Numbers 24:11

_THEREFORE NOW FLEE THOU TO THY PLACE: I THOUGHT TO PROMOTE THEE UNTO GREAT HONOUR; BUT, LO, THE LORD HATH KEPT THEE BACK FROM HONOUR._ Therefore now flee thou to thy place - (see the note at Numbers 22:5). THE LORD HATH KEPT THEE BACK FROM HONOUR - i:e., from the splendid rewards I intended to bestow on thee. It was an infidel sneer at Yahweh; and the meaning is: Since thou hast preferred His mandates to my wishes and interests, from that quarter thou must expect thy recompense....

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....

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?...

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;...

THEREFORE NOW FLEE THOU TO THY PLACE,.... His own country, from whence Balak had sent for him, and he came; begone directly, make all haste away; he speaks as one so provoked, that he could not bear him in his presence, and as threatening him if he did not at once get out of his sight: I THOUGHT TO PROMOTE THEE UNTO GREAT HONOUR; to bestow much wealth and riches upon him, and to prefer him in his court to high offices of honour and dignity; he had promised that he would, and he thought as he said, he was determined upon it, had he performed as he expected: BUT, LO, THE LORD HATH KEPT THEE BACK FROM HONOUR; the Lord thou hast so much talked of, and at whose beck and command thou hast been, and by whom thou hast been checked and controlled, he has hindered thee from riches and honour; see what thou hast got, or rather lost, by hearkening to him, and how he will pay thee for it....

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....

PROMOTE THEE UNTO GREAT HONOUR. See note on Numbers 22:17; Numbers 22:37. LO. Figure of speech _Asterismos._ App-6....

Balak, in anger, bade Balaam flee back to his land. Balaam replied, as before, that he was bound to utter the message which Jehovah gave him, and, instead of departing at once, uttered four further declarations....

THE LORD HATH KEPT THEE BACK FROM HONOUR— Pyle has paraphrased this very well: "The God you seem to be so great withal has deprived you of the best post in my court, for the service you have done him:" for it is not to be imagined that Balak would have been in this passion with Balaam, had he really believed that he acted under the influence of the Supreme God, Creator and Sovereign of the universe; he probably considered Jehovah only as a national God, according to the prevailing opinion of those times. So that certainly we should rather read, _Jehovah hath kept thee back from honour;_ which carries a vile insinuation, that he had acted in concert with the Israelites, and been more careful to please their God Jehovah, than Baal-peor, and the other gods of the Moabites....