he says, who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, and having his eyes open:
Parallel translations
- KJV 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:
- BSB the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open:
- NKJV The utterance of him who hears the words of God, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open:
- NASB The declaration of him who hears the words of God, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered,
- NLT the message of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open:
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 describes himself as one who hears God's words and sees the vision of the Almighty, falling prostrate with eyes opened. He stresses the divine source of his message.
Overview
The piling up of titles for God and descriptions of revelation emphasizes the authority behind the oracle. Balaam is overwhelmed by the vision, falling down yet seeing clearly, a portrait of a prophet gripped by divine disclosure. The repeated emphasis assures the reader that the blessing about to be spoken comes from the Almighty Himself, not from human invention.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Rev 1:17When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am the first and the last,
- Rev 1:10I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet
- Ezek 1:28As the appearance of the rainbow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of Yahweh’s glory. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke.
- 2 Cor 12:1–4It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. For I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
- Num 12:6He said, “Now hear my words. If there is a prophet among you, I, Yahweh, will make myself known to him in a vision. I will speak with him in a dream.
- Ps 89:19Then you spoke in vision to your saints, and said, “I have given strength to the warrior. I have exalted a young man from the people.
- Dan 8:17–18So he came near where I stood; and when he came, I was frightened, and fell on my face: but he said to me, Understand, son of man; for the vision belongs to the time of the end.
- Gen 15:1After these things Yahweh’s word came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Don’t be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”
- Dan 8:26–27The vision of the evenings and mornings which has been told is true: but seal up the vision; for it belongs to many days to come.
- Acts 10:10He became hungry and desired to eat, but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance.
- Dan 10:15–16and when he had spoken to me according to these words, I set my face toward the ground, and was mute.
- Acts 22:17“When I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance,
- Gen 15:12When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. Now terror and great darkness fell on him.
- 1 Sam 19:24He also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
- Acts 10:19While Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men seek you.
- Num 22:31Then Yahweh opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw Yahweh’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.
- Num 22:20God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak to you, that you shall do.”
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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 24:4 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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