Numbers 24:20

_AND WHEN HE LOOKED ON AMALEK, HE TOOK UP HIS PARABLE, AND SAID, AMALEK WAS THE FIRST OF THE NATIONS; BUT HIS LATTER END SHALL BE THAT HE PERISH FOR EVER._ Amalek was the first of the nations. There is scriptural evidence that this people had an independent existence in the time of Abraham (Genesis 14:7), and that they had a permanent settlement south of mount Seir, toward Shur (1 Samuel 15:7; 1 Samuel 27:8) - i:e., on the east of Wady Ghurundel. Philo ('Life of Moses') ascribes to them a Phoenician origin, (cf. 1 Chronicles 4:42, and 'Herodotus,' b. 7:, ch. 89:) It is called "the first of nations," not certainly

20._And when he looked on Amalek. _This people had already been destined to destruction by a Divine decree; but what God had before declared, is here again ratified by Moses. Although the vengeance, which God was about to take, lay dormant for many ages, it was at length experimentally proved that God had not threatened in vain. But, whilst it is true that they were destroyed by Saul, still we learn from the history that some still survived, and again inhabited their land. In order, therefore, to arrive at the entire accomplishment of this prophecy, we must come to Christ, whose kingdom is the eternal destruction of all the wicked. Poor and unsatisfactory is the view of some commentators (179) who think that Amalek is called “the first of the nations,” because they first took up arms against Israel, and encountered them in order to prevent their advance. Rather is the pride of Amalek ind...

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 24:20. _AMALEK WAS THE FIRST OF THE NATIONS_] The most _ancient_ and most powerful of all the nations or states then within the view of Balaam; _but his latter end shall be that he perish for_ _ever_, or _his posterity_ אחריתו acharitho, shall be destroyed, or _shall utterly fail_. This oracle began to be fulfilled by _Saul_, 1 Samuel 15:7, who overthrew the Amalekites, and took their king, Agag, prisoner. Afterwards they were nearly destroyed by _David_, 1 Samuel 27:8, and they were finally exterminated by the sons of _Simeon_ in the days of _Hezekiah_, 1 Chr...

WHEN HE LOOKED - i. e., in spirit, as he saw the Star Numbers 24:17. AMALEK WAS THE FIRST OF THE NATIONS - Rather, is pre-eminent among the neighboring nations: compare the same expression in Amos 6:1. Hence, the force of the words Numbers 24:7 “higher than Agag,” i. e., than the king of this powerful nation (compare Numbers 14:45; Exodus 17:8). This rank, due to the warlike prowess of the tribe, Balaam contrasts with its approaching downfall and extinction....

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 WHEN HE LOOKED ON AMALEK,.... The country of Amalek, which lay to the south of the land of Canaan, Numbers 13:29 and which Balaam had a view of from the mountain of Peor, where he now was: AND HE TOOK UP HIS PARABLE, AND SAID; the parable of his prophecy, as the Targum of Jonathan, and pronounced it aloud: AMALEK WAS THE FIRST OF THE NATIONS; not the first nation in the world, nor the chief and principal for numbers, riches, or strength, but the first that made war with Israel, as all the three Targums paraphrase it, as they did, see Exodus 17:8, BUT HIS LATTER END SHALL BE THAT HE PERISH FOR EVER; this was threatened to them by the Lord upon that battle, and is confirmed by this prophecy of Balaam: and after this, orders were given to Israel to b

NATIONS Or, the first of the nations that warred against Isael. (_ See Scofield) - (Exodus 17:8). _...

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 ...

THREE APPENDED ORACLES. These additional oracles, relating to other peoples than the Moabites, are probably derived from neither E nor J, but have been inserted by an editor from other sources. NUMBERS 24:20. ON AMALEK. This prophecy, predicting the destruction of Amalek, received a fulfilment in the time of Saul, who put them under the ban (1 Samuel 15:7 f.); but some of the Amalekites survived to be slaughtered by David (1 Samuel 30:1), and a remnant existed even in the time of Hezekiah (1 Chronicles 4:43). Numbers 24: