Numbers 24:8

_GOD BROUGHT HIM FORTH OUT OF EGYPT; HE HATH AS IT WERE THE STRENGTH OF AN UNICORN: HE SHALL EAT UP THE NATIONS HIS ENEMIES, AND SHALL BREAK THEIR BONES, AND PIERCE THEM THROUGH WITH HIS ARROWS._ He hath as it were the strength of an unicorn - (see the note at Numbers 23:22.) HE SHALL EAT UP ... - Israel, in a course of continuous conquests, shall devour the nations, their enemies - i:e., pagan nations, without specification of any; 'and shall craunch their bones' - i:e., by trampling, in the truculent style of ancient victors, upon the necks of their fallen foes; and 'shall shake his arrows (in their blood') (Ps. 58:24); or, as some old commentators interpret the words 'and with his arrows he shall crush them' (Gesenius). [Septuagint, kai tais bolisin autou katatoxeusin echthron.]...

1-9 Now Balaam spake not his own sense, but the language of the Spirit that came upon him. Many have their eyes open who have not their hearts open; are enlightened, but not sanctified. That knowledge which puffs men up with pride, will but serve to light them to hell, whither many go with their eyes open. The blessing is nearly the same as those given before. He admires in Israel, their beauty. The righteous, doubtless, is more excellent than his neighbour. Their fruitfulness and increase. Their honour and advancement. Their power and victory. He looks back upon what had been done for them. Their power and victory. He looks back upon what had been done for them. Their courage and security. The righteous are bold as a lion, not when assaulting others, but when at rest, because God maketh them to dwell in safety. Their influence upon their neighbours. God takes what is done to them, wheth...

Verse Numbers 24:8. _GOD BROUGHT HIM FORTH OUT OF EGYPT_] They were neither _expelled_ thence, nor came _voluntarily_ away. God alone, with a high hand and uplifted arm, brought them forth. Concerning the _unicorn_, Numbers 23:22, Numbers 23:22....

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;...

GOD BROUGHT HIM FORTH OUT OF EGYPT, HE HATH AS IT WERE THE STRENGTH OF AN UNICORN,.... Here he repeats what he had said in a former prophecy, Numbers 23:22: he shall eat up the nations his enemies: the seven nations of Canaan, which should be subdued by Israel, and that with as much ease as a lion devours its prey; nor would the Canaanites be able to make any more resistance to them than a creature in the paws of a lion; and the phrase denotes the utter destruction of them: AND SHALL BREAK THEIR BONES; as the lion breaks the bones of such creatures that fall a prey to him; signifying that all their strength should be taken from them, their mighty men slain, and their fortified cities taken: AND PIERCE [THEM] THROUGH WITH HIS ARROWS: slay them utterly....

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 THIRD ORACLE. This varies the tenor of the two previous utterances by dwelling upon the fertility of Israel's soil, and the eminence of its ruler. It was probably constructed, like the preceding oracle, in distichs, but in two places this arrangement has been disturbed. The reference to a king in Israel points to the poem having been written in the time of the monarchy. NUMBERS 24:3 F. The seer is represented as receiving the Divine revelations in a trance or dream, the closed eye of Numbers 24:3 being the eye of the body, and the open eyes of Numbers 24:4 being the eyes of the mind. But the rendering was closed in Numbers 24:3

HIM. Some codices, with Targum of Onkelos, The Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel and Syriac, read "them". Compare Numbers 23:22. UNICORN. See note on Numbers 23:22....

_Balaam's first prophetic message_. In its present form this consists of nine couplets and two triplets. But the text has undergone corruption, and perhaps there were originally eleven couplets....

GOD BROUGHT HIM FORTH OUT OF EGYPT— The meaning of which both here and in chap. Numbers 23:22 is, That as it was God, their guide and king, who with a strong arm brought them forth out of Egypt; so that same God will make them victorious over all their enemies; and, consequently, all opposition is in vain. As a proof of which, the prophet adds, _he, i.e._ Israel, _hath, i.e._ from God, _as it were, the strength of an unicorn._ That there is no such animal as the unicorn, vulgarly understood, is on all hands agreed. The question therefore is, what animal is meant by the original word ראם _reem?_ There are two opinions, 1st, that of Bochart, who thinks that an eastern animal, of the _stag_ or _deer_ kind, is meant, remarkable for his _height,_ [see Psalms 92:10.] strength,