KJV ORIGINAL
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.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Balaam looked up and saw the Israelites camped in their tents, organized by their tribes. Then the Spirit of God came upon him.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
God's Spirit came upon Balaam when he saw how orderly and blessed the Israelite camp was, even though he had been hired to curse them.
📚 Historical Context
Balaam was a non-Israelite prophet hired by Balak, king of Moab, to curse the Israelites who were camped near his territory. Instead of cursing them, God repeatedly used Balaam to bless Israel. This moment occurs when Balaam sees the organized, peaceful arrangement of the twelve tribes in their wilderness camp.
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