Numbers 24:4
New International Version
the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

New Living Translation
the message of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open:

English Standard Version
the oracle of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered:

Berean Standard Bible
the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open:

King James Bible
He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

New King James Version
The utterance of him who hears the words of God, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open:

New American Standard Bible
The declaration of him who hears the words of God, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered,

NASB 1995
The oracle of him who hears the words of God, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered,

NASB 1977
The oracle of him who hears the words of God, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered,

Legacy Standard Bible
The oracle of him who hears the words of God, Who beholds the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, yet having his eyes opened,

Amplified Bible
The oracle of one who hears the words of God, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, but having his eyes open and uncovered,

Christian Standard Bible
the oracle of one who hears the sayings of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls into a trance with his eyes uncovered:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
the oracle of one who hears the sayings of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls into a trance with his eyes uncovered:

American Standard Version
He saith, who heareth the words of God, Who seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:

Contemporary English Version
It comes from the LORD, the God All-Powerful. I bowed down to him and saw a vision of Israel.

English Revised Version
He saith, which heareth the words of God, Which seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
This is the message of the one who hears the words of God, has a vision from the Almighty, and falls [into a trance] with his eyes open:

Good News Translation
Who can hear what God is saying. With staring eyes I see in a trance A vision from Almighty God.

International Standard Version
A declaration from one who hears what God has to say, who saw the vision that the Almighty revealed, who keeps stumbling with open eyes.

Majority Standard Bible
the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open:

NET Bible
the oracle of the one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, although falling flat on the ground with eyes open:

New Heart English Bible
he says, who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of Shaddai, falling down, and having his eyes open:

Webster's Bible Translation
He hath said, who heard the words of God, who saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

World English Bible
he says, who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, and having his eyes open:
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
An affirmation of him who is hearing sayings of God, "" Who sees a vision of the Almighty, "" Falling—and eyes uncovered:

Young's Literal Translation
An affirmation of him who is hearing sayings of God -- Who a vision of the Almighty seeth, Falling -- and eyes uncovered:

Smith's Literal Translation
He said, hearing the sayings of God, who will see the vision of the Almighty, falling, and the eyes being uncovered:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The hearer of the words of God hath said, he that hath beheld the vision of the Almighty, he that falleth, and so his eyes are opened:

Catholic Public Domain Version
the hearer of the sermon of God, he who has gazed upon a vision of the Almighty, he who falls down and so his eyes are opened, has declared:

New American Bible
The oracle of one who hears what God says, and knows what the Most High knows, Of one who sees what the Almighty sees, in rapture and with eyes unveiled:

New Revised Standard Version
the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, who falls down, but with eyes uncovered:
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
He has said, who heard the word of God, who saw the vision of God, falling into a trance but having his eyes open:

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
He who heard the speech of God and seeing the appearance of God said, when raising and opening his eyes.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
The saying of him who heareth the words of God, Who seeth the vision of the Almighty, Fallen down, yet with opened eyes:

Brenton Septuagint Translation
he says who hears the oracle of the Mighty One, who saw a vision of God in sleep; his eyes were opened:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Balaam's Third Oracle
3and he lifted up an oracle, saying: “This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of a man whose eyes are open, 4the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open: 5How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel!…

Cross References
Numbers 22:38
“See, I have come to you,” Balaam replied, “but can I say just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.”

Numbers 23:5
Then the LORD put a message in Balaam’s mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and give him this message.”

Numbers 23:16
And the LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and speak what I tell you.”

Numbers 23:26
But Balaam replied, “Did I not tell you that whatever the LORD says, I must do?”

2 Peter 1:21
For no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:17
‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.

Acts 10:34-35
Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism, / but welcomes those from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.

1 Samuel 9:9
(Formerly in Israel, a man on his way to inquire of God would say, “Come, let us go to the seer.” For the prophet of today was formerly called the seer.)

1 Samuel 10:6
Then the Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be transformed into a different person.

1 Samuel 19:20-24
he sent messengers to seize 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. / When this was reported to Saul, he sent more messengers, but they began to prophesy as well. So Saul tried again and sent messengers a third time, and even they began to prophesy. / Finally, Saul himself left for Ramah and came to the large cistern at Secu, where he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” “At Naioth in Ramah,” he was told. ...

Isaiah 44:26
who confirms the message of His servant and fulfills the counsel of His messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt, and I will restore their ruins,’

Ezekiel 1:1
In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the River Kebar, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God.

Ezekiel 3:12-14
Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard a great rumbling sound behind me: “Blessed be the glory of the LORD in His dwelling place!” / It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures brushing against one another and the sound of the wheels beside them, a great rumbling sound. / So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the LORD upon me.

Ezekiel 37:1
The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by His Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley, and it was full of bones.

Joel 2:28
And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.


