Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came on him.
Parallel translations
- 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.
- BSB When Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him,
- NKJV And Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel encamped according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.
- NASB And Balaam raised his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came upon him.
- NLT where he saw the people of Israel camped, tribe by tribe. Then the Spirit of God came upon him,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Balaam looks out and sees Israel encamped tribe by tribe, and the Spirit of God comes upon him. God Himself empowers the oracle that follows.
Overview
The orderly arrangement of Israel by tribes, as commanded earlier in Numbers, presents a picture of a people set in covenant order under God. The coming of the Spirit of God upon Balaam shows that even a pagan diviner becomes a mouthpiece for true prophecy when God wills it. What follows is not Balaam's wisdom but God's word about His chosen nation.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- 1 Sam 19:20Saul sent messengers to seize David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, God’s Spirit came on Saul’s messengers, and they also prophesied.
- 2 Chr 15:1The Spirit of God came on Azariah the son of Oded:
- 1 Sam 10:10When they came there to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came mightily on him, and he prophesied among them.
- 1 Sam 19:23He went there to Naioth in Ramah. Then God’s Spirit came on him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
- Song 6:4You are beautiful, my love, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as an army with banners.
- Luke 10:20Nevertheless, don’t rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
- Matt 7:22Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’
- Num 2:2–34“The children of Israel shall encamp every man by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ houses: at a distance from the Tent of Meeting shall they encamp around it.”
- John 11:49–51But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all,
- Num 23:9–10For from the top of the rocks I see him. From the hills I see him. Behold, it is a people that dwells alone, and shall not be listed among the nations.
- Num 24:5How goodly are your tents, Jacob, and your tents, Israel!
- Song 6:10Who is she who looks out as the morning, beautiful as the moon, clear as the sun, and awesome as an army with banners?
- Matt 10:4Simon the Canaanite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
- Num 11:25–29Yahweh came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was on him, and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did so no more.
- Matt 10:8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 24:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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