Numbers 24:2

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Contextual Overview

¹And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as on previous occasions, but he turned his face toward the wilderness. ²When Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him,³and he lifted up an oracle, saying: "This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of a man whose eyes are open, ⁴the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open: ⁵How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel! ⁶They spread out like palm groves, like gardens beside a stream, like aloes the LORD has planted, like cedars beside the waters. ⁷Water will flow from his buckets, and his seed will have abundant water. His king will be greater than Agag, and his kingdom will be exalted. ⁸God brought him out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox, to devour hostile nations and crush their bones, to pierce them with arrows. ⁹He crouches, he lies down like a lion; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? Blessed are those who bless you and cursed are those who curse you."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

abiding: Numbers 24:5, Numbers 2:2-34, Numbers 23:9, Numbers 23:10, Song of Solomon 6:4, Song of Solomon 6:10

the spirit: Numbers 11:25-29, 1 Samuel 10:10, 1 Samuel 19:20, 1 Samuel 19:23, 2 Chronicles 15:1, Matthew 7:22, Matthew 10:4, Matthew 10:8, Luke 10:20, John 11:49-51

Reciprocal: Leviticus 23:42 - General Numbers 1:52 - General Numbers 2:34 - so they Numbers 23:7 - parable 1 Kings 13:11 - an old prophet 2 Chronicles 20:14 - came the Spirit Daniel 8:3 - I lifted John 11:51 - he prophesied

Cross-References

Genesis 15:2
But Abram replied, "O Lord GOD, what can You give me, since I remain childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?"

Genesis 24:4
but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac."

Genesis 24:6
Abraham replied, "Make sure that you do not take my son back there.

Genesis 24:8
And if the woman is unwilling to follow you, then you are released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there."

Genesis 24:9
So the servant placed his hand under his master Abraham's thigh and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.

Genesis 24:10
Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed with all manner of good things from his master in hand. And he set out for Nahor's hometown in Mesopotamia.

Genesis 44:1
Then Joseph instructed his steward: "Fill the men's sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each one's silver in the mouth of his bag.

Genesis 47:29
When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called his son Joseph and said, "If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise me that you will show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt,

1 Chronicles 29:24
All the officials and mighty men, as well as all of King David's sons, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon.

1 Timothy 5:17
Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Balaam lifted up his eyes,.... Being on Mount Peor:

and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; in that exact order in which they were directed to encamp under four standards, and so many tribes under each standard, Numbers 2:1

and the Spirit of God came upon him; not in his grace but in his gifts; not as a spirit of sanctification, but as a spirit of prophecy, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan paraphrase it; and so sometimes the Spirit of God in this sense has come upon wicked men, as on Caiaphas and others, John 11:51.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Balaam gazed over the camp of Israel that stretched before him, and allowed the spectacle to work its own influence upon him.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Numbers 24:2. The Spirit of God came upon him. — This Divine afflatus he had not expected on the present occasion, but God had not yet declared the whole of his will.