Numbers 24:16
New International Version
the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, 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 has knowledge from the Most High, 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, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, 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 has knowledge from the Most High, 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, and knew the knowledge of the most High, 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, And has the knowledge of the Most High, 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, And knows the knowledge of the Most High, 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, And knows the knowledge of the Most High, 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, And knows the knowledge of the Most High, 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, And knows the knowledge of the Most High, Who beholds the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, yet having his eyes opened.

Amplified Bible
The oracle of him who hears the words of God And knows the knowledge of the Most High, 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 and has knowledge from the Most High, 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 and has knowledge from the Most High, 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, And knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, Who seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
He said, hearing the speech of God and knowing the mind of the Highest, and he saw the appearance of God, when raising and opening his eyes:

Brenton Septuagint Translation
hearing the oracles of God, receiving knowledge from the Most High, and having seen a vision of God in sleep; his eyes were opened.

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

Douay-Rheims Bible
The hearer of the words of God hath said, who knoweth the doctrine of the Highest, and seeth the visions of the Almighty, who falling hath his eyes opened:

English Revised Version
He saith, which heareth the words of God, And knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, 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, receives knowledge from the Most High, 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 And receive the knowledge that comes from the Most High. 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 knows what the Most High knows, who saw the vision that the Almighty revealed, who keeps stumbling with open eyes.

JPS Tanakh 1917
The saying of him who heareth the words of God, And knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, Who seeth the vision of the Almighty, Fallen down, yet with opened eyes:

Literal Standard Version
An affirmation of him who is hearing sayings of God, | And knowing knowledge of the Most High; He sees a vision of the Almighty, | Falling—and eyes uncovered:

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

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.

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

New Revised Standard Version
the oracle of one who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, who falls down, but with his eyes uncovered:

New Heart English Bible
he says, who hears the words of God, knows the knowledge of the Most High, and 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, and knew the knowledge of the Most High, 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, knows the knowledge of the Most High, and who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, and having his eyes open:

Young's Literal Translation
An affirmation of him who is hearing sayings of God -- And knowing knowledge of the Most High; A vision of the Almighty he seeth, Falling -- and eyes uncovered:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Balaam's Fourth Oracle
15Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying, “This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of a man whose eyes are open, 16the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open: 17I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab and strike down all the sons of Sheth.…

Cross References
Numbers 24:3
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,

Numbers 24:15
Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying, "This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of a man whose eyes are open,

Numbers 24:17
I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab and strike down all the sons of Sheth.


Treasury of Scripture

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

I shall see him.

Job 19:25-27
For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: …

Zechariah 12:10
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Jude 1:11,14,15
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core…

a star

Matthew 2:2-9
Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him…

Luke 1:78
Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

2 Peter 1:19
We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

a sceptre

Genesis 49:10
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

Psalm 45:6
Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.

Psalm 78:70-72
He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: …

1 Samuel 14:38
And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day.

Zechariah 10:4
Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together.

Moab

2 Samuel 8:2
And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.

2 Kings 3:5,26,27
But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel…

1 Chronicles 18:2
And he smote Moab; and the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.

all the children

Genesis 4:25,26
And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew…

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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














(16) Which heard . . . and knew.--Better, which heareth . . . and knoweth.

Which saw.--Better, he seeth.

Verse 16. - Knew the knowledge of the Most High. Septuagint, ἐπιστάμενος ἐπιστήμην παρὰ Υψίστου. This expression alone distinguishes this introduction of Balaam's mashal from the former one (verses 3, 4), but it is difficult to say that it really adds anything to our understanding of his mental state. If we ask when Balaam had received the revelation which he now proceeds to communicate, it would seem most natural to reply that it was made known to him when "the Spirit of God came upon him," and that Balak's anger had interrupted him in the midst of his mashal, or possibly he had kept it back, as too distasteful to his patron, until he saw that he had nothing more to expect from that quarter.

Parallel Commentaries ...


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

of one who hears
שֹׁמֵ֙עַ֙ (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,
אֵ֔ל (’êl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 410: Strength -- as adjective, mighty, the Almighty

who has knowledge
וְיֹדֵ֖עַ (wə·yō·ḏê·a‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3045: To know

from the Most High,
עֶלְי֑וֹן (‘el·yō·wn)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 5945: An elevation, lofty, as title, the Supreme

who 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 24:16 He says who hears the words (Nu Num.)
Numbers 24:15
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