Numbers 24 · Verse 2

Numbers 24:2

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.
Numbers 24:2, King James Version

Numbers 24:2 in other translations

BSBWhen Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him,
WEBBalaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came on him.
ASVAnd Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.
YLTand Balaam lifteth up his eyes, and seeth Israel tabernacling, by its tribes, and the Spirit of God is upon him,
DARBYAnd Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel dwelling in tents according to his tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.
BBEAnd lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel there, with their tents in the order of their tribes: and the spirit of God came on him.
WebsterAnd 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.

What does Numbers 24:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes--that is, in the orderly distribution of the camp (Nu 2:1-34). the spirit of God came upon him--Before the regular ministry of the prophets was instituted, God made use of various persons as the instruments through whom He revealed His will, and Balaam was one of these (De 23:5).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Numbers 24:1-9

Now Balaam spake not his own sense, but the language of the Spirit that came upon him. Many have their eyes open who have not their hearts open; are enlightened, but not sanctified. That knowledge which puffs men up with pride, will but serve to light them to hell, whither many go with their eyes open. The blessing is nearly the same as those given before. He admires in Israel, their beauty. The righteous…

Read the full comment on Numbers 24:1-9 →

Numbers 24:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּשָּׂ֨אvai.yi.Sa'and he lifted upH5375
בִלְעָ֜םvil.'AmBalaamH1109
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
עֵינָ֗יו'ei.Naveyes hisH5869
וַיַּרְא֙vai.yaR'and he sawH7200
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
שֹׁכֵ֖ןsho.KhendwellingH7931
לִשְׁבָטָ֑יוlish.va.Tavto tribes itsH7626
וַתְּהִ֥יva.te.Hiand it cameH1961
עָלָ֖יו'a.Lavon himH5921
ר֥וּחַRu.ach[the] spirit ofH7307
אֱלֹהִֽים\׃'E.lo.HimGodH430

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Numbers 24:2

  • 1 Samuel 19:20

    And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

  • 2 Chronicles 15:1

    And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:

  • 1 Samuel 10:10

    And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.

  • 1 Samuel 19:23

    And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

  • Numbers 2:2-34

    Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father’s house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch. And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah. And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred. And those that do pitch next unto him shall be the tribe of Issachar: and Nethaneel the son of Zuar shall be captain of the children of Issachar. …

  • Numbers 11:25-29

    And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp. And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. …

  • Song of Solomon 6:10

    Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?

  • Song of Solomon 6:4

    Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.

  • Matthew 7:22

    Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

  • John 11:49-51

    And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

  • Matthew 10:4

    Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

  • Matthew 10:8

    Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
abiding.
5; 2:2-34; 23:9,10; So 6:4,10
the spirit.
11:25-29; 1Sa 10:10; 19:20,23; 2Ch 15:1; Mt 7:22; 10:4,8; Lu 10:20
Joh 11:49-51

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Numbers 24:1

    And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

  • Numbers 24:2

    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.

  • Numbers 24:3

    And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:

Read all of Numbers 24

Numbers 24:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y alzando sus ojos, vió á Israel alojado por sus tribus; y el espíritu de Dios vino sobre él.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et Balaam leva ses yeux et vit Israël habitant dans ses tentes selon ses tribus; et l’Esprit de Dieu fut sur lui.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und Bileam erhob seine Augen und sah Israel, gelagert nach seinen Stämmen; und der Geist Gottes kam über ihn.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
et elevans oculos, vidit Israël in tentoriis commorantem per tribus suas: et irruente in se spiritu Dei,