Numbers 24:10

_AND BALAK'S ANGER WAS KINDLED AGAINST BALAAM, AND HE SMOTE HIS HANDS TOGETHER: AND BALAK SAID UNTO BALAAM, I CALLED THEE TO CURSE MINE ENEMIES, AND, BEHOLD, THOU HAST ALTOGETHER BLESSED THEM THESE THREE TIMES._ Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together. The 'smiting of the hands together' is, among Oriental people, an indication of the most violent rage (see Ezekiel 21:17; Ezekiel 22:13) and ignominious dismissal....

10._And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam. _Inasmuch as the obstinacy of the wicked is not overcome, so that they should submit themselves to God, when He would bring their lusts under the yoke, it must needs be that, when they are still further pressed, they are carried away into passion. Thus now, Balak, after murmurings and expostulations, bursts forth into impetuous wrath, and rejects, and drives away with reproaches from his presence Balaam, whom he had hitherto been endeavoring to cajole. For, when he smites his hands together, it is because he can no longer restrain himself. He is especially indignant, because Balaam had not hesitated freely and openly to bear witness to the blessing of the children of Israel, against whom he was so full of hatred. For nothing is more galling to kings than when they see private individuals regarding their presence at least without alarm. Si...

10-14 This vain attempt to curse Israel is ended. Balak broke out into a rage against Balaam, and expressed great vexation. Balaam has a very full excuse; God restrained him from saying what he would have said, and constrained him to say what he would not have uttered....

NUMBERS 24:1 AS AT OTHER TIMES, or, "as (he had done) time after time." SEPTUAGINT, κατὰ τὸ εἰωθός. TO SEEK FOR ENCHANTMENTS. Rather, "for the meeting with aunties." לִקְמראת נְחַשִׁים. Septuagint, to συνάντησιν τοῖς οἰωνοῖς. _Nachashim; _as in Numbers 23:23, is not enchantments in the sense of magical practices, but definitely auguries, i.e. omens and signs in the natural world observed and interpreted according to an artificial system as manifesting the purposes of God. As one of the commonest and worst of heathen practices, it was forbidden to Israel (Leviticus 19:26;...

AND BALAK'S ANGER WAS KINDLED AGAINST BALAAM,.... He had bore much and long, but he could bear no longer, he was quite impatient, his last words more especially must exceedingly nettle him: AND HE SMOTE HIS HANDS TOGETHER; as expressive of his indignation, vexation, and disappointment: AND BALAK SAID UNTO BALAAM, I CALLED THEE TO CURSE MY ENEMIES; he had sent princes to him, one set of them after another, to invite him into his country, and to his court, with great promises of reward to curse Israel, whom he reckoned his enemies, and not to bless them: AND, BEHOLD, THOU HAST ALTOGETHER BLESSED THEM THESE THREE TIMES; done nothing else but bless them with blessing upon blessing, time after time; even everyone of the three times he opened his mouth, as Balak expected, to have cursed them....

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 ...

BALAK'S DISMISSAL OF BALAAM. Balak shows his contempt for the seer, who had failed to earn the promised reward, by clapping his hands together (a mark of scorn, Job 27:23); whilst Balaam, before departing, utters unasked another oracle concerning the future relations of Israel with Moab....

BALAK'S ANGER. See note on Exodus 10:28. CURSE. to pierce with words. Hebrew. _kabab._ See note on Numbers 22:11. BEHOLD. Figure of speech _Asterismos._ App-6. ALTOGETHER BLESSED. Hebrew "a blessing thou hast blessed". Figure of speech _Polyptoton._ App-6. See note on Genesis 26:28....

_these three times_ If the utterances in chs. 23 and 24 have been rightly assigned to E and J respectively, these words must have been added by the editor who combined the two accounts....

H. FINAL BLESSING, AND PROPHECY vv. 10-25 TEXT Numbers 24:10. And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times. 11. Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honor; but, lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honor. 12. And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying, 13. If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will I speak? 14. And now, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days. 15. And he took up his parable, and said, Ba