_AND WHEN BALAAM SAW THAT IT PLEASED THE LORD TO BLESS ISRAEL, HE WENT NOT, AS AT OTHER TIMES, TO SEEK FOR ENCHANTMENTS, BUT HE SET HIS FACE TOWARD THE WILDERNESS._ When Balaam saw - i:e., was convinced, from the oracular announcements formerly made to the patriarchs, of which he had heard, combine... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ Balaam lifted up his eyes - a Hebrew phrase for earnest observation, used even when the spectator was looking down. AND HE SAW ISRAEL ABIDING, х_ SHOKEEN_ (H7931... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND HE TOOK UP HIS PARABLE, AND SAID, BALAAM THE SON OF BEOR HATH SAID, AND THE MAN WHOSE EYES ARE OPEN HATH SAID:_ Balaam the son of Beor hath said - _ `Balaam the son of Beor prophesies, And the man, unclosed of (as to) the eye prophesies: The hearer of the words of God, Who sees a vision of th... [ Continue Reading ]
_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:_ Which heard the words of God, х_ 'IMREEY_ (H561) _ 'EEL_ (H410)] - a poetical term. х_ DªBAR_ (H1697) is used by a prose writer in similar circumstances (1 Samuel 3:1... [ Continue Reading ]
_HOW GOODLY ARE THY TENTS, O JACOB, AND THY TABERNACLES, O ISRAEL!_ How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob! - a fine burst of admiration, expressed in highly poetical strains. All travelers describe the beauty which the circular range of Bedouin tents imparts to the desert. How magnificent, then, must h... [ Continue Reading ]
_AS THE VALLEYS ARE THEY SPREAD FORTH, AS GARDENS BY THE RIVER'S SIDE, AS THE TREES OF LIGN ALOES WHICH THE LORD HATH PLANTED, AND AS CEDAR TREES BESIDE THE WATERS._ As the valleys are they spread forth, х_ KINCHAALIYM_ (H5158)] - as brooks or water-courses from the mountains. AS GARDENS BY THE R... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE SHALL POUR THE WATER OUT OF HIS BUCKETS, AND HIS SEED SHALL BE IN MANY WATERS, AND HIS KING SHALL BE HIGHER THAN AGAG, AND HIS KINGDOM SHALL BE EXALTED._ He shall pour the water out of his buckets - literally, the waters shall flow from his buckets. Dual, two buckets-namely, of a water-carrier-... [ Continue Reading ]
_GOD BROUGHT HIM FORTH OUT OF EGYPT; HE HATH AS IT WERE THE STRENGTH OF AN UNICORN: HE SHALL EAT UP THE NATIONS HIS ENEMIES, AND SHALL BREAK THEIR BONES, AND PIERCE THEM THROUGH WITH HIS ARROWS._ He hath as it were the strength of an unicorn - (see the note at Numbers 23:22.) HE SHALL EAT UP ...... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE COUCHED, HE LAY DOWN AS A LION, AND AS A GREAT LION: WHO SHALL STIR HIM UP? BLESSED IS HE THAT BLESSETH THEE, AND CURSED IS HE THAT CURSETH THEE._ As a lion ... х_ KA'ARIY_ (H738), from _ 'AARAAH_ (H717), to pull] - a tearer in pieces; used here and in Numbers 23:24 as a symbol of strength and... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND BALAK'S ANGER WAS KINDLED AGAINST BALAAM, AND HE SMOTE HIS HANDS TOGETHER: AND BALAK SAID UNTO BALAAM, I CALLED THEE TO CURSE MINE ENEMIES, AND, BEHOLD, THOU HAST ALTOGETHER BLESSED THEM THESE THREE TIMES._ Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together. The 'smiting... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEREFORE NOW FLEE THOU TO THY PLACE: I THOUGHT TO PROMOTE THEE UNTO GREAT HONOUR; BUT, LO, THE LORD HATH KEPT THEE BACK FROM HONOUR._ Therefore now flee thou to thy place - (see the note at Numbers 22:5). THE LORD HATH KEPT THEE BACK FROM HONOUR - i:e., from the splendid rewards I intended to b... