Bible Strands
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:
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Balaam son of Beor delivers an oracle to the Israelites, identifying himself as a man whose eyes are open and who bows down while receiving divine revelation.
The words — נְאֻם (ne'um) translates as "utterance," while שׁמֵעַ אִמְרֵי אֵל (shomea imrei El) literally means "the one who hears the words of God." מַחֲזֶה שַׁדַּי (machazei Shaddai) denotes "the vision of the Almighty."
The thread — The passage links prophetic revelation to Numbers 12:6, where God promises to reveal Himself to prophets in visions, and parallels Revelation 1:17, where a direct encounter with the divine causes a collapse like a dead man.
Why it lands — The text states that prophetic authority originates from hearing God's speech and receiving His vision, demanding that readers recognize divine communication as an external, overwhelming event rather than a self-generated insight.
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
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:
Cross-references
- Revelation 1:17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last,
- Revelation 1:10 On the Lord’s day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,
- Numbers 12:6 He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, will reveal Myself to him in a vision; I will speak to him in a dream.
- Ezekiel 1:28 The appearance of the brilliant light all around Him was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking.
- 2 Corinthians 12:1 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.
- Genesis 15:1 After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
- Genesis 15:12 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and suddenly great terror and darkness overwhelmed him.
- Numbers 22:20 That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you.”
- Numbers 22:31 Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. And Balaam bowed low and fell facedown.
- 1 Samuel 19:24 Then Saul stripped off his robes and also prophesied before Samuel. And he collapsed and lay naked all that day and night. That is why it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”