Numbers 24:2

WEB

Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came on him.

KJV

And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.

Commentary

And Balaam lifted up his eyes,.... Being on Mount Peor: and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to the ir tribes; in that exact order in which they were directed to encamp under four standards, and so many tribes under each standard, Num 2:1 . 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, Joh 11:51 .