Numbers 22:31

_THEN THE LORD OPENED THE EYES OF BALAAM, AND HE SAW THE ANGEL OF THE LORD STANDING IN THE WAY, AND HIS SWORD DRAWN IN HIS HAND: AND HE BOWED DOWN HIS HEAD, AND FELL FLAT ON HIS FACE._ Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, х_ WAYªGAL_ (H1540); Septuagint, apekalupse]. 'Both these (the Hebrew and the Greek) terms signify the rolling back of a veil, or such a removal of it from any object before which it has hung, that it shall no longer intervene between that object and the subject of vision, to prevent his contemplation of it. It is on this principle we are to account for and interpret such metaphorical phrases as uncovering the ears or opening the eyes of any one' (cf. Numbers 24:3; 1 Samuel 9:15;...

31._Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam. _This passage teaches us, that whatever be the acuteness of our senses, it is not only implanted in us by God, but also either sustained or extinguished by His secret inspiration. Balaam’s eyes are opened; consequently there was a veil before them previously, which prevented him from seeing what was manifest. Thus God at His pleasure makes dull the senses of those who seem to themselves to be very acute; since perception is His special gift. By this example we are shewn as in a mirror how hypocrites fear God, viz., when they are influenced by His presence; for as soon as they can withdraw themselves, they revel like fugitive slaves. Balaam saw the angel threatening him with a drawn sword, and he hung down his head, and adored; that is to say, because the vengeance of God was impending. But this fear by no means induced him to true correction o...

22-35 We must not think, that because God does not always by his providence restrain men from sin, therefore he approves of it, or that it is not hateful to him. The holy angels oppose sin, and perhaps are employed in preventing it more than we are aware. This angel was an adversary to Balaam, because Balaam counted him his adversary; those are really our best friends, and we ought so to reckon them, who stop our progress in sinful ways. Balaam has notice of God's displeasure by the ass. It is common for those whose hearts are fully set in them to do evil, to push on violently, through the difficulties Providence lays in their way. The Lord opened the mouth of the ass. This was a great miracle wrought by the power of God. He who made man speak, could, when he pleased, make the ass to speak with man's voice. The ass complained of Balaam's cruelty. The righteous God does not allow the mea...

EXPOSITION THE COMING OF BALAAM (Numbers 22:2). NUMBERS 22:2 BALAK THE SON OF ZIPPOR. The name Balak is connected with a word "to make waste," and "Zippor" is a small bird. Balak was, as is presently explained, the king of Moab at this time, but not the king from whom Sihon had wrested so much of his territory (Numbers 21:26). He seems to be mentioned by name on a papyrus in the British Museum (see Brugseh, ‘Geogr. Inschr.,' 2, page 32). The later Jews made him out to have been a Midianite, but this is nothing but the merest conjecture....

THEN THE LORD OPENED THE EYES OF BALAAM,.... Who either was struck with blindness, as the men of Sodom were, so some think, or rather his eyes were held, that he could not see the angel; he could see other objects, as his ass, but he could not see that; as Elisha's servant could see the host that compassed the city, but not the chariots and horses of fire about Elisha, till his eyes were opened, 2 Kings 6:15 and so it was with Balaam until the Lord uncovered his eyes, or rolled away the vail over them, or took that off which by his power and providence hindered his sight: AND HE SAW THE ANGEL OF THE LORD STANDING IN THE WAY, AND HIS SWORD DRAWN IN HIS HAND; in the same position as in Numbers 22:23 AND HE BOWED DOWN HIS HEAD, AND FELL FLAT ON HIS FACE; from off his ass

III. EVENTS IN THE PLAIN OF MOAB FACING THE LAND 1. Balak and Balaam and Balaam's Parables CHAPTER 22 _ 1. Balak's message to Balaam (Numbers 22:1)_ 2. The journey of Balaam (Numbers 22:21) 3. Balaam with Balak (Numbers 22:36) The last section of the wilderness book begins with the story of Balak and Balaam. An enemy, the Gentile Balaam, has to speak the words of prophecy, predicting wonderful blessing and glory for the hosts of Israel. The advancing Israelites inspired terror and Balak (waster), the king of Moab, not willing to meet Israel in open battle, sent for Balaam (devourer of the people) to put his powerful magic spell upon Israel and curse them. Balaam, or

BALAAM'S JOURNEY TO BALAK WITHOUT GOD'S CONSENT. This section is clearly not the sequel of the preceding, but the continuation of Numbers 22:5, and (as far as Numbers 22:34) is derived from J. Balaam disregards the Divine prohibition to go to Balak which is recorded in Numbers 22:12, but is made aware of Yahweh's anger in the course of his journey. The ass was the animal commonly used by the Hebrews for riding in times of peace (Genesis 22:3; Exodus 4:20; Judges 10:4;...

Jehovah was angry with Balaam for going, and His -Angel" hindered him on the way....

DISCOURSE: 171 BALAAM OBSTRUCTED BY THE ANGEL Numbers 22:31. _Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face_. THE ministry of angels is frequently asserted both in the Old and New Testament: but, because it is not _seen_, it is scarcely believed amongst us. Nevertheless, there is not any doctrine more fully established than this; nor scarcely any more clearly exemplified. We need only look to the passage before us; and there we see an angel deputed to intercept Balaam in his way to Midian, and to stop him in his career of wickedness. Whether the angel were the Son of God himself, “the Angel of the Covenant,” with whom Jacob afterwards wrestled [Note: Hose

THEN THE LORD OPENED THE EYES OF BALAAM— i.e. He presented to his view the angel who had hitherto been invisible; or, as others interpret it, he awakened his attention, and made him take notice of the angel, whom he had not before observed. See Genesis 3:7; Genesis 21:19. Bishop Patrick understands it as the dissipation of a blindness which had surrounded him, and which he supposes to be similar to that with which the Sodomites were stricken; Genesis 19:11; see 2 Kings 6:17....