Numbers 24:17

_I SHALL SEE HIM, BUT NOT NOW: I SHALL BEHOLD HIM, BUT NOT NIGH: THERE SHALL COME A STAR OUT OF JACOB, AND A SCEPTRE SHALL RISE OUT OF ISRAEL, AND SHALL SMITE THE CORNERS OF MOAB, AND DESTROY ALL THE CHILDREN OF SHETH._ I shall see him ... - "Him," used collectively for "Israel." This passage exhibits a striking view of the subjective visions of the prophets. While they are frequently represented as receiving verbal communications and favoured with signs, here Balaam seems to have had the actual scene brought before his mental eye. The form of the tense indicates a present sight rather than a prediction of the future. A STAR - not a literal material star. Some, indeed, think that Balaam here predicts the appearance of the meteor which was seen by the magi at the birth of Christ; but that did not come out of Jacob; and the human actions predicated of this star are totally inapplicable t...

17._I shall see him, but not now. _(175) Though the verbs are in the future tense, they are used for the present; and again, the pronoun _him _designates some one who has not yet been mentioned; and this is a tolerably common usage with the Hebrew, especially when referring to Jerusalem, or God, or some very distinguished man. The relative is, therefore, here put κατ ἐξοχὴν for the antecedent: and although there can be no doubt but that he alluded to the people of Israel, it is still a question whether he designates the head or the whole body; on which point I do not make much contention, since it is substantially the same thing. The reason why Balaam postpones his prophecies to a distant period, is in order to afford consolation to Balak, for, as much as he possibly can, he seeks to avoid his ill-will, and therefore assures him that, although he denounces evil, i

15-25 Under the powerful influence of the Spirit of prophecy, Balaam foretold the future prosperity and extensive dominion of Israel. Balaam boasts that his eyes are open. The prophets were in old times called seers. He had heard the words of God, which many do who neither heed them, nor hear God in them. He knew the knowledge of the Most High. A man may be full of the knowledge of God, yet utterly destitute of the grace of God. He calls God the Most High and the Almighty. No man could seem to express a greater respect to God; yet he had no true fear of him, love to him, nor faith in him; so far a man may go toward heaven, and yet come short of it at last. Here is Balaam's prophecy concerning Him who should be the crown and glory of his people Israel; who is David in the type; but our Lord Jesus, the promised Messiah, is chiefly pointed at, and of him it is an illustrious prophecy. Bala...

Verse Numbers 24:17. _I SHALL SEE HIM, BUT NOT NOW_] Or, _I shall see him_, _but he is not now_. _I shall behold him, but not nigh - I shall have_ _a full view of him, but the time is yet distant_. That is, The person of whom I am now prophesying does not at present exist among these Israelites, nor shall he appear in this generation. _There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out_ _of Israel _- a person _eminent_ for _wisdom_, and _formidable_ for _strength_ and _power_, shall arise as _king_ among this people. _He_ _shall smite the corners of Moab _- he shall bring the Moabites perfectly under subjection; (See 2 Samuel 8:2); _and destroy all the children of Sheth_. The original word קרקר _karkar_, f...

Render, I see him, though he be not now: I behold him, though he be not near. Balaam here describes what is actually before him in inward vision. HIM - i. e., the prince, represented in the succeeding words by the Star and Scepter. The star has among all nations served as a symbol of regal power and splendour: and the birth and future glory of great monarchs were believed by the ancients to be heralded by the appearance of stars or comets: compare also Isaiah 14:12; Daniel 8:10; Revelation 1:16, Revelation 1:20;...

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;...

I SHALL SEE HIM, BUT NOT NOW,.... Meaning not Israel, for he now saw him encamped, and at no great distance; but one that should descend from him, a famous and excellent person, and who is no other than the Messiah, as appears by what follows; him he should see, not spiritually with an eye of faith, nor corporeally with his bodily eyes in his state of incarnation, but at the day of judgment; and now, indeed, he saw him by a spirit of prophecy: I SHALL BEHOLD HIM, BUT NOT NIGH; signifying, that the coming of this illustrious Person, who should smite the borders of Moab, was not near, and therefore Balak had no reason to indulge any present fears; and that when he was come either into the world to save men, or to judgment, Balaam would have no nearness to him, nor interest in him; he would see him at the last day, but not for himself, as Job says he should, Job 19:25...

SCEPTRE See "Kingdom" (_ See Scofield) - (Genesis 1:26). _ (_ See Scofield) - (Zechariah 12:8). _...

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 FOURTH ORACLE. In this it is predicted that Israel, previously declared to be formidable to its foes in general, will bring destruction upon Moab and Edom in particular. NUMBERS 24:17. NOT NOW. NOT NIGH: _i.e._ the prediction relates to the distant future. A STAR: a figure for an illustrious king (_cf._ Isaiah 14:12; Revelation 22:16). The passage possibly influenced the belief that the birth of the Messiah would be heralded by a star (Matthew 2:2); and the name of _Bar-cochba_, son of a star, was assumed by a pretended Messiah in A.D. 120. In the last two lines read, And shall smite throu