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2Pe_2:15-16. Comparison with Balaam; cf. Jud_1:11. The comparisons with Cain and Korah are wanting here.
καταλιπόντες εὐθεῖαν ὁδὸν κ . τ . λ .] with εὐθ . ὁδ . cf. Act_13:16; the words connect themselves closely with ἐπλανήθησαν , to which then the subsequent participial clause is added by way of a more precise definition. With ἐξακολουθ . cf. chap. 2Pe_1:16, 2Pe_2:2. The conjunction of this verb with τῆ ὁδῷ is explained by the circumstance that ὁδός is here taken in a figurative sense: manner of life, conduct.
The form Βοσόρ , Heb. ëÌÀòåÉø , arises from a peculiar pronunciation of ò ; Grotius is wrong in regarding the word as the corrupted name of the country, ôÌÀçåÌøÈä , Num_22:5. Several commentators: Krebs, Vitringa, Wolf, Grotius, etc., assume that there is here an allusion to the counsel which Balaam gave to the Midianites to the corrupting of the Israelites (Num_31:16; Rev_2:14) (so, too, Dietlein); but, according to 2Pe_2:16, the reference is rather to the intended cursing of the people of Israel, to which certainly Balaam, for the sake of reward, was inclined; hence: ὃς μισθὸν ἀδικίας (see 2Pe_2:13) ἠγάπησεν . Although such inclination on his part is not definitely mentioned in Num_22:1-20, still, judging from the narrative of the ass, it is to be presupposed; cf., too, Deu_23:5. Corroboration from the rabbinical writings, see Wetstein.—2Pe_2:16. ἔλεγξιν δὲ ἔσχεν ἰδίας παρανομίας ] “but he received (suffered) rebuke (blame) for his trespass;” his παρανομία (not equivalent to vesania (Vulg.), but synonymous with ἀδικία ) consisted in this, that he was willing, for the sake of the reward, if God permitted it, to curse Israel, and for this reason went to Balak. ἰδίας stands here in place of the pers. pron. αὑτοῦ . Dietlein presses ἰδίας , by translating: “belonging to him,” and adds by way of explanation: “to him who must be looked upon as the prototype of the false prophets.” Wiesinger, on the other hand, sees the significance of ἰδίας in this, that “he who was a prophet to others, had to suffer rebuke of an ass for his own παρανομ .” But neither the one nor the other is alluded to in the context.
That which follows states in what the ἔλεγξις consisted.
ὑποζύγιον ] properly: a beast that bears a yoke, here as in Mat_21:5, designation of the ass.
ἄφωνον ] in contrast to human speaking.
ἐν ἀνθρώπο φωνῇ φθεγξάμενον ] does not state the reason of the ἐκώλυσε , but emphasizes the miraculous nature of the occurrence ( ἄφωνον … φωνῇ ).
ἐκώλυσε τὴν τοῦ προφήτου παραφρονίαν ] Schott understands Balaam’s παραφρονία to be his striking of the ass; Wiesinger: “his folly, in setting himself against the angel;” but it is more correct to understand by it the aforenamed παρανομία , which the angel opposed. Hofmann rightly observes: “the signification of the verb does not imply that it is left undone, but simply that opposition is offered to what is done or is intended to be done; cf. 1Th_2:16.”[77] The word ΠΑΡΑΦΡΟΝΊΑ , “folly,” ἅπ . λεγ . (the verb in 2Co_11:23), unusual in the classics also, instead of which ΠΑΡΑΦΡΟΣΎΝΗ or ΠΑΡΑΦΡΌΝΗΣΙς ; see Winer, p. 90 [E. T. 118].
ΤΟῦ ΠΡΟΦΉΤΟΥ ] (cf. Num_24:4) stands in emphatic antithesis to ὙΠΟΖΎΓΙΟΝ ἌΦΩΝΟΝ .
[77] Formerly in this commentary ἐκώλυσεν was explained thus: that although Balaam’s παραφρονία was not exactly prevented by the ass, still, by the conduct of the latter, a beginning was made to prevent it.