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND BALAAM SAID UNTO BALAK, SPAKE I NOT ALSO TO THY MESSENGERS WHICH THOU SENTEST UNTO ME, SAYING,_ No JFB commentary on these verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND NOW, BEHOLD, I GO UNTO MY PEOPLE: COME THEREFORE, AND I WILL ADVERTISE THEE WHAT THIS PEOPLE SHALL DO TO THY PEOPLE IN THE LATTER DAYS._ Come ... and I will advertise thee, х_ 'IY`AATSªKAA_ (H3289)]. This verb signifies both to give and to take counsel; and so some regard this as signifying, '... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND HE TOOK UP HIS PARABLE, AND SAID, BALAAM THE SON OF BEOR HATH SAID, AND THE MAN WHOSE EYES ARE OPEN HATH SAID:_ (See the note on the word "said," Numbers 23:7) The repetition of the prefatory formula in these words imparts a character of solemn importance to the prophecy about to be uttered.... [ Continue Reading ]
_I SHALL SEE HIM, BUT NOT NOW: I SHALL BEHOLD HIM, BUT NOT NIGH: THERE SHALL COME A STAR OUT OF JACOB, AND A SCEPTRE SHALL RISE OUT OF ISRAEL, AND SHALL SMITE THE CORNERS OF MOAB, AND DESTROY ALL THE CHILDREN OF SHETH._ I shall see him ... - "Him," used collectively for "Israel." This passage exhib... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND EDOM SHALL BE A POSSESSION, SEIR ALSO SHALL BE A POSSESSION FOR HIS ENEMIES; AND ISRAEL SHALL DO VALIANTLY._ And Edom shall be a possession. Seir, which is used in the parallelism, corresponds with Edom. According to the reading in the English version, Seir should be a possession for his enemi... [ Continue Reading ]
_OUT OF JACOB SHALL COME HE THAT SHALL HAVE DOMINION, AND SHALL DESTROY HIM THAT REMAINETH OF THE CITY._ Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, х_ WªYEERD_ (H7287)]. Some [considering this to be a form of the verb _ YAARAD_ (H3381)] translate, 'he that shall descend.' But others, look... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND WHEN HE LOOKED ON AMALEK, HE TOOK UP HIS PARABLE, AND SAID, AMALEK WAS THE FIRST OF THE NATIONS; BUT HIS LATTER END SHALL BE THAT HE PERISH FOR EVER._ Amalek was the first of the nations. There is scriptural evidence that this people had an independent existence in the time of Abraham (Genesis... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND HE LOOKED ON THE KENITES, AND TOOK UP HIS PARABLE, AND SAID, STRONG IS THY DWELLINGPLACE, AND THOU PUTTEST THY NEST IN A ROCK._ And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, х_ HA-QEEYNIY_ (H7017) (cf. Genesis 15:19; Judges 4:14; Judges 4:17); _ HA-QIYNIYM_ (H7017) (1 Chronicles 2:55)... [ Continue Reading ]
_NEVERTHELESS THE KENITE SHALL BE WASTED, UNTIL ASSHUR SHALL CARRY THEE AWAY CAPTIVE._ Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted. The primary meaning of the verb х_ BAA`AR_ (H1197)] is to eat up, to consume; and Gesenius ('Lex.,' sub voce) assigns it various significations in the Piel conj., No. 2, t... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND HE TOOK UP HIS PARABLE, AND SAID, ALAS, WHO SHALL LIVE WHEN GOD DOETH THIS!_ And he took up his parable, and said. [The Septuagint introduces this by: Kai idoon ton Oog , 'and when he looked on Og.'] ALAS! WHO SHALL LIVE WHEN GOD DOETH THIS? х_ MIY_ (H4310) _ YICHªYEH_ (H2421) _ MISUMOW_ (H77... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND SHIPS SHALL COME FROM THE COAST OF CHITTIM, AND SHALL AFFLICT ASSHUR, AND SHALL AFFLICT EBER, AND HE ALSO SHALL PERISH FOR EVER._ Ships shall come from the coast of Chittim х_ MIYAD_ (H3027) _ KITIYM_ (H3794)] - from the side (quarter) of Chittim; i:e., Cyprus, without indicating the particula... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND BALAAM ROSE UP, AND WENT AND RETURNED TO HIS PLACE: AND BALAK ALSO WENT HIS WAY._ Balaam ... returned to his place - i:e., to his habitation or home (cf. Numbers 7:14) in Mesopotamia. Though he set out, however, on a homeward journey, he did not continue in that direction, but turned aside, le... [ Continue Reading ]