Numbers 24:3-9 · Bible study
Numbers 24:3-9 Commentary: Balaam's Third Oracle Study
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Analysis of Balaam's third oracle: translation debate on 'eyes open' vs 'closed,' and the prophecy of Israel's future blessing.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Balaam's third oracle pronounces blessing on Israel despite the king's intent, describing future prosperity and security.
- Key words: Na'um (divine utterance), mashal (parable/oracle), re'em (wild ox, aurochs).
- Main debate: The Hebrew shethum in v.3, translated either 'closed' or 'open', and whether Balaam's eyes were shut or unveiled at the moment of prophecy.
- Theological theme: God's sovereign blessing cannot be reversed by human opposition; His word overrides the intentions of the wicked.
- Best use: Teaching on the faithfulness of God to His covenant promises, and the irony of a pagan prophet declaring them.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
3and he lifted up an oracle, saying: “This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of a man whose eyes are open,
4the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open:
5How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel!
6They spread out like palm groves, like gardens beside a stream, like aloes the LORD has planted, like cedars beside the waters.
7Water will flow from his buckets, and his seed will have abundant water. His king will be greater than Agag, and his kingdom will be exalted.
8God brought him out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox, to devour hostile nations and crush their bones, to pierce them with arrows.
9He crouches, he lies down like a lion; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? Blessed are those who bless you and cursed are those who curse you.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
3He took up his parable, and said, “Balaam the son of Beor says, the man whose eyes are open says;
4he says, who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, and having his eyes open:
5How goodly are your tents, Jacob, and your dwellings, Israel!
6As valleys they are spread out, as gardens by the riverside, as aloes which Yahweh has planted, as cedar trees beside the waters.
7Water shall flow from his buckets. His seed shall be in many waters. His king shall be higher than Agag. His kingdom shall be exalted.
8God brings him out of Egypt. He has as it were the strength of the wild ox. He shall consume the nations his adversaries, shall break their bones in pieces, and pierce them with his arrows.
9He couched, he lay down as a lion, as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Everyone who blesses you is blessed. Everyone who curses you is cursed.”
KJV King James Version 1769
3And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
4He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
5How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!
6As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side, as the trees of lign aloes which the Lord hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.
7He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.
8God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.
9He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
3And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, And the man whose eye was closed saith;
4He saith, who heareth the words of God, Who seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:
5How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, Thy tabernacles, O Israel!
6As valleys are they spread forth, As gardens by the river-side, As lign-aloes which Jehovah hath planted, As cedar-trees beside the waters.
7Water shall flow from his buckets, And his seed shall be in many waters, And his king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted.
8God bringeth him forth out of Egypt; He hath as it were the strength of the wild-ox: He shall eat up the nations his adversaries, And shall break their bones in pieces, And smite them through with his arrows.
9He couched, he lay down as a lion, And as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Blessed be every one that blesseth thee, And cursed be every one that curseth thee.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
3and he taketh up his simile, and saith: `An affirmation of Balaam son of Beor--And an affirmation of the man whose eyes are shut--
4An affirmation of him who is hearing sayings of God--Who a vision of the Almighty seeth, Falling--and eyes uncovered:
5How good have been thy tents, O Jacob, Thy tabernacles, O Israel;
6As valleys they have been stretched out, As gardens by a river; As aloes Jehovah hath planted, As cedars by waters;
7He maketh water flow from his buckets, And his seed is in many waters; And higher than Agag is his king, And exalted is his kingdom.
8God is bringing him out of Egypt; As the swiftness of a Reem is to him, He eateth up nations his adversaries, And their bones he breaketh, And with his arrows he smiteth,
9He hath bent, he hath lain down as a lion, And as a lioness: who doth raise him up? He who is blessing thee is blessed, And he who is cursing thee is cursed.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
3And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, and the man of opened eye saith,
4He saith, who heareth the words of God, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, who falleth down, and who hath his eyes open:
5How goodly are thy tents, Jacob, and thy tabernacles, Israel!
