1Balaam, leaving divinations, prophesieth the happiness of Israel. 10Balak in anger dismisseth him. 15He prophesieth of the Star of Jacob, and the destruction of some nations.
1AND when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as 1at other times, to seek 2for enchantments, but he set his face 3toward the wilderness.
1 Hebr. as once in once.
2 Hebr. meeting the enchantments. Understand the improper manner of predictions which he had used, and which are regarded by God as witchcraft.
3 Where the children of Israelites were camped in the field or plains of the Moabites.
2And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according 4to their tribes; and the spirit of God 5came upon him.
4 Namely, ranked in such order as the LORD had commanded them, Numbers 2.
5 That is, God inspired him what he should say.
3And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose 6eyes are open hath said:
6 Namely, the eyes of his understanding to see and discern what was to happen to the children of Israel in future time. Hebr. the eye.
4He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, 7falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
7 Hebr. causing. Or, enchanting.
5How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!
6As the valleys are 8they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign 9aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as 10cedar trees beside the waters.
8 Namely, the children of Israel.
9 Or, santal trees. This is a tree whose wood, being dried, yields a pleasant smell.
10 The wood of this tree is very fair; it grows very high and large, and does not easily rot or waste; of this wood the temple of Solomon was built, 1 Kings 6:9, 10.
7He shall pour the water out of 11his buckets, and his seed shall be 12in many waters, and his king shall be higher than 13Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.
11 Namely, out of Israel.
12 That is, it shall multiply abundantly.
13 This is the name of the king, yea, of all the kings of the Amalekites, whose kingdom at that time was very great and glorious. See 1 Sam. 15:8.
8God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of ana unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall 14break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.
a Num. 23:22.
14 Hebr. out-bone their bones, that is, pull out the bones out of their flesh.
9Heb couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall 15stir him up? 16Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
b Gen. 49:9; Num. 23:24.
15 Or, awake.
16 According to God’s promise, Gen. 12:3.
10¶And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and 17he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, 18thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.
17 Unto a sign of anger and vexation.
18 Hebr. blessing hast thou blessed them.
11Therefore now 19flee thou 20to thy place: I thought to 21promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the 22LORD hath kept thee back from honour.
19 Or, be off.
20 Namely, to Mesopotamia, to your city Pethor.
21 Hebr. honouring would honour, namely, with great gifts and presents.
22 Hebr. the LORD hath guarded thee from the honour.
12And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,
13Ifc 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 23of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?
c Num. 22:18.
23 That is, of myself. See Num. 16:28.
14And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and 24I will advertised thee what this people shall do to thy people 25in the latter days.
24 That is, I shall give you both advice and warning. Some do understand here by advertise the ensuing prophecy, and others the wicked counsel whereof Numbers 25, compare with Num. 31:16 and Rev. 2:14.
d tell, inform
25 Namely, in David’s time, as is described in 2 Sam. 8:2.
15¶And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
16He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
17 I 26shall see 27him, but not 28now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a 29Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the 30corners of Moab, and 31destroy all the 32children of Sheth.
26 Other, I see Him, or, it.
27 This is a prophecy regarding Christ, the Messiah to come, whereof David was a type.
28 That is, not yet.
29 By the words Star and Sceptre, Balaam understands the glorious kingdom of the people of God, which was fulfilled partly temporally in David, but especially in the spiritual kingdom of our LORD Jesus Christ. See Rev. 22:16.
30 Or, sides, boundaries, that is, the borders. See the fulfillment of this prophecy 2 Sam. 8:2. Yet primarily it was fulfilled by the calling of the Gentiles by the apostles. Some do understand by the corners or boundaries the princes of the country.
31 Properly, to break down, dismantle.
32 That is, all other nations out of which the LORD Christ was to gather unto Himself His church, for, the posterity of Cain perished in the flood.
18And 33Edom shall be a possession, 34Seir also shall be a possession for 35his enemies; and Israel shall do 36valiantly.
33 See the fulfillment hereof in 1 Chron. 18:13, and consequently the spiritual effect in the calling of the Gentiles and the extinction of the enemies of the church of God.
34 This is the name of the mountain where the Edomites lived, Gen. 36:7, 8.
35 Namely, the children of Israel.
36 Other, show power, that is, act courageously.
19Oute of Jacob shall come 37he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth 38of the city.
e 2 Sam. 8:14.
37 Understand David and Christ.
38 Hebr. out of the city, that is, from each city, or, all the cities, namely, of the Edomites, verse 18.
20¶And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the 39first of the nations; 40but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.
39 Or, the firstling, that is, a most excellent kingdom, or, the first that has waged war against the Israelites.
40 That is, the Amalekites shall be destroyed according to God’s counsel and decree. See Exod. 17:14; 1 Samuel 15.
21And he looked on the 41Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy 42nest in a rock.
41 These dwelled among the Amalekites, 1 Sam. 15:6.
42 That is, habitation, as Job 29:18.
22Nevertheless the 43Kenite shall be wasted, 44until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
43 Hebr. Kain, or, Kenites, descending from one who, it seems, was called Kain.
44 Other, as long as Asshur shall keep thee captive.
23And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, 45who shall live when God 46doeth 47this!
45 That is, who shall remain alive then? As if he had said, Alas, what a great deal of trouble and misery shall befall many nations in those days!
46 Hebr. shall appoint, ordain.
47 Namely, what follows here, verse 24, or, when God shall appoint him, namely, Israel, or, shall appoint Himself.
24And ships shall come from the 48coast of 49Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict 50Eber, and 51he also shall perish for ever.
48 Hebr. hand, that is, coast or shore.
49Kittim or Chittim has been one of the sons of Javan, the son of Japheth, Noah’s son, Gen. 10:4. His posterity settled themselves in Cilicia, Macedonia, Cyprus and Italy, Josephus, Antiq. lib. 4, cap. 22; so that by the word Chittim there is understood sometimes the one and sometimes the other people or nation.
50 That is, the Hebrews, or the descendants of Heber, of whom see Gen. 10:22, 24. All the Jews or Israelites are Heber’s posterity, who were afflicted both by the Romans and the Greeks.
51 Namely, the Chittite.
25And Balaam rose up, and went and returned 52to his place: and Balak also went his way.
52 Namely, to Mesopotamia. This indeed was Balaam’s intent and purpose, but he was detained by the Midianites and afterwards slain with the sword by the Israelites, Num. 31:8. Others perceive that Balaam went indeed to his home, but returned to the Midianites afterwards and perished among them.