Numbers 24:1-9

G. THE PROPHECY OF BALAAM (Numbers 24:1-9)

TEXT

Numbers 24:1. 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. 2. 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. 3. And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: 4. 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: 5. How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! 6. As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lignaloes which the Lord hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters. 7. 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. 8. God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of a unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows. 9. 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.

PARAPHRASE

Numbers 24:1. And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go to seek omens, as he had at other times, but he looked intently toward the wilderness. 2. And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, 3. and he took up his speech and said, The oracle of Balaam the son of Peor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, 4. the oracle of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, but having his eyes opened; 5. How fair are your tents, O Jacob, and your Tabernacles, O Israel! 6. Like valleys that stretch afar, like gardens beside a river, like aloes which the Lord has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters. 7. He shall pour the water out of his buckets, moistening his seed abundantly; and his kings shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. 8. God brought him out of Egypt: he has, as it were, the strength of a wild ox. He shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones in pieces, and shall pierce them through with his arrows. 9. He rested, he lay down like a lion, and like a lioness; who will rouse him up? Blessed be he who blesses you, and cursed be he who curses you.

COMMENTARY

Now persuaded fully that God will not cure Israel, Balaam conducts himself differently. In the previous sacrifices he had resorted to auguries, which would have been omens or signs observed in the world of nature and interpreted for the situation at hand. The custom was soundly denounced to Israel (Leviticus 19:26; Deuteronomy 18:10), but was a very common practice among the heathen, As he looks out upon the spreading camp of God's people, he can no longer feign any type of cooperation with Balak, and is well prepared for the revelation which God's Spirit will bring him.

The message of God is specified as Balaam's parable, or utterance. While the term alone does not exclusively specify a message of divine origin, the circumstances would establish this fact. In stating that his eyes are now open, he speaks of one of the major manners by which God's communications were delivereda heightened vision. He would be permitted to see what was hidden from normal human eyes, and for the purpose of relaying God's will to Balak. The message of God directly followed.
Essentially, the communication reinforced the previous prophecy. Once more Balaam pronounced a totally favorable word about Israel. The tents of Jacob would be like wide spreading valleys, resembling riverside gardens of exotic trees. The aloe, for example, which grew no nearer than the Far East, would have been known only through importation of its rare fragrance; the cedars, on the other hand, were indigenous to northern Palestine and Lebanon, and were extensively used in building and decorative work. The two trees are mentioned together not because they are of a common source, but because they are symbolic of living and valuable blessings.
Together with the beautiful trees comes the figure of an abundance of water, carried to the irrigation field in buckets via long poles, or to the household for daily use. The thought suggests an abundance of this life-giving element to a people who would deeply appreciate the fact, having for so long been transients in a barren, near-waterless land.
Like the names Pharoah and Abimelech, Agag is not the name of a single individual, but the title applied to the kings of the Amalekites. The present prophecy was uttered in an area where these kings would have been well known. But the king of Israel would attain a stature high above that of Agaga thought usually understood to refer to more than any one Israelite king, and conceivably a prophecy of the Messiah. At the peak of the Kingdom of Israel, all of the land promised to Abrahamthe territory lying between the Arabian Desert and the Mediterranean, and stretching from the Wilderness of Paran to the great bend of the Euphrates north of Syriaa total of about 60,000 square mileswas under the dominion of David and Solomon. Neither Agag nor Balak nor any of the other kings encountered by the followers of Moses ever attained to such a kingdom. And all possible comparisons fade into insignificance when the passage is viewed symbolically with its Messianic import. The exaltation of His kingdom was twofold: it brought man into a saved relationship with God, and elevated him into an eternal state of bliss. Nothing remotely comparable could be found in any earthly kingdom of any age; hence, the words spoken through Balaam stand without possible contradiction.
The words continued, expressing divine leadership and delivery from Egypt, followed by a constant strengthening and continuing victories to His favored people. Enemies were, by inference, weaker, since Israel's strength is compared to that of the wild ox; they were to be devoured as by a conquering lion. The broken bones and arrow-piercing wounds suggest total mastery and defeat of the national enemies. Following his victories, the lion lies complacent at his lair, unafraid of any about him. None dare antagonize him, since his power is unmatched and fearsome. The very choice blessings of God must come upon all who show this nation favor, but divine vengeance falls upon any who subject it to oppression and shame. All this constitutes a remarkable oracle. Its message must be heeded, or the consequences are formidable.

QUESTIONS AND RESEARCH ITEMS

443.

What is different about Balaam's conduct as he approaches this third prophecy?

444.

How is it possible that the Spirit of God could come upon a man who was not of the people of Israel?

445.

Explain the term parable or oracle as used of Balaam's message.

446.

Show the points on which the prophecies of Balaam were fulfilled literally in later years.

447.

Why is the kingdom in Israel's future compared to that of Agag'S?

448.

Discuss the two aspects of the prophesied kingdom.

449.

Show the validity of comparing this kingdom to a hunting, relaxing lion.