_BALAAM CONTINUETH TO FORETEL THE PROSPERITY OF ISRAEL, AND THE DOWNFALL OF THEIR ENEMIES: HE IS DISMISSED BY BALAK IN DISGRACE._ _Before Christ 1452._ This chapter is very ill divided from the last: it should certainly begin at the 27th verse of the preceding one.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO SEEK FOR ENCHANTMENTS— In the margin, _to the meeting of enchantments;_ by which is meant the same as he calls, _meeting the Lord,_ in the 3rd and 15th verses of the last chapter. It is difficult to understand what is meant by these words. "Interpreters," says Mr. Saurin, "think they have found s... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SPIRIT OF GOD CAME UPON HIM— That is, a prophetic influence from God, whereby his mind was inspired to see and foretel future events. Philo and others consider Balaam as merely passive in this affair, and that God moved his organs much in the same manner as he did those of the ass: but the state... [ Continue Reading ]
BALAAM, THE SON OF BEOR, HATH SAID— There seems to be no reason for understanding this introduction, with Bishop Patrick, as a proof of Balaam's vanity; since it is agreeable to the ordinary style of all the prophets. See Isaiah 1:1.Jeremiah 1:1.Ezekiel 1:3. The next clause, _The man whose eyes are... [ Continue Reading ]
FALLING INTO A TRANCE— There is nothing in the original _for into a trance;_ which our translators have added, supposing him to have been in a rapture or ecstacy when he had this vision, because it is added, _having his eyes open;_ that is, his mind being possessed of a clear apprehension of things,... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THE VALLEYS, &C.— Struck with the beauty and regularity of the Israelitish camp, Balaam elegantly compares them to _spacious vallies,_ stretching out to a great length; and to beautiful _gardens_ laid out along the banks of a river, and adorned with rows of stately trees. "The expression of Balaa... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL POUR THE WATER OUT OF HIS BUCKETS, &C.— Very different are the interpretations given to this obscure passage. 1. The LXX render the Hebrew widely different from our translation; _a man shall come out of his seed, and shall rule over many nations;_ which also is the translation of Onkelos, a... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD BROUGHT HIM FORTH OUT OF EGYPT— The meaning of which both here and in chap. Numbers 23:22 is, That as it was God, their guide and king, who with a strong arm brought them forth out of Egypt; so that same God will make them victorious over all their enemies; and, consequently, all opposition is i... [ Continue Reading ]
HE COUCHED, HE LAY DOWN AS A LION— This verse, as well as the 24th of the former chapter, refers to the entire victory which the Israelites should obtain over their enemies, and to their perfect and quiet possession of the land of Canaan. Naturalists inform us, that the lion never retires into any p... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD HATH KEPT THEE BACK FROM HONOUR— Pyle has paraphrased this very well: "The God you seem to be so great withal has deprived you of the best post in my court, for the service you have done him:" for it is not to be imagined that Balak would have been in this passion with Balaam, had he really... [ Continue Reading ]
COME, THEREFORE, AND I WILL ADVERTISE THEE WHAT THIS PEOPLE, &C.— Here, say the generality of commentators, Balaam most probably gave to Balak the infamous counsel mentioned, chap. Numbers 31:16 and accordingly some of the paraphrases here insert that counsel; and the Vulgate so understands the pass... [ Continue Reading ]
I SHALL SEE HIM, BUT NOT NOW; I SHALL BEHOLD HIM, BUT NOT NIGH:— For the exposition of the following verses, we are indebted to the excellent dissertations of the learned bishop of Bristol. _"I shall see,_ &c. rather, _I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh;_ the future tense in the Hebr... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BALAAM—RETURNED TO HIS PLACE— i.e. say some, he set forward for Mesopotamia, after having given the prince that detestable counsel, the issue of which we shall see in the next chapter; but being detained in the country of Midian, he perished, as we read in the 31st chapter. Others think that he... [ Continue Reading ]