Numbers 24:4

WEB

he says, who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, and having his eyes open:

KJV

He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

Commentary

He hath said, which heard the words of God,.... God speaking to him, which he did several times, and with which he was greatly elated, see Num 22:9 , which saw the vision of the Almighty; not that he had a sight of any similitude of God, though the angel that appeared to him, which was Christ t he uncreated angel, might appear in an human form, for some visible form was seen both by the ass and him; but rather this respects the visions of God to him in the night; it may be in a dream, as has been already observed, and which the following words seem to confirm: falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: or falling into a deep sleep, and yet the eyes of his body open, which sometimes is the case with persons asleep; or the eyes of his mind open, to receive the instructions given him in a dream or vision of the night; unless this is to be understood of his falling on his face, when he had his vision, as sometimes the prophets did, see Eze 1:28 , so the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem paraphrase it; and the latter says, he prophesied of himself, that he should fall by the sword; which is better than to interpret it of his falling when his ass lay down with him, as some do: so men may have a great deal of light and knowledge in their heads, and yet not have true grace in their hearts; great gifts, which puff up with pride and vanity, but not sanctifying grace, which is of an humbling nature, Co1 8:1 , what he said under a spirit of prophecy follows.