Numbers 24:16

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:

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Balaam speaks this oracle to King Balak and his attendants during a journey to curse Israel, presenting himself as a prophet whose spiritual perception remains active. The text identifies him as a man whose eyes are open and who receives direct divine communication.

The words — The verse emphasizes שֹׁמֵ֙עַ֙ (sho.Me.a'), literally "the one who hears," and עֶלְי֑וֹן (el.Yon), meaning "the Most High," to define the origin of prophetic authority. These terms establish that the vision originates from God rather than human speculation.

The thread — This exact phrasing reappears in Numbers 24:4 and parallels 2 Samuel 23:1, where David adopts similar language to authenticate his final oracle. The structure functions as a recognized formula for authoritative divine speech in the Hebrew Bible.

Why it lands — The text requires the reader to acknowledge that prophetic knowledge comes exclusively from God and demands attentive reception. It calls for submission to divine revelation rather than reliance on human insight or ritual manipulation.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

נְאֻ֗םne.'Um[the] utterance of שֹׁמֵ֙עַ֙sho.Me.a'[the] [one who] hears אִמְרֵי־'im.rei-<of> [the] words of אֵ֔ל'ElGod וְיֹדֵ֖עַve./yo.De.a'and/ [the] [one who] knows דַּ֣עַתDa.'at<of> [the] knowledge of עֶלְי֑וֹןel.Yon[the] Most High מַחֲזֵ֤הma.cha.Zeh<the> vision of שַׁדַּי֙sha.Dai[the] Almighty יֶֽחֱזֶ֔הye.che.Zehhe sees נֹפֵ֖לno.Fel[who] falls down וּגְל֥וּיu./ge.Luiand/ [who] is uncovered of עֵינָֽיִם׃'ei.Na.yimeyes

King James Version

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:

Cross-references

Numbers 24:4 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open:
2 Samuel 23:1 These are the last words of David: “The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man raised on high, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel:
1 Corinthians 8:1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
1 Corinthians 13:2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.