Numbers 24:4

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2 And Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel ^aencamped according to their tribes; and ^bthe Spirit of God came upon him.

3 ^aThen he took up his oracle and said:
“The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor,
The utterance of the man whose eyes are opened,

4 The utterance of him who hears the words of God,
Who sees the vision of the Almighty,
Who ^afalls down, with eyes wide open:

5 “How lovely are your tents, O Jacob!
Your dwellings, O Israel!

6 Like valleys that stretch out,
^aLike gardens by the riverside,
Like aloes ^bplanted by the Lord,
Like cedars beside the waters.

7 He shall pour water from his buckets,
And his seed shall be ^ain many waters.
“His king shall be higher than ^bAgag,
And his ^ckingdom shall be exalted.

8 “God^a brings him out of Egypt;
He has strength like a wild ox;
He shall ^bconsume the nations, his enemies;
He shall ^cbreak their bones
And ^dpierce them with his arrows.

Commentaries:

Barnes' Notes

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Numbers 24:4

The "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 I Samuel 19:24 the word of God could only prevail by first subduing the alien will, and overpowering the bodily energies which the will ordinarily directs.

**Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Numbers 24:4:**

Numbers 21:27
2 Samuel 23:1
Psalms 119:18
Isaiah 1:1
Daniel 2:1
Daniel 8:1
Acts 10:10
Revelation 1:10

<< Numbers 24:3

Numbers 24:5 >>

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