CHAPTER XXIV _Balaam, finding that God was determined to bless Israel, seeks_ _no longer for enchantments_, 1. _The Spirit of God coming upon him, he delivers a most important_ _prophetic parable_, 2-9. _Balak's anger is kindled against him, and he commands him to_ _depart to his own country_,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Numbers 24:2. _THE SPIRIT OF GOD CAME UPON HIM._] This Divine afflatus he had not expected on the present occasion, but God had not yet declared the whole of his will.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Numbers 24:3. _HE TOOK UP HIS PARABLE_] His prophetic declaration couched in highly poetic terms, and in regular metre, as the preceding were. _THE MAN WHOSE EYES ARE OPEN_] I believe the original שתם _shethum_, should be translated _shut_, not _open_; for in the next verse, where the openin... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Numbers 24:4. _FALLING INTO A TRANCE_] There is no indication in the Hebrew that he fell into a _trance_; these words are added by our translators, but they are not in the original. נפל _nophel_ is the only word used, and simply signifies _falling_, or _falling down_, perhaps in this instance... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Numbers 24:6. _LIGN ALOES WHICH THE LORD HATH PLANTED_] Or, as the tents which the Lord hath pitched; for it is the same word, אהלים _ohalim_, which is used in the _5_th verse. But from other parts of Scripture we find that the word also signifies a species of _tree_, called by some the _sand... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Numbers 24:7. _HE SHALL POUR THE WATER OUT OF HIS BUCKETS, C._] Here is a very plain allusion to their method of raising water in different parts of the East. By the _well_ a tall pole is erected, which serves as a fulcrum to a very long lever, to the smaller end of which a bucket is appended.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Numbers 24:8. _GOD BROUGHT HIM FORTH OUT OF EGYPT_] They were neither _expelled_ thence, nor came _voluntarily_ away. God alone, with a high hand and uplifted arm, brought them forth. Concerning the _unicorn_, Numbers 23:22, Numbers 23:22.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Numbers 24:9. _HE COUCHED, HE LAY DOWN AS A LION, C._] See the original terms explained Numbers 23:24. These oracles, delivered by Balaam, are evident prophecies of the victories which the Israelites should gain over their enemies, and of their firm possession of the promised land. They may a... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Numbers 24:11. _LO, THE LORD HATH KEPT THEE BACK FROM HONOUR._] A bitter and impious sarcasm. "Hadst thou cursed this people, I would have promoted thee to great honour; but thou hast chosen to follow the directions of Jehovah rather than mine, and what will _he_ do for thee?... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Numbers 24:15. _THE MAN WHOSE EYES ARE OPEN_] Numbers 24:3. It seems strange that our version should have fallen into such a mistake as to render שתם _shethum, open_, which it does not signify, when the very _sound_ of the word expresses the _sense_. The Vulgate has very properly preserved the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Numbers 24:17. _I SHALL SEE HIM, BUT NOT NOW_] Or, _I shall see him_, _but he is not now_. _I shall behold him, but not nigh - I shall have_ _a full view of him, but the time is yet distant_. That is, The person of whom I am now prophesying does not at present exist among these Israelites, no... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Numbers 24:18. _AND EDOM SHALL BE A POSSESSION_] That is, to DAVID: as it is said: "And all they of Edom became David's servants;" 2 Samuel 8:14. _SEIR ALSO SHALL BE A POSSESSION_] That is, unto the king MESSIAH; as it is said: "And saviours shall come upon Mount Zion to judge the Mount of Es... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Numbers 24:19. _OUT OF JACOB SHALL COME, C._] This is supposed to refer to Christ, because of what is said Genesis 49:10. It is exceedingly difficult to fix the true sense of this prophecy in all its particulars. Probably the _star_, Numbers 24:17, is only an emblem of _kingly_ power. Among... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Numbers 24:20. _AMALEK WAS THE FIRST OF THE NATIONS_] The most _ancient_ and most powerful of all the nations or states then within the view of Balaam; _but his latter end shall be that he perish for_ _ever_, or _his posterity_ אחריתו acharitho, shall be destroyed, or _shall utterly fail_. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Numbers 24:21. _HE LOOKED ON THE KENITES_] Commentators are not well agreed who the Kenites were. Dr. Dodd's opinion is, I think, nearest to the truth. _Jethro_, the father-in-law of Moses, is called a priest or prince of Midian, Exodus 3:1, and in Jdg 1:16 he is called a _Kenite_; we may inf... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Numbers 24:22. _UNTIL ASSHUR SHALL CARRY THEE AWAY CAPTIVE._] The Assyrians and Babylonians who carried away captive the ten tribes, 2 Kings 17:6, and the Jews into Babylon, 2 Kings 25:1; 2 Kings 25:11, probably carried away the Kenites also. Indeed this seems pretty evident, as we find some K... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Numbers 24:23. _WHO SHALL LIVE WHEN GOD DOETH THIS!_] There are two senses in which these words may be taken: - 1. That the event is so distant that none then alive could possibly live to see it. 2. That the times would be so distressing and desolating that scarcely any should be able to esc... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Numbers 24:24. _SHIPS_ SHALL COME _FROM THE COAST OF CHITTIM_] Some think by Chittim the Romans, others the Macedonians under Alexander the Great, are meant. It is certain that the Romans did conquer the Assyrians, including all the people of Syria, Mesopotamia, c., but Calmet strongly contend... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Numbers 24:25. _AND BALAAM - RETURNED TO HIS PLACE_] Intended to have gone to Mesopotamia, his native country, (see Deuteronomy 23:4), but seems to have settled among the Midianites, where he was slain by the Israelites; see Numbers 31:8. THOUGH the notes in the preceding chapters have been e... [ Continue Reading ]