Numbers 24

Nu 24:1-25.

BALAAM

FORETELLS

ISRAEL'S

HAPPINESS.

1. to seek for--that is, to use enchantments. His experience on the

two former occasions

[Nu 23:3, 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. he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes--that

is, in the orderly distribution of the camp

(Nu 2:1-34).

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

(De 23:5).

3. the man whose eyes are open--that is, a seer

(1Sa 9:9),

a prophet, to whom the visioned future was disclosed--sometimes when

falling into a sleep

(Ge 15:12-15),

frequently into "a trance."

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--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. 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.

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

Eze 21:17; 22:13)

and ignominious dismissal.

15. he took his parable--or prophecy, uttered in a poetical style.

17. I shall see him--rather, "I do see" or "I have seen him"--a

prophetic sight, like that of Abraham

(Joh 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

Ge 49:10).

corners--border, often used for a whole country

(Ex 8:2;

Ps 74:17).

children of Sheth--some prince of Moab; or, according to some, "the

children of the East."

18. Edom shall be a possession--This prophecy was accomplished by

David

(2Sa 8:14).

Seir--seen in the south, and poetically used for Edom. The double

conquest of Moab and Edom is alluded to

(Ps 60:8; 108:9).

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

(Ps 60:9).

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

Ex 17:13;

also

1Sa 15:1-35).

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

(Jud 1:16;

4:11, 16, 17;

also 2Ki 15:29; 17:6).

23. who shall live when God doeth this!--Few shall escape the

desolation that shall send a Nebuchadnezzar to scourge all those

regions.

24. Chittim--the countries lying on the Mediterranean, particularly

Greece and Italy

(Da 11:29, 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

(Ge 10:24).

he also shall perish--that is, the conqueror of Asher and Eber,

namely, the Greek and Roman empires.

25. Balaam rose up, and went . . . to his place--Mesopotamia, to

which, however, he did not return.

(See on

Nu 31:8).