6Like valleys are they spread forth, like gardens by the river side, Like aloe-trees which Jehovah hath planted, like cedars beside the waters.
7Water shall flow out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in great waters, And his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.
8God brought him out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of a buffalo. He shall consume the nations his enemies, and break their bones, and with his arrows shall smite [them] in pieces.
9He stooped, he lay down like a lion, and like a lioness: who will stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
3He took up his parable and said: Balaam the son of Beor hath said: The man hath said, whose eye is stopped up:
4The bearer of the words of God hath said, he that hath beheld the vision of the Almighty, he that falleth, and so his eyes are opened:
5How beautiful are thy tabernacles O Jacob, and thy tents, O Israel!
6As woody valleys, as watered gardens near the rivers, as tabernacles which the Lord hath pitched, as cedars by the waterside.
7Water shall flow out of his bucket, and his seed shall be in many waters. For Agag his king shall be removed, and his kingdom shall be taken away.
8God hath brought him out of Egypt, whose strength is like to the rhinoceros. They shall devour the nations that are his enemies, and break their bones, and pierce them with arrows.
9Lying down he hath slept as a lion, and as a lioness, whom none shall dare to rouse. He that blesseth thee, shall also himself be blessed: he that curseth thee shall be reckoned accursed.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Numbers 24:3
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree on the passage's core meaning: Balaam, hired to curse Israel, instead pronounces a lavish blessing under divine compulsion. The oracle paints Israel's future in terms of agricultural abundance, military strength, and security. On the disputed phrase in verse 3, a sharp divergence appears. Most English versions (including WEB, KJV, ASV) read 'whose eyes are open,' following the interpretation that Balaam's spiritual vision was unveiled. Clarke and the Geneva Bible argue the original shethum means 'shut', his natural eyes were closed, but the following verse uses a different verb (galah, 'to uncover') for eyes opened in a trance. Barnes bridges the gap, noting the opening of inward vision. Despite the translation disagreement, the commentators share the conviction that the passage demonstrates God overriding a prophet's will to bless His people.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Eyes opened in inward vision: Standard English translations; the participle 'shethum' read as 'opened' (perhaps from a root meaning 'to open'), supported by Barnes as 'opened in inward vision.'
- Eyes closed but then uncovered: Clarke and Geneva: 'shethum' means 'shut,' and verse 4 uses a different verb (galah) for the opening that occurs in the trance.
What is clear: Regardless of the translation, Balaam is portrayed as a recipient of prophetic revelation — God overcomes his reluctance and speaks through him a powerful blessing on Israel.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Translation of 'eyes open' or 'closed' | Both sides agree the phrase describes Balaam's reception of divine revelation. | Clarke and Geneva read 'shut,' arguing the verb means 'closed' and that v.4 uses a different word for 'uncovered.' Most English translations and Barnes read 'open,' referring to inward spiritual vision. |
| Balaam's prophetic state | All agree he is under divine inspiration, not his own will. | Some (e.g., Calvin, Barnes) emphasize the overpowering nature of the Spirit subduing an alien will; others (Clarke) see a more gracious opening of eyes in a trance-like state. |
| Meaning of 'Agag' | Agag is a king of the Amalekites, a prominent power at the time. | Calvin and Barnes consider 'Agag' a hereditary title for Amalekite kings, not necessarily one specific ruler; the name later appears in 1 Samuel 15. |
| Water imagery in verse 7 | The image of water flowing from buckets reflects the irrigation methods of the ancient Near East and symbolizes abundance. | Some commentators (e.g., Keil & Delitzsch) focus on the physical fertility of the land; others (Matthew Henry, Wesley) also see a spiritual meaning, the waters of grace and the word. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Balaam son of Beor was a diviner from the region of the Euphrates, hired by Balak king of Moab to curse the Israelites as they camped on the plains of Moab. The narrative preceding this oracle shows Balak leading Balaam to three different high places to try to manipulate the curse, but each time God puts a blessing in Balaam's mouth. This third oracle, from the heights of Peor, overlooks the entire Israelite encampment arranged by tribes.
