Numbers 24:4

4 the hearer of God's words said, which beheld the revelation of Almighty God, which falleth down, and his eyes be opened so, (yea, the hearer of God's words said, who beheld the revelation of Almighty God, and who falleth down, but his eyes still be open,)

Numbers 24:4 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 24:4

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 Numbers 22:20 ) ( Numbers 23:4 Numbers 23:5 Numbers 23:16 ) :

which saw the vision of the Almighty;
not that he had a sight of any similitude of God, though the angel that appeared to him, which was Christ the uncreated angel, might appear in an human form, for some visible form was seen both by the ass and him; but rather this respects the visions of God to him in the night; it may be in a dream, as has been already observed, and which the following words seem to confirm:

falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
or falling into a deep sleep, and yet the eyes of his body open, which sometimes is the case with persons asleep; or the eyes of his mind open, to receive the instructions given him in a dream or vision of the night; unless this is to be understood of his falling on his face, when he had his vision, as sometimes the prophets did, see ( Ezekiel 1:28 ) ( Deuteronomy 8:17 ) ( Revelation 1:17 ) , so the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem paraphrase it; and the latter says, he prophesied of himself, that he should fall by the sword; which is better than to interpret it of his falling when his ass lay down with him, as some do: so men may have a great deal of light and knowledge in their heads, and yet not have true grace in their hearts; great gifts, which puff up with pride and vanity, but not sanctifying grace, which is of an humbling nature, ( 1 Corinthians 8:1 1 Corinthians 8:2 ) ( 1 Corinthians 13:1 1 Corinthians 13:2 1 Corinthians 13:3 ) , what he said under a spirit of prophecy follows.

Numbers 24:4 In-Context

2 and he raised up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling in tents by his lineages (and he raised up his eyes, and he saw the Israelites living in their tents, tribe by tribe). And when the Spirit of God fell upon him,

3 and when the parable was taken (and when he had received his prophecy), he said, Balaam, the son of Beor, said, (yea,) a man, whose eye is stopped, said,

4 the hearer of God's words said, which beheld the revelation of Almighty God, which falleth down, and his eyes be opened so, (yea, the hearer of God's words said, who beheld the revelation of Almighty God, and who falleth down, but his eyes still be open,)

5 How fair be thy tabernacles, Jacob, and thy tents, Israel!

6 as valleys full of trees, and moist gardens beside floods, as tabernacles which the Lord hath set (up), as cedar trees beside waters; (like valleys full of trees, and watered gardens beside the river, like aloes planted by the Lord, and cedar trees beside the water;)