Treasury of Scripture

He has said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

Jump to Previous
Affirmation Almighty Ears Eyes Heard Heareth Hearing Hears Open Opened Oracle Prostrate Sayings Trance Uncovered Vision Words
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Affirmation Almighty Ears Eyes Heard Heareth Hearing Hears Open Opened Oracle Prostrate Sayings Trance Uncovered Vision Words
Numbers 24
1. Balaam, leaving divinations, prophesies the happiness of Israel
10. Balak, in anger, dismisses him
15. He prophesies of the Star of Jacob, and the destruction of some nations














the prophecy of one who hears the words of God
This phrase indicates a divine revelation, emphasizing the importance of listening to God's voice. In the context of Numbers, Balaam is a non-Israelite prophet who receives messages from God, highlighting that God's communication is not limited to Israel alone. This echoes the broader biblical theme that God can use anyone to fulfill His purposes, as seen with figures like Cyrus in Isaiah 45:1. The act of hearing God's words is central to the prophetic role, as seen in Deuteronomy 18:18, where God promises to raise a prophet like Moses who will speak His words.

who sees a vision from the Almighty
Visions are a common means of divine communication in the Bible, often providing insight into God's plans and purposes. The term "Almighty" (Hebrew: Shaddai) underscores God's supreme power and authority. Balaam's vision is significant because it comes from the Almighty, lending it weight and authority. This aligns with other biblical visions, such as those of Isaiah (Isaiah 6) and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1), where the prophets receive profound revelations of God's glory and plans.

who bows down with eyes wide open
Bowing down signifies reverence and submission to God, a common response to divine encounters. The phrase "eyes wide open" suggests a state of spiritual awareness and readiness to receive God's message. This posture of humility and openness is essential for true prophetic insight, as seen in the experiences of other prophets like Daniel (Daniel 10:9) and John in Revelation (Revelation 1:17). It reflects the biblical principle that God reveals His secrets to those who are humble and reverent before Him (Psalm 25:14).

Persons / Places / Events
1. Balaam
A non-Israelite prophet who is hired by Balak, the king of Moab, to curse Israel. Instead, he delivers blessings as directed by God.

2. Balak
The king of Moab who fears the Israelites and seeks to curse them through Balaam.

3. Moab
The region where Balak rules, located east of the Dead Sea, representing opposition to Israel.

4. Israelites
The people of God, journeying to the Promised Land, whom Balak seeks to curse.

5. The Almighty (El Shaddai)
A name for God emphasizing His power and sovereignty, who reveals His will to Balaam.
Teaching Points
Hearing God's Words
Balaam's experience reminds us of the importance of listening to God's words. We should seek to hear God through Scripture and prayer, ensuring our actions align with His will.

Vision and Revelation
Balaam's vision from the Almighty teaches us that God can reveal His plans to anyone He chooses. We should remain open to God's guidance and be willing to act on His revelations.

Humility Before God
Balaam's posture of bowing with eyes wide open signifies humility and readiness to receive from God. We should approach God with humility, acknowledging His sovereignty in our lives.

God's Sovereignty
Despite Balaam's initial intentions, God's sovereignty prevails. This assures us that God's plans cannot be thwarted by human actions, and we can trust in His ultimate control over our circumstances.

Blessing Instead of Curse
Balaam's blessing over Israel, instead of a curse, illustrates how God can turn intended harm into good. We should trust God to protect and bless us, even when others may wish us harm.(4) Falling into a trance, but having his eyes open.--Better, falling (upon his face), and having his eyes opened. The physical effect produced upon Balaam appears to have been the same as that which was produced upon Saul (1Samuel 19:24), upon Ezekiel (Num. i 28), upon Daniel (Num. viii, 17. 18). and upon St. John (Revelation 1:17). The word which is here rendered "open" (gelui) is a different word from that which is so rendered in Numbers 24:2, and is frequently used in reference to Divine communications and spiritual intuition. There may be a reference to the events which befel Balaam on his journey (Numbers 22:31).

Verse 4. - Falling into a trance. Rather, "falling down." Qui cadit, Vulgate. The case of Saul, who "fell down naked all that day" (1 Samuel 19:24), overcome by the illapse of the Spirit, affords the best comparison. Physically, it would seem to have been a kind of catalepsy, in which the senses were closed to outward things, and the eyes open but unseeing. The word for "open" in this verse is the ordinary one, not that used in verse 3.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
the prophecy
נְאֻ֕ם (nə·’um)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5002: An oracle

of one who hears
שֹׁמֵ֖עַ (šō·mê·a‘)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

the words
אִמְרֵי־ (’im·rê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 561: Something said

of God,
אֵ֑ל (’êl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 410: Strength -- as adjective, mighty, the Almighty

who
אֲשֶׁ֨ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

sees
יֶֽחֱזֶ֔ה (ye·ḥĕ·zeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2372: To gaze at, to perceive, contemplate, to have a, vision of

a vision
מַחֲזֵ֤ה (ma·ḥă·zêh)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4236: A vision

from the Almighty,
שַׁדַּי֙ (šad·day)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7706: The Almighty

who bows down
נֹפֵ֖ל (nō·p̄êl)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie

with eyes
עֵינָֽיִם׃ (‘ê·nā·yim)
Noun - cd
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

wide open:
וּגְל֥וּי (ū·ḡə·lui)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 1540: To denude, to exile, to reveal


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OT Law: Numbers 24:4 He says who hears the words (Nu Num.)
Numbers 24:3
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