The imagery draws on Balaam's own Mesopotamian context. 'As gardens by the riverside' likely reflects the famous irrigated gardens of the Euphrates valley. Water flowing from buckets describes the ancient method of raising water from the river using a lever and bucket system, a familiar scene for Balaam's audience. The mention of 'Agag' points to the Amalekite king whose dynasty later opposed Israel (1 Samuel 15). The wild ox (re'em) was aurochs, a powerful, untamable beast symbolizing strength. The lion imagery repeats an earlier motif (Numbers 23:24), emphasizing Israel's invincible rest after conquest.
The genre of the speech is mashal, a poetic oracle or parable, often used for prophetic pronouncements. Balaam introduces himself with a formal preamble (vv.3-4) that imitates the language of Israelite prophecy, claiming to hear God's words and see visions of Shaddai. This context heightens the irony: a pagan seer speaks of the true God's revelation with more force than many of Israel's own prophets.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants that affect the meaning of the passage. The Cambridge Bible suggests that verse 3 may be textually corrupt, particularly the word shethum ('closed' or 'open'), which is of uncertain meaning. Some propose that a line parallel to Numbers 24:16 (mentioning 'knowledge of the Most High') has fallen out of the present text. However, the overall sense remains intact across manuscripts.
Reception History
Jewish interpreters, especially in the Targums, read Balaam's oracles as prophecies of Israel's messianic future. The later oracle of the Star from Jacob (v. 17) became a key messianic text. Early Christian writers connected the lion imagery with Christ, the Lion of Judah (Revelation 5:5), and saw the blessing as a type of the church's victory. Augustine and others noted the irony of a pagan prophet speaking truth under compulsion. In the Reformation, Calvin and Luther emphasized God's sovereign control over even unwilling instruments. The verses have been cited in hymns celebrating God's protection and the security of His people, often in contexts of persecution or doubt.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- The Reluctant Prophet Speaks (vv. 3, 4). Balaam cannot help but bless; God's word overwhelms his intent.
- The Vision of Prosperity (vv. 5, 7). Gardens, water flowing, a king higher than Agag, images of Israel's flourishing.
- The Invincible Lion (vv. 8, 9). Wild ox strength, consuming enemies, resting secure. Anyone who blesses Israel shares in blessing; anyone cursing brings curse on himself.
Five-Point Outline
- Balaam's Prophetic Claim (vv. 3, 4). He asserts divine authorization; his eyes are open to the unseen.
- The Beauty of Israel (v. 5). Tents and tabernacles as goodly and orderly.
- Agricultural Abundance (v. 6). Valleys stretched out, gardens, aloes, cedars, images of provision.
- Royal and Military Triumph (vv. 7, 8). A kingdom exalted, enemies devoured, bones broken.
- Unassailable Rest (v. 9). The lion lies down; no one dares rouse him. Blessing and curse operate with divine force.
Illustration Hooks
- Someone forced to speak well of a person they dislike, the awkwardness, but also the truth that comes out.
- A camp seen from a mountain top: orderly rows, smoke from cooking fires, the sense of a settled people.
- A garden in a dry region, how irrigation turns barren ground into something beautiful.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Why does God use a pagan prophet to bless Israel? What does that say about His sovereignty?
- Does this blessing apply only to ancient Israel, or does it extend to the church today?
- How do we reconcile the violent imagery (breaking bones, piercing arrows) with a God of love?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows us that God's purposes cannot be thwarted. Balak hires a professional curser, but God overrules him. The oracle describes Israel's future not merely in military terms but with lush agricultural imagery. Read the passage aloud together before discussing.
