Numbers 24:2

2 and lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon 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 And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go, as the first and second times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness;

2 and lifting up his eyes, he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

3 Then he took up his parable and said, Balaam, the son of Beor, has said and the man whose eyes are open has said,

4 he who has heard the words of God has said, who saw the vision of the Almighty, fallen, but having his eyes open:

5 How beautiful are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy habitations, O Israel!