Numbers 23:7

_AND HE TOOK UP HIS PARABLE, AND SAID, BALAK THE KING OF MOAB HATH BROUGHT ME FROM ARAM, OUT OF THE MOUNTAINS OF THE EAST, SAYING, COME, CURSE ME JACOB, AND COME, DEFY ISRAEL._ Took up his parable, х_ MªSHAALOW_ (H4912)] - i:e., spoke under the influence of inspiration, and in the highly poetical, figurative, and oracular style of a prophet. BROUGHT ME FROM ARAM. The _ MAASHAAL_ (H4912), or parable, arranged in parallelisms, will stand thus: _ `From Aram Balak sent for me, The king of Moab from the mountains of the East.' (BALAK'S MESSAGE) `Come, curse for me Jacob,_ And come, defy Israel!' (BALAAM'S ANSWER.) _ `How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I defy, whom Yahweh hath not defied? For from the top of the rocks I see him,_ And from hills I look after him: Behold, a people dwelling apart, And a

7._And he took up his parable and said. _The word משל, _mashal, _signifies all weighty and notable sayings, especially when expressed in exalted language. The meaning, therefore, is, that Balaam began to speak eloquently, and in no ordinary strain. Nor can it be doubted but that he aroused Balak’s attention by this grandeur of language through God’s secret influence; that the wretched man might acknowledge that Balaam now spoke in no mortal fashion, but that there was something of divine inspiration in his words, so that his mind might be the more deeply affected by the revelation. The sum of what he said was to this effect, that there was not merely perversity and folly in Balak’s design to curse the people, but that whatever he attempted would be vain and useless, since he was fighting against God. At the same time, he renounces for himself that power, which Balak was persuaded that he...

1-10 With the camps of Israel full in view, Balaam ordered seven altars to be built, and a bullock and a ram to be offered on each. Oh the sottishness of superstition, to imagine that God will be at man's beck! The curse is turned into a blessing, by the overruling power of God, in love to Israel. God designed to serve his own glory by Balaam, and therefore met him. If God put a word into the mouth of Balaam, who would have defied God and Israel, surely he will not be wanting to those who desire to glorify God, and to edify his people; it shall be given what they should speak. He who opened the mouth of the ass, caused the mouth of this wicked man to speak words as contrary to the desire of his heart, as those of the ass were to the powers of the brute. The miracle was as great in the one case as in the other. Balaam pronounces Israel safe. He owns he could do no more than God suffered...

Verse Numbers 23:7. _AND HE TOOK UP HIS PARABLE_] משלו _meshalo_, see on Numbers 21:27. All these oracular speeches of Balaam are in _hemistich_ metre in the original. They are highly dignified, and may be considered as immediate _poetic_ productions of the Spirit of God; for it is expressly said, Numbers 23:5, that God put the _word_ in Balaam's mouth, and that _the Spirit of God_ _came upon him_, Numbers 24:2....

ARAM - Or, “highland.” This term denotes the whole elevated region, from the northeastern frontier of Palestine to the Euphrates and the Tigris. The country between these streams was especially designated “Aram-naharaim,” or “Aram of the two rivers:” the Greeks called it Mesopotamia; and here, according to Deuteronomy 23:4, was Balaam’s home. Compare Numbers 22:5 note....

NUMBERS 23:1 BUILD ME HERE SEVEN ALTARS. According to the common opinion of the heathen, it was necessary to propitiate with sacrifices the God with whom they had to do, and if possible to secure his favourable consideration on their side. The number seven was especially connected with the revelation of the tree God, the Creator of the world, and was probably observed here for this reason. The sacrifices were offered no doubt to Jehovah. NUMBERS 23:3 PERADVENTURE THE LORD WILL COME TO MEET me. It might be concluded from Numbers 24:1 that Balaam went only to look for "auguries," _i.e; _for such natural signs in the flight of birds and the like a

AND HE TOOK UP HIS PARABLE, AND SAID,.... Pronounced the word, the prophetic word, which God had put into his mouth; so the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem call it, the parable of his prophecy; so called, because, in prophecies, often figurative and enigmatical expressions are used, and also sententious and weighty ones, either of which are sometimes called parables; see Psalms 78:2, BALAK THE KING OF MOAB HATH BROUGHT ME FROM ARAM; or Syria, that is, from Mesopotamia, as the Septuagint translate it; and so the Targum of Jonathan, from Aram or Syria, which is by Euphrates: OUT OF THE MOUNTAINS OF THE EAST: it being the mountainous part of Mesopotamia or Chaldea, where Balaam dwelt, which lay to the east of the land of Moab: SAYING, COME, CURSE ME JACOB, AND COME, DEFY ISRAEL; he owns that this was Balak's view in sending for him; nor

AND SAID In the prophecies of Balaam God testifies on behalf of His people rather than (as usual) to them. It is the divine testimony to their standing as a redeemed people in view of the serpent "lifted up," and of the water from the smitten rock. (Numbers 21:5); (Numbers 20:11). Their state was morally bad, but this was a matter concerning the discipline of God, not His judgment. The interpretation of the prophecies is literal as to Israel, typical as to Christians. Through Christ "lifted up" (John 3:14) our standing is eternally secure and perfect, though our state may require the Father's discipline; (1 Corint

THE PARABLES OF BALAAM Chapter S 23-24 _ 1. The first parable (Numbers 23:1)_ 2. Balak's surprise and Balaam's answer (Numbers 23:11) 3. At Zophim (Numbers 23:13) 4. The second parable (Numbers 23:18) 5. Balak's request and Balaam's reply (Numbers 23:25) 6. Balaam's third parable (Numbers 24:1) 7. Balak's anger and Balaam's firmness ...

BALAAM'S FIRST ORACLE. Its purport is that the secure independence, the imposing numbers, and the undisturbed prosperity of Israel are proof that the people have not been cursed by God and therefore cannot be cursed by Balaam. The poem, which may have been incorporated, rather than composed, by the author of the narrative, seems to date from a period when Israel was most prosperous (_i.e._ some time during the undivided monarchy; _cf._ on Numbers 24:7; Numbers 24:17). NUMBERS 23:7. ARAM: _ i.e_. Aram-naharaim (Genesis 24:10 *,...