Numbers 22:41

_AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE MORROW, THAT BALAK TOOK BALAAM, AND BROUGHT HIM UP INTO THE HIGH PLACES OF BAAL, THAT THENCE HE MIGHT SEE THE UTMOST PART OF THE PEOPLE._ Balak took Balaam; and brought him up into the high places of Baal, х_ BAAMOWT_ (H1116)] - eminences consecrated to the worship of Baal-peor (Numbers 25:3) or Chemosh. From a comparison of Numbers 21:18; Joshua 13:17; Isaiah 15:2, Hengstenberg declares it as his opinion that 'Bamoth Baal is, in all probability, the mountain on the south side of the Waleh, distant about one hour from Dibon, a town in the Amoritish

36-41 Balak has now nothing to complain of, but that Balaam did not come sooner. Balaam bids Balak not depend too much upon him. He seems to speak with vexation; but is really as desirous to please Balak, as ever he had pretended to be to please God. See what need we have to pray every day, Our Father which art in heaven, lead us not into temptation. Let us be jealous over our own hearts, seeing how far men may go in the knowledge of God, and yet come short of Divine grace....

Verse Numbers 22:41. _THAT - HE MIGHT SEE THE UTMOST PART OF THE PEOPLE._] As he thought Balaam must have them all in his eye when he pronounced his curse, lest it might not extend to those who were not in sight. On this account he took him up into the high places of Baal....

THAT THENCE HE MIGHT SEE - Rather, and thence he saw....

EXPOSITION BALAAM'S PROPHECIES (Numbers 22:41). NUMBERS 22:41 The high places of Baal, or "Bamoth-Baal." Perhaps the Bamoth mentioned in Numbers 21:19, Numbers 21:20. This is, however, by no means certain, because high places were no doubt numerous, and that Bamoth would seem to have been too far from the present camp of Israel. In any case they crossed the Arnon, and ran some risk by adventuring themselves on hostile territory. THAT THENCE HE MIGHT SEE THE UTMOST PART OF THE PEOPLE. According to the quasi-sacramental character attributed t

AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE MORROW,.... The day after the arrival of Balaam at Balak's royal seat, and after the entertainment given him, and the princes, "on the morning" y of that day, as the word signifies; and perhaps early in the morning, the king eager to be about business, and get the people of Israel cursed if possible as soon as could be: THAT BALAK TOOK BALAAM AND BROUGHT HIM UP INTO THE HIGH PLACES OF BAAL; where groves were planted, and altars erected to that "idol" and which the Targum of Jonathan calls the idol Peor, the same with Baalpeor, Numbers 25:3 which might be their god Chemosh, the same with Bacchus or Priapus: THAT THENCE HE MIGHT SEE THE UTMOST PART OF THE PEOPLE; the whole host of Israel, even to the extreme part of it; the camp of Dan, as the Targum of Jonathan, which brought up the rear; he had him to those high pl

UTMOST "Utmost part," etc, means the end of the encampment, the "fourth part of Israel" (Numbers 23:10). Balak's thought, as Grant (following Keil) points out, was not at all to permit Balaam to see the whole of the Hebrew host. In bringing Balaam to Pisgah (Numbers 22:13); (Numbers 22:14). Balak corrects what, evidently, he thought a blunder. (Numbers 23:13); (Numbers 23:14). But when the hireling sees the whole camp he must utter a grander word than before, "He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob," and that with the nation in full

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

NUMBERS 22:41 TO NUMBERS 23:6. BALAK'S SACRIFICES PRELIMINARY TO BALAAM'S FIRST ORACLE. This section proceeds from E. Balak brought Balaam to Bamoth-baal (Numbers 22:41 _mg._), the site of a sanctuary placed where Balaam could have the objects of his expected curse before him. The sacrifices offered by Balak were designed to dispose God to favour his wishes; and the altars and the victims were reckoned by sevens, because seven was a sacred number among many ancient peoples (Genesis 21:28; Joshua 6:4, Verg. _Æ n._ vi. 38). The sacredness attaching to

THE UTMOST PART. the extremity of the camp....