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.
Parallel translations
- WEB Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came on 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 19:20And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
- 2 Chr 15:1And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:
- 1 Sam 10:10And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.
- 1 Sam 19:23And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
- Song 6:4Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.
- Luke 10:20Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
- Matt 7:22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
- Num 2:2–34Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father’s house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.
- John 11:49–51And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
- Num 23:9–10For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.
- Num 24:5How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!
- Song 6:10Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?
- Matt 10:4Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
- Num 11:25–29And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
- Matt 10:8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
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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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