Wesley's Explanatory Notes
Numbers 24:4
The vision — So called properly, because he was awake when this was revealed to him: A trance — Or, extasy, fainting and falling upon the ground, as the prophets used to do.
The vision — So called properly, because he was awake when this was revealed to him: A trance — Or, extasy, fainting and falling upon the ground, as the prophets used to do.
Verse Numbers 24:4. _FALLING INTO A TRANCE_] There is no indication in the Hebrew that he fell into a _trance_; these words are added by our translators, but they are not in the original. נפל _nophel_...
The “falling” of which Balaam speaks was the condition under which the inward opening of his eyes took place. It indicates the force of the divine inspiration overpowering the seer. The faithful proph...
THE PARABLES OF BALAAM Chapter S 23-24 _ 1. The first parable (Numbers 23:1)_ 2. Balak's surprise and Balaam's answer (Numbers 23:11) 3. At Zophim (Numbers 23:13) 4. The second parable
BALAAM'S THIRD ORACLE. This varies the tenor of the two previous utterances by dwelling upon the fertility of Israel's soil, and the eminence of its ruler. It was probably constructed, like the preced...
OF. Genitive of origin. words from God. GOD. the mighty God. Hebrew. _'El._ App-4. FALLING INTO. TRANCE. The _Ellipsis_ better supplied. "falling [to the ground]"....
_Balaam's first prophetic message_. In its present form this consists of nine couplets and two triplets. But the text has undergone corruption, and perhaps there were originally eleven couplets....
The opening triplet is as follows: THE ORACLE OF BALAAM SON OF BEOR. The oracle of the man whose eye is (?) CLOSED. The oracle of one that heareth the words of God. The form of it should be compa...
The parallelism of these opening words with those in Numbers 24:15 suggests that the line -And knoweth the knowledge of the Most High" has fallen out of the present passage. _the Almighty_ Heb. _Shadd...
FALLING INTO A TRANCE— There is nothing in the original _for into a trance;_ which our translators have added, supposing him to have been in a rapture or ecstacy when he had this vision, because it is...
G. THE PROPHECY OF BALAAM (NUMBERS 24:1-9) TEXT 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 fa...
_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:_ Which heard the words of God, х_ 'IMREEY_ (H561) _ 'EEL_ (H410)] -...
24:4 saith, (b-2) See Genesis 22:16 ....
BALAAM (CONTINUED) 1-9. Balaam's Third Utterance....
FALLING _into a trance_] rather, 'falling upon his face.' There is no word in the original corresponding to the words 'into a trance.' He falls to the ground, overpowered by the Spirit of God that com...
THE OLD TESTAMENT BOOK OF NUMBERS IN THE DESERT NUMBERS _MARION ADAMS_ CHAPTER 24 BALAAM’S THIRD *PROPHECY – NUMBERS 24:1-14 V1 Balaam realised that the *LORD wanted to *bless the *Israe
FALLING INTO A TRANCE, BUT HAVING HIS EYES OPEN. — Better, _falling_ (_upon his face_)_, and having his eyes opened._ The physical effect produced upon Balaam appears to have been the same as that whi...
נְאֻ֕ם שֹׁמֵ֖עַ אִמְרֵי ־אֵ֑ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר מַחֲזֵ֤ה...
BALAAM'S PARABLES Numbers 22:39, Numbers 24:1 THE scene is now on some mountain of Moab from which the encampment of the Hebrew tribes in the plain of the Jordan is fully visible. At Kiriath-huzoth,...
BALAAM'S VISION OF ISRAEL'S PROSPERITY Numbers 24:1 In these remarkable words Balaam describes the condition and prospects of God's people. They reveal the innermost thought which even a bad, double-...
From the closing sentences in chapter twenty-three we learn that Balaam was taken to yet another place of vision, from whence he looked on the desert. The Spirit of God came upon him and again he utte...
He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, (c) falling [into a trance], but having his eyes open: (c) Though he lay as in a sleep, yet the eyes of his mind were...
_Falleth. Out of respect to God, or in a trance. Septuagint, "in sleep, his eyes are uncovered." He was accustomed to commune with the spirits in the night, chap. xxii. 8. (Haydock) --- He who is clea...
Observe how the HOLY GHOST hath caused the expressions of Balaam to be guarded. It is the man whose eyes are opened, not whose heart; whose knowledge of divine things is in the head, but who never fel...
The successes given to the children of Israel alarmed some of their neighbours, more particularly Moab; and this gives occasion for a striking episode in the history which brought to issue as solemn a...
THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 22, 23, 24, AND 25. Moab also opposes in vain. Now they are in the plains of Moab, having only Jordan between them and the land of their rest. But had they a...
HE HATH SAID, WHICH HEARD THE WORDS OF GOD,.... God speaking to him, which he did several times, and with which he was greatly elated, see Numbers 22:9: WHICH SAW THE VISION OF THE ALMIGHTY; not that...
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: Ver. 4. _Falling into a trance._] As was usual with the prophets;...
_The vision of the Almighty_ So called properly, because he was awake when the following things were revealed to him. _Falling into a trance_ In the Hebrew it is only _falling_, namely, fainting and f...
1 Balaam leauing diuinations, prophesieth the happinesse of Israel. 10 Balak in anger dismisseth him. 15 He prophesieth of the starre of Iacob, and the destruction of some nations. [BALAAM BLESSETH...
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. It was a Revelation of God which came to Balaam by the Spirit of God....
A THIRD BLESSING...
BALAAM'S THIRD PROPHECY (vs.1-13) THE BEAUTY OF LIFE At least Balaam had learned by now that the Lord had the unchangeable purpose of blessing Israel, so this time he knew it was useless to seek e...
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 knowledg...
THE VISION; so called either strictly and properly, because he was awake when this was revealed to him; or largely and improperly, for any extraordinary discovery of God's mind to him, whether sleepin...
Numbers 24:4 utterance H5002 (H8803) hears H8085 (H8802) words H561 God H410 sees H2372 (H8799) vision...
Numbers 24:3 (3a-9) ‘And he took up his incantation (parable), and said,' Here he begins with what was clearly his normal way of going into deep trance and follows it with a series of contrasts pres...
FALLING INTO That is, prostrated by the prophetic impulse. See (1 Samuel 19:24); (Ezekiel 1:23); (Daniel 8:18); (2 Corin
CONTENTS: Balaam foretells prosperity for Israel. CHARACTERS: God, Balaam, Balak. CONCLUSION: Those who oppose God and His people will sooner or later be made to see themselves wretchedly deceived....
Numbers 24:7. _He shall pour the water._ This is a fine prediction of the increase of Jacob's seed, and of the temporal blessings which should fall to their lot. Agag, a perpetual name assumed by the...
_He set his face toward the wilderness._ THE FACE SET TOWARD THE WILDERNESS Evidently there is a change at this point in Balaam’s method. Hitherto he has played the soothsayer. At last he confesses h...
NUMBERS—NOTE ON NUMBERS 24:1 The mention of the Spirit of God empowering Balaam (v. Numbers 24:2) shows the validity of Balaam’s third blessing. Balaam describes himself as the
CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES Numbers 24:1. _To seek for enchantments_. See Notes on Numbers 23:3; Numbers 23:23. _He set his face toward the wilderness, i.e._, towards the plains of Moab, where the...
NUMBERS 24:1 AS AT OTHER TIMES, or, "as (he had done) time after time." SEPTUAGINT, κατὰ τὸ εἰωθός. TO SEEK FOR ENCHANTMENTS. Rather, "for the meeting with aunties." לִקְמראת נְחַשִׁים. Septuagint...
So when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he didn't even go up, as the other times before the LORD, [to seek the face or] to seek for enchantments, but he just set his face towards...
1 Samuel 19:24; 2 Corinthians 12:1; Acts 10:10; Acts 10:19; Acts 22