Numbers 24:3
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor has said, and the man whose eyes are open has said:
American King James Version (AKJV)
And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor has said, and the man whose eyes are open has said:
American Standard Version (ASV)
And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, And the man whose eye was closed saith;
Basic English Translation (BBE)
And moved by the spirit, he said, These are the words of Balaam, son of Beor, the words of the man whose eyes are open:
Webster's Revision
And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
World English Bible
He took up his parable, and said, "Balaam the son of Beor says, the man whose eye was closed says;
English Revised Version (ERV)
And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor saith, And the man whose eye was closed saith:
Definitions for Numbers 24:3
Clarke's Numbers 24:3 Bible Commentary
He took up his parable - His prophetic declaration couched in highly poetic terms, and in regular metre, as the preceding were.
The man whose eyes are open - I believe the original שתם shethum, should be translated shut, not open; for in the next verse, where the opening of his eyes is mentioned, a widely different word is used, גלה galah, which signifies to open or reveal. At first the eyes of Balaam were shut, and so closely too that he could not see the angel who withstood him, till God opened his eyes; nor could he see the gracious intentions of God towards Israel, till the eyes of his understanding were opened by the powers of the Divine Spirit. This therefore he mentions, we may suppose, with humility and gratitude, and to the credit of the prophecy which he is now about to deliver, that the Moabites may receive it as the word of God, which must be fulfilled in due season. His words, in their meaning, are similar to those of the blind man in the Gospel: "Once I was blind, but now I see."
Barnes's Numbers 24:3 Bible Commentary
Whose eyes are open - i. e., opened in inward vision, to discern things that were hidden from ordinary beholders.
Wesley's Numbers 24:3 Bible Commentary
24:3 Whose eyes are open - Heb. Who had his eyes shut, but now open.The eyes of his mind, which God had opened in a peculiar and prophetical manner, whence prophets are called Seers, 9:9 . It implies that before he was blind and stupid, having eyes, but not seeing nor understanding.
