INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 24 In this chapter we are told, that Balaam leaving his enchantments, the Spirit of God came on him, and he spake of the happiness of Israel, and prophesied of their future greatness and glory, Numbers 24:1 which so exasperated Balak, that he ordered him at once to depart fr... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN BALSAM SAW THAT IT PLEASED THE LORD TO BLESS ISRAEL,.... That it was good in his sight, what he approved of, and was well-pleasing to him, and that it was his determined mind that Israel should be blessed, and not cursed, from which there was no turning him, by offering sacrifices to him, a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BALAAM LIFTED UP HIS EYES,.... Being on Mount Peor: AND HE SAW ISRAEL ABIDING IN HIS TENTS ACCORDING TO THEIR TRIBES; in that exact order in which they were directed to encamp under four standards, and so many tribes under each standard, Numbers 2:1 AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD CAME UPON HIM; not in... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE TOOK UP HIS PARABLE,.... His parable of prophecy, as the Targums, his prophetic speech, which, with a loud voice, he expressed in the hearing of Balak and his nobles: AND SAID, BALAAM THE SON OF BEOR HATH SAID; the preface to his prophecy is pompous, and seems to be full of pride and vanity,... [ Continue Reading ]
HE HATH SAID, WHICH HEARD THE WORDS OF GOD,.... God speaking to him, which he did several times, and with which he was greatly elated, see Numbers 22:9: WHICH SAW THE VISION OF THE ALMIGHTY; not that he had a sight of any similitude of God, though the angel that appeared to him, which was Christ th... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW GOODLY ARE THY TENTS, O JACOB,.... Not that the matter of which they were made was so rich, or their structure so admirable, but the order in which they were placed was so beautiful and agreeable: AND THY TABERNACLES, O ISRAEL; which is the same thing in other words, and which may be applied fi... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THE VALLEYS ARE THEY SPREAD FORTH,.... Long and broad, lying between several mountains, and reaching from hill to hill; so the armies of Israel lay encamped in the plains and villages of Moab, making a very considerable length and breadth; the camp of Israel is said to be twelve miles long, and t... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL POUR THE WATER OUT OF HIS BUCKETS,.... That is, God shall plentifully send down rain out of the clouds upon these valleys, gardens, and trees, and make them fruitful; and this may be a figure of the grace of God, with which his churches are watered, and become fruitful by means of the word... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD BROUGHT HIM FORTH OUT OF EGYPT, HE HATH AS IT WERE THE STRENGTH OF AN UNICORN,.... Here he repeats what he had said in a former prophecy, Numbers 23:22: he shall eat up the nations his enemies: the seven nations of Canaan, which should be subdued by Israel, and that with as much ease as a lion d... [ Continue Reading ]
HE COUCHED,.... Which may respect the posture of the armies of Israel in the plains of Moab: HE LAY DOWN AS A LION, AND AS A GREAT LION; as he would do, and did in the land of Canaan, when conquered by Israel; they took up their residence on it quietly, and dwelt in it securely, and in no more fear... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BALAK'S ANGER WAS KINDLED AGAINST BALAAM,.... He had bore much and long, but he could bear no longer, he was quite impatient, his last words more especially must exceedingly nettle him: AND HE SMOTE HIS HANDS TOGETHER; as expressive of his indignation, vexation, and disappointment: AND BALAK S... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE NOW FLEE THOU TO THY PLACE,.... His own country, from whence Balak had sent for him, and he came; begone directly, make all haste away; he speaks as one so provoked, that he could not bear him in his presence, and as threatening him if he did not at once get out of his sight: I THOUGHT TO... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BALAAM SAID UNTO BALAK,.... In order to mitigate his wrath, and bring him into a better temper: SPAKE I NOT ALSO TO THY MESSENGERS WHICH THOU SENTEST UNTO ME: those that came to him a second time; for to the first he said nothing of what is after related, but to the last he did much the same as... [ Continue Reading ]
