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.
1. to seek for—that is, to use
enchantments. His experience on the two former occasions [Numbers 23:3;
Numbers 23:15] had taught him that
these superstitious accompaniments of his worship were useless, and
therefore he now simply looked towards the camp of Israel, either
with a secret design to curse them, or to await the divine afflatus.
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.
2. he saw Israel abiding in his
tents according to their tribes—that is, in the orderly
distribution of the camp ().
the spirit of God came upon
him—Before the regular ministry of the prophets was instituted,
God made use of various persons as the instruments through whom He
revealed His will, and Balaam was one of these ().
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:
3. the man whose eyes are open—that
is, a seer (1 Samuel 9:9), a prophet,
to whom the visioned future was disclosed—sometimes when falling
into a sleep (Genesis 15:12-15),
frequently into "a trance."
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!
5-7. How goodly are thy tents, . . .
O Israel!—a fine burst of admiration, expressed in highly
poetical strains. All travellers describe the beauty which the
circular area of Bedouin tents impart to the desert. How impressive,
then, must have been the view, as seen from the heights of Abarim, of
the immense camp of Israel extended over the subjacent plains.
6.
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.
6. As the valleys—Hebrew,
"brooks," the watercourses of the mountains.
lign aloes—an aromatic
shrub on the banks of his native Euphrates, the conical form of which
suggested an apt resemblance to a tent. The redundant imagery of
these verses depicts the humble origin, rapid progress, and
prosperity of Israel.
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.
7. his king shall be higher than
Agag—The Amalekites were then the most powerful of all the
desert tribes, and "Agag" a title common to their kings.
8.
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.
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.
10.
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.
10-14. Balak's anger was kindled
against Balaam, and he smote his hands together—The "smiting
of the hands together" is, among Oriental people, an indication
of the most violent rage (see Ezekiel 21:17;
Ezekiel 22:13) and ignominious
dismissal.
11.
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.
12.
And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,
13.
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?
14.
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.
15.
And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
15. he took his parable—or
prophecy, uttered in a poetical style.
16.
He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
17.
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.
17. I shall see him—rather, "I
do see" or "I have seen him"—a prophetic sight, like
that of Abraham (John 8:56).
him—that is, Israel.
there shall come a Star out
of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel—This imagery,
in the hieroglyphic language of the East, denotes some eminent
ruler—primarily David; but secondarily and pre-eminently, the
Messiah (see on John 8:56).
corners—border, often
used for a whole country (Exodus 8:2;
Psalms 74:17).
children of Sheth—some
prince of Moab; or, according to some, "the children of the
East."
18.
And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
18. Edom shall be a possession—This
prophecy was accomplished by David ().
Seir—seen in the south,
and poetically used for Edom. The double conquest of Moab and Edom is
alluded to (Psalms 60:8; Psalms 108:9).
19.
Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.
19. Out of Jacob shall come he that
shall have dominion—David, and particularly Christ.
that remaineth of the
city—those who flee from the field to fortified places ().
20.
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.
20. Amalek . . . his latter end
shall be that he perish for ever—Their territory was seen at
the remote extremity of the desert. (See on ; also ).
21.
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.
21. Kenites . . . nest in a
rock—Though securely established among the clefts in the high
rocks of En-gedi towards the west, they should be gradually reduced
by a succession of enemies till the Assyrian invader carried them
into captivity (Judges 1:16; Judges 4:11;
Judges 4:16; Judges 4:17;
2 Kings 15:29; 2 Kings 17:6;
also 2Ki 15:29; 17:6).
22.
Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
23.
And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!
23. who shall live when God doeth
this!—Few shall escape the desolation that shall send a
Nebuchadnezzar to scourge all those regions.
24.
And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.
24. Chittim—the countries
lying on the Mediterranean, particularly Greece and Italy (Daniel 11:29;
Daniel 11:30). The Assyrians were
themselves to be overthrown—first, by the Greeks under Alexander
the Great and his successors; secondly, by the Romans.
Eber—the posterity of
the Hebrews (Genesis 10:24).
he also shall perish—that
is, the conqueror of Asher and Eber, namely, the Greek and Roman
empires.
25.
And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.
25. Balaam rose up, and went . . .
to his place—Mesopotamia, to which, however, he did not return.
(See on Numbers 24:3).