Discussion Questions
- What does Balaam claim about himself in the opening verses? Why does he introduce himself this way?
- The phrase 'whose eyes are open' (or 'closed' in some translations), what difference does that make for understanding Balaam's state?
- What similes does Balaam use in verses 5, 6? What do gardens, aloes, and cedars communicate about Israel's condition?
- Water flowing from buckets (v. 7), what does this picture of irrigation suggest about the source of Israel's prosperity?
- Who is Agag (v. 7)? Why does Balaam mention him specifically?
- The lion imagery (v. 9) appears in both Numbers 23:24 and here. What does the lion's posture, couching, lying down, tell us about Israel's security?
- How does the final phrase about blessing and cursing apply to the people of God today? Is this a promise we can claim personally?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Numbers 22:31 | Then Yahweh opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw Yahweh’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face. |
| Numbers 23:7 | He took up his parable, and said, “From Aram has Balak brought me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East. Come, curse Jacob for me. Come, defy Israel. |
| Numbers 23:18 | He took up his parable, and said, “Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, you son of Zippor. |
| Numbers 24:16 | he says, who hears the words of God, knows the knowledge of the Most High, and who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, and having his eyes open: |
| Genesis 15:1 | After these things Yahweh’s word came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Don’t be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” |
| Genesis 15:12 | When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. Now terror and great darkness fell on him. |
| Numbers 12:6 | He said, “Now hear my words. If there is a prophet among you, I, Yahweh, will make myself known to him in a vision. I will speak with him in a dream. |
| Numbers 22:20 | God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak to you, that you shall do.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke argues that Balaam's "open eyes" should actually read "shut" based on the Hebrew word used, contrasting with a different word for opened later. He also explains the water bucket imagery as a literal reference to an ancient irrigation method, where a man's weight on a lever raises water from a well.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights that Balaam’s inspiration was a violent overpowering of his alien will, unlike the gentle illumination of God’s true prophets. The seer’s metaphors, drawn from his own Euphrates landscape, describe Israel’s future blessings as both naturally abundant and destined to far surpass the prosperous Amalekite kingdom.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary focuses on textual problems in Balaam's oracle, noting the opening triplet appears corrupt and the key word for "closed" is very doubtful. The writer flags a possible line that may have fallen out, and points out that the original poetic structure probably had eleven couplets instead of the current arrangement.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights the pride in Balaam's self-introduction, noting that great spiritual gifts can coexist with a lack of true grace. He then applies the beautiful imagery of Israel's encampment—valleys, gardens, aloe trees, cedars—to the church, which is watered by God and will be exalted under the Messiah.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights the poetic vision in Balaam's praise, seeing Israel's camp from the heights as a beautiful, sprawling scene. The "valleys" are mountain brooks, and the "lign aloes" an aromatic shrub whose shape resembles tents. This imagery portrays Israel's humble start, swift growth, and coming prosperity under a king greater than Agag.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch explains that Balaam calls himself a man with closed eyes because the Spirit of God could only reach him by shutting down his outward senses. This was necessary due to Balaam's impure and undeveloped inner religious life, unlike advanced prophets who received visions without such ecstatic closure. The falling down with inner eyes opened marked the divine revelation.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange observes that this third blessing is richer in poetic form than in actual content, with crowded and sometimes obscure images. Balaam now speaks under prophetic ecstasy, yet the words do not come from his heart. Only a faint hope for other nations appears through the closing line about blessing and cursing.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes the striking shift in Balaam's method: he abandoned his enchantments and magic arts, recognizing it was useless to seek a curse from the devil when God was immovably determined to bless Israel. This shows that God can convince even a reluctant prophet of the folly of relying on lying vanities.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that Balaam's eyes were opened in a prophetic way, shifting him from spiritual blindness to seeing God's plans. The blessings described for Israel are not merely physical, like water and fruitful land, but also point to higher spiritual gifts, including grace and eternal life.