Numbers 24:2
1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as on previous occasions, but he turned his face toward the wilderness.
When Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him,
3 and he lifted up an oracle, saying: “This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of a man whose eyes are open,
4 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open:
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- When Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him,
- KJV
- And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.
- WEB
- Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came on him.
- ASV
- And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.
- DARBY
- And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel dwelling [in tents] according to his tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.
- BLB
- And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel encamped according to their tribes, and the Spirit of God came upon him.
- ÅB
- Og Bileam løftet sine øyne og så Israel leiret etter sine stammer. Da kom Guds Ånd over ham,
- OTB
- Og Bileam løftet øynene og så Israel leiret stamme for stamme, og Guds Ånd kom over ham.
- B1930
- Og Bileam løftet sine øine og så Israel leiret efter sine stammer. Da kom Guds Ånd over ham,
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
1 Samuel 19:20
he sent messengers to capture him. But when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came upon them, and Saul’s messengers also began to prophesy.
Read in context2 Chronicles 15:1
Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded.
Read in context1 Samuel 10:10
When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a group of prophets met him. Then the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied along with them.
Read in context1 Samuel 19:23
So Saul went to Naioth in Ramah. But the Spirit of God came upon even Saul, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
Read in contextNumbers 2:2–34
“The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance from it, each man under his standard, with the banners of his family.
Read in contextNumbers 11:25–29
Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and He took some of the Spirit that was on Moses and placed that Spirit on the seventy elders. As the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied—but they never did so again.
Read in contextSong of Solomon 6:10
Who is this who shines like the dawn, as fair as the moon, as bright as the sun, as majestic as the stars in procession?
Read in contextSong of Solomon 6:4
You are as beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah, as lovely as Jerusalem, as majestic as troops with banners.
Read in context