Bible Strands
Numbers 24:2
When Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Balaam stands facing the wilderness after abandoning his previous divination practices, observing the Israelite camp arranged by tribe before uttering a prophetic oracle.
The words — The Hebrew phrase וַיִּשָּׂא עֵינָיו (va-yissa einav) literally means "and he lifted up his eyes," while שֹׁכֵן (shoken) translates to "dwelling" or "encamped."
The thread — The text records that "the Spirit of God came upon him," a phrasing that also appears in 1 Samuel 10:10 and 2 Chronicles 15:1.
Why it lands — The verse demands the reader recognize that prophetic authority derives from divine imposition rather than human observation or ritual technique.
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
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 19:20 he sent messengers to seize him. But when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came upon them, and Saul’s messengers also began to prophesy.
- 2 Chronicles 15:1 Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded.
- 1 Samuel 10:10 When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a group of prophets met him. Then the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied along with them.
- 1 Samuel 19:23 So Saul went to Naioth in Ramah. But the Spirit of God came upon even Saul, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
- Numbers 2:2 “The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance from it, each man under his standard, with the banners of his family.
- Numbers 11:25 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and He took some of the Spirit that was on Moses and placed that Spirit on the seventy elders. As the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied—but they never did so again.
- Numbers 23:9 For I see them from atop the rocky cliffs, and I watch them from the hills. Behold, a people dwelling apart, not reckoning themselves among the nations.
- Numbers 24:5 How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel!
- Song of Solomon 6:4 You are as beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah, as lovely as Jerusalem, as majestic as troops with banners.
- Song of Solomon 6:10 Who is this who shines like the dawn, as fair as the moon, as bright as the sun, as majestic as the stars in procession?