worship him.’
• Luke 1:78Our God will forgive us because he is very kind. He will send someone from the highest place. When this person comes, it will be like the sunrise for us.
• 2 Peter 1:19As well as that, we have the prophets' messages from long ago. They also show us very clearly that these things are true. The prophets' words are like a light that shines in a dark place. That light continues to shine in the dark until the dawn comes. So you need to think about those messages carefully. Then the morning star will rise and it will bring light deep inside you.
• Revelation 22:16I am Jesus. I have sent my angel to tell you this message. You must tell it to all the people in the churches. I am called the Root of King David. I am his descendant. I am the bright morning star.’
• Genesis 49:10Judah's descendants will always rule as king. They will continue to hold the stick and the sceptre that show the king's authority. They will do that until the man comes who truly has that authority. People from all nations will obey that king.
• Psalms 45:6God, you will continue to rule as king always and for ever. Your authority as king will bring justice to your people.
• Psalms 78:70Also, he chose his servant, David. He took David away from the fields,
• Psalms 110:2The Lord will give you great authority, as you rule from Zion. You will rule over all your enemies that are round you.
• Isaiah 9:7His authority to rule will be very great. The peace that he brings will never have an end. He will rule as king over David's kingdom. He will make it strong and safe, because he will do what is right and fair. He will rule like that now and for ever. The Lord Almighty will make those things happen, because he loves his people.
• Luke 1:32He will be great. People will call him the Son of the powerful God who is over all. The Lord God will make him king. He will rule as his ancestor King David ruled.
• Hebrews 1:8But this is what God says to his Son: ‘You are God and you will rule as King for ever! You will rule your kingdom in a completely good way.
• 1 Samuel 14:38So Saul said to all the leaders of the army, ‘Come here. Someone has done a bad thing today. We must find out who has done it.

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