1._And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord. _It is evident that Balaam, in order to gratify the wicked king for the sake of the reward, endeavored by various shifts and expedients to obtain an answer in accordance with his wishes. Thus do the wicked seek to propitiate God by delusive means, jus... [ Continue Reading ]
3._And the man whose eyes are open, _(166) _hath said. _This preface has no other object than to prove that he is a true prophet of God, and that he has received the blessing, which he pronounces, from divine revelation; and indeed his boast was true as regarded this special act, though it might be... [ Continue Reading ]
5._How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob! _The internal condition of prosperity enjoyed by the people is described by various similitudes akin to each other, and expressive of the same thing. He compares them to valleys and well-watered gardens, and then to trees which were rendered succulent by abundan... [ Continue Reading ]
7._And his king shall be higher than Agag. _He now begins to enlarge on their outward prosperity, viz., that the people of Israel shall be powerful and flourishing, and endowed with a warlike spirit to resist the assaults of their enemies; for it would not be sufficient that they should abound with... [ Continue Reading ]
9._Blessed is he that blesseth thee. _This mode of expression signifies that the Israelites were elected by God, on these terms, that He would account as conferred upon Himself whatever injury or benefit they might receive. Nor is there anything new in this, that God should declare that He would be... [ Continue Reading ]
10._And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam. _Inasmuch as the obstinacy of the wicked is not overcome, so that they should submit themselves to God, when He would bring their lusts under the yoke, it must needs be that, when they are still further pressed, they are carried away into passion. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
12._And Balaam said unto Balak. _Balaam speaks the truth, indeed, yet in a bad spirit, as we have seen: for he excuses himself with servility (171) to Balak, that it did not depend on himself that he did not comply with his wishes, but that God had stood in the way. For he grieves at the loss of his... [ Continue Reading ]
14._And now, behold, I go unto my people. _Since the counsel which he gave is not here expressly mentioned, (174) it is the opinion of some that his address is unfinished, and they suppose that he referred to the cunning advice so destructive to the people, which will be presently related; _i.e., _t... [ Continue Reading ]
15._Balaam the son of Beor hath said. _Inasmuch as he was preparing to treat of most important matters, it is not without reason that he renews his preface, in order to obtain more authority for his prophecy: and although it was not without ambition that he proclaimed these magnificent titles, still... [ Continue Reading ]
17._I shall see him, but not now. _(175) Though the verbs are in the future tense, they are used for the present; and again, the pronoun _him _designates some one who has not yet been mentioned; and this is a tolerably common usage with the Hebrew, especially when referring to Jerusalem, or God, or... [ Continue Reading ]
20._And when he looked on Amalek. _This people had already been destined to destruction by a Divine decree; but what God had before declared, is here again ratified by Moses. Although the vengeance, which God was about to take, lay dormant for many ages, it was at length experimentally proved that G... [ Continue Reading ]
21._And he looked on the Kenites. _I have not yet referred to the sense in which Balaam is said to have _seen _the Kenites, as well as the other nations; and now, also, I should refrain from doing so, if some did not attribute it to prophetical vision, in which opinion I cannot agree: for Moses rela... [ Continue Reading ]
22._Until Asshur shall carry thee away captive. _It is a harsh and unnatural construction to apply this to the Kenites; and the majority, indeed, consent that it should be referred to the Israelites; yet they differ as to the meaning of it, for some take it affirmatively, that the Kenites should be... [ Continue Reading ]
24._And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim. _It is unquestionable that the word Chittim is sometimes used for the Greeks. Some, indeed, imagine that the Macedonians alone are strictly called by this name; it is, however, plain that it is applied generally to the whole of Greece. But since th... [ Continue Reading ]