Numbers 24:2

2 looked up, and saw Israel's camp grouped by tribes. The Spirit of God entered him,

Numbers 24:2 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 24:2

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 2:1-34 )

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 ) ( Matthew 7:22 Matthew 7:23 ) .

Numbers 24:2 In-Context

1 When Balaam saw that the LORD wanted to bless Israel, he didn't look for omens as he had done before. He turned toward the desert,

2 looked up, and saw Israel's camp grouped by tribes. The Spirit of God entered him,

3 and he delivered this message: "This is the message of Balaam, son of Beor. This is the message of the man whose eyesight is clear.

4 This is the message of the one who hears the words of God, has a vision from the Almighty, and falls [into a trance] with his eyes open:

5 How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, and the places where you live, Israel.