New King James Version
Numbers 24:16
16The 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:
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 Living Translation (NLT)the message of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open:
Context of Numbers 24:16
14And now, indeed, I am going to my people. Come, I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the latter days.” 15So he took up his oracle and said: “The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, And the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened; 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: 17“I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult. 18“And Edom shall be a possession; Seir also, his enemies, shall be a possession, While Israel does valiantly.
Read all of Numbers 24Numbers 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 19:25For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth;
- Zechariah 12:10“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.
- Jude 1:11Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
- Revelation 1:7Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
- Matthew 2:2saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
- Luke 1:78Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
- 2 Peter 1:19And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines 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 testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
- Genesis 49:10The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.
- Psalms 45:6Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
- Psalms 78:70He also chose David His servant, And took him from the sheepfolds;
- Psalms 110:2The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies!
- Isaiah 9:7Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
- Luke 1:32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
- Hebrews 1:8But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
- 1 Samuel 14:38And Saul said, “Come over here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see what this sin was 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
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries