New Living Translation
Numbers 24:16
16the 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:
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 returning to my own people. But first let me tell you what the Israelites will do to your people in the future.” 15This is the message Balaam delivered: “This is the message of Balaam son of Beor, the message of the man whose eyes see clearly, 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: 17I see him, but not here and now. I perceive him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel. It will crush the heads of Moab’s people, cracking the skulls of the people of Sheth. 18Edom will be taken over, and Seir, its enemy, will be conquered, while Israel marches on in triumph.
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 19:25“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last.
- Zechariah 12:10“Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died.
- Jude 1:11What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion.
- Revelation 1:7Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him— even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen!
- Matthew 2:2“Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”
- Luke 1:78Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,
- 2 Peter 1:19Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts.
- Revelation 22:16“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. I am the bright morning star.”
- Genesis 49:10The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor.
- Psalms 45:6Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule with a scepter of justice.
- Psalms 78:70He chose his servant David, calling him from the sheep pens.
- Psalms 110:2The Lord will extend your powerful kingdom from Jerusalem; you will rule over your enemies.
- Isaiah 9:7His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!
- Luke 1:32He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.
- Hebrews 1:8But to the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule with a scepter of justice.
- 1 Samuel 14:38Then Saul said to the leaders, “Something’s wrong! I want all my army commanders to come here. We must find out what sin was committed 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
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