Numbers 24:15
in Numbers 24Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying, “This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of a man whose eyes are open,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, And the man whose eye was closed saith;
KJV
And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
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This verse in Numbers 24
Commentary
7 notes on this verseOne day we had before us the book of Numbers written by Moses, and [Fabiola] modestly questioned me as to the meaning of the great mass of names there to be found. Why was it, she inquired, that single tribes were differently associated in this passage and in that, how came it to be that the soothsayer Balaam, in prophesying of the future mysteries of Christ, spoke more plainly of him than almost any other prophet? I replied as best I could and tried to satisfy her inquiries.
This site's exposition
Balaam the son of Beor hath said
on Numbers 24:15-16
The fourth oracle repeats the preamble of verse 3 word for word and adds one line, that he knew the knowledge of the most High. Most High is El Elyon, the name Melchizedek used of God at Genesis 14:18-20 and the name Abram then took onto his own lips at Genesis 14:22. Calvin reads a gift of this kind as a thing given without sanctifying the man who carries it, and the book bears him out at 31:8.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
Pacian of BarcelonaMorals on the Book of Job, Book 15, Section 58 · Written before 391.
proposed
For the ungodly man knows not the evil things he has done, except when he has already begun to be punished for those same evil deeds. Hence it is said by the Prophet; And the vexation alone shall give understanding to the hearing. For he then 'understands' what he has heard, when he now grieves that he is 'vexed' for the neglect of it. Hence it is said by Balaam concerning himself; the man whose eye is shut hath said: He hath said which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, which shall fail, and so his eyes shall be opened. For he gave counsel against the children of Israel, but he saw afterwards in punishment what it was he had been guilty of before in sin. Now the Elect, forasmuch as they see beforehand so that they should not sin, the eyes of these surely are open before their fall. But the wicked man opens his eyes after his fall, because after his sin he now in his own punishment sees that he ought to have avoided that ill which he did.
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
PateriusEXPOSITION OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT, NUMBERS 20 · Written before 606.
proposed
The unholy man does not know the evil he does unless he begins to be punished for the same evils. For Balaam offered counsel against the Israelites and afterwards saw in his punishment what sin he had previously committed. But the elect, who should not …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And he took up his parable, and said,....
He calls God the Most High, and the Almighty; no man could speak more honourably of him, nor seem to put a greater value upon his acquaintance with him, and yet he had no true fear of him, love to him, or faith in him, so far may a man go towards heaven, and yet come short. Here is his prophecy concerning him that should be the crown and glory of his people Israel, who is, 1.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The man whose eyes are open - See on Num 24:3 (note). It seems strange that our version should have fallen into such a mistake as to render שתם shethum, open, which it does not signify, when the very sound of the word expresses the sense. The Vulgate has very properly preserved the true meaning, by rendering the clause cujus obturatus est oculus, he whose eyes are shut. The Targum first paraphrased the passage falsely, and most of the versions followed it.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Since Balaam wanted to tell [Balak] about the punishment [that would befall] his people, as it is written, and he shall smite through the corners of Moab, 227 Further Verse.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּשָּׂ֥א | vaiyisa' | and he lifted up | H5375 → | 656 times |
| מְשָׁל֖וֹ | meshalo | oracle his | H4912 → | 39 times |
| וַיֹּאמַ֑ר | vaiyomar | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| נְאֻ֤ם | neum | [the] utterance of | H5002 → | 376 times |
| בִּלְעָם֙ | bilam | Balaam | H1109 → | 61 times |
| בְּנ֣וֹ | beno | son his | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| בְעֹ֔ר | veor | Beor | H1160 → | 10 times |
| וּנְאֻ֥ם | uneum | and [the] utterance of | H5002 → | 376 times |
| הַגֶּ֖בֶר | hagever | the man | H1397 → | |
| שְׁתֻ֥ם | shetum | <the> opened of | H8365 → | |
| הָעָֽיִן׃ | haayin | the eye | H5869 → | 887 times |
וַיִּשָּׂ֥אand he lifted up
vaiyisa'H5375 →656 times
מְשָׁל֖וֹoracle his
meshaloH4912 →39 times
וַיֹּאמַ֑רand he said
vaiyomarH559 →5305 times
נְאֻ֤ם[the] utterance of
neumH5002 →376 times
בִּלְעָם֙Balaam
bilamH1109 →61 times
בְּנ֣וֹson his
benoH1121 →4930 times
בְעֹ֔רBeor
veorH1160 →10 times
וּנְאֻ֥םand [the] utterance of
uneumH5002 →376 times
הַגֶּ֖בֶרthe man
hageverH1397 →
שְׁתֻ֥ם<the> opened of
shetumH8365 →
הָעָֽיִן׃the eye
haayinH5869 →887 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 13:35So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.”
it leads to
- Psalms 78:2
I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the beginning,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ephesians 3:9
and to illuminate for everyone the stewardship of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.
- Romans 16:25–26
Now to Him who is able to strengthen you by my gospel and by the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery concealed for ages past
- 1 Peter 1:20–21
He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.
- 1 Corinthians 2:7
No, we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God, which He destined for our glory before time began.
- Psalms 78:2
Through
Numbers 23:7And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘put a curse on Jacob for me; come and…
it leads to
- Numbers 24:3
and he lifted up an oracle, saying: “This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of a man whose eyes are open,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Numbers 22:5–6
he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people. “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt,” said Balak. “They cover the…
- Numbers 23:18
Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Arise, O Balak, and listen; give ear to me, O son of Zippor.
- Numbers 24:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Numbers
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jerome, LETTER 77.7; John Calvin, Commentary on the Four Last Books of Moses Arranged in the Form of a Harmony; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Pacian of Barcelona, Morals on the Book of Job, Book 15, Section 58 and Paterius, EXPOSITION OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT, NUMBERS 20.