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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Numbers 24:1 - 24:14
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A Third Blessing
v. 1. And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, this conviction having rather been forced upon him by his double experience, he went not, as at other times, as upon the two previous occasions, to seek for enchantments, to look for auguries or omens after the manner of heathen soothsayers, but he set his face toward the wilderness, toward the fields where the children of Israel were encamped, for he could overlook the entire host.
v. 2. And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes, he was near enough to distinguish the various groups as they were arranged in camps about the Tabernacle; and the Spirit of God came upon him, for the Lord now threw him into a state of ecstasy and used him as His instrument of prophecy. And Balaam also, feeling the uselessness of restraint, yielded the more readily, although it cannot be said that his heart was in his task.
v. 3. And he took up his parable, his prophetic utterance, and said, Balaam, the son of Beor, hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said;
v. 4. he hath said which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open. It was a Revelation of God which came to Balaam by the Spirit of God. His mind was closed to all external influences, and he sank to the ground, overwhelmed with the ecstasy of the manner of communication which came to him.
v. 5. How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!
v. 6. As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lignaloes which the Lord hath planted, and as cedar-trees beside the waters. The seer beholds not only the habitations of Israel as desirable places to live, but also the land as being most pleasant, for the conception of the aloe-trees breathing out their fragrance, and of the cedar-trees standing in their strength by the watercourses, leads us away from the ordinary beauties of nature to a conception which properly pictures the delights of the spiritual Israel of all ages.
v. 7. He shall pour the water out of his buckets, for they would overflow with moisture, and his seed shall be in many waters, his descendants would find their homes along fruitful streams; and his king shall be higher than Agag, which was the