IF BALAK WOULD GIVE ME HIS HOUSE FULL OF SILVER AND GOLD,.... Which are the very words he said to the princes of Moab, Numbers 22:18, I CANNOT GO BEYOND THE COMMANDMENT OF THE LORD, TO DO EITHER GOOD OR BAD; for though here it is the "commandment", and there the "word" of the Lord, yet it is the sa... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOW, BEHOLD, I GO UNTO MY PEOPLE,.... According to thine order, I shall not stay to make thee uneasy with my company, only I crave thy patience to hear me a little before we part: COME THEREFORE, AND I WILL ADVERTISE THEE; about some things that shall come to pass in future time, respecting thi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE TOOK UP HIS PARABLE, AND SAID,.... In this and the following verse; the same preface, in the same words, is made to his prophecy as before, Numbers 24:3 Numbers 24:4; only one clause is added, "and knew the knowledge of the Most High"; that Balaam had some knowledge of God is certain from the... [ Continue Reading ]
Numbers 24:15... [ Continue Reading ]
I SHALL SEE HIM, BUT NOT NOW,.... Meaning not Israel, for he now saw him encamped, and at no great distance; but one that should descend from him, a famous and excellent person, and who is no other than the Messiah, as appears by what follows; him he should see, not spiritually with an eye of faith,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND EDOM SHALL BE A POSSESSION,.... Of the children of Israel, which was fulfilled in part when the Edomites became the servants of David, 2 Samuel 8:14 and when they were smitten and spoiled by Judas Maccabeus, them a great overthrow, and abated their courage, and took their spoils.'' (1 Maccabees... [ Continue Reading ]
OUT OF JACOB SHALL COME HE THAT SHALL HAVE DOMINION,.... Meaning either David, or rather the Messiah; and so Jarchi interprets this of another ruler out of Jacob, even of the Messiah, of whom it is said, he shall have dominion from sea to sea; Psalms 72:8, AND SHALL DESTROY HIM, THAT REMAINETH OF T... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN HE LOOKED ON AMALEK,.... The country of Amalek, which lay to the south of the land of Canaan, Numbers 13:29 and which Balaam had a view of from the mountain of Peor, where he now was: AND HE TOOK UP HIS PARABLE, AND SAID; the parable of his prophecy, as the Targum of Jonathan, and pronounc... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE LOOKED ON THE KENITES,.... Not the family and posterity of Jethro, as Aben Ezra, Jarchi, and Abendana; for they were not a people by themselves, but were now encamped with Israel, and went with them into the land of Canaan, and were not carried captive with the ten tribes, though some might t... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS THE KENITE SHALL BE WASTED,.... Though they were so strongly fortified, and closely immured and surrounded with rocks and mountains, yet they should gradually waste away, as they were but few in Saul's time, 1 Samuel 15:6 UNTIL ASHUR SHALL CARRY THEE AWAY CAPTIVE; Tiglathpileser, king... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE TOOK UP HIS PARABLE, AND SAID,.... Or delivered another prophecy, having made some little pause: ALAS, WHO SHALL LIVE WHEN GOD DOETH THIS? referring not to what goes before, but to what follows; though Jarchi and Aben Ezra think it refers to the Assyria conquering and carrying captive, not o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHIPS [SHALL COME] FROM THE COAST OF CHITTIM,.... Kittim was the son of Javan, Genesis 10:4 and so designs some part of Greece: Josephus r says that Kittim possessed the island now called Cyprus, in which was a city now called Citium, after his name; Macedonia, a considerable part of Greece, is... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BALAAM ROSE UP, AND WENT AND RETURNED TO HIS PLACE,.... The country from whence he came, that is, he went from Balak, according to his command, in order to return to his own land; for he seems not to have reached it, but stayed by the way among the Moabites and Midianites, and was slain in a bat... [ Continue Reading ]