Albert Barnes Commentary Numbers 24:16

"He saith, who heareth the words of God, And knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, Who seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:" — Numbers 24:16 (ASV)

And knew, the knowledge of the Most High — With the addition of these words, which point to the greater importance and the more distinctly predictive character of what follows, the introduction to this last parable is the same as the introduction to the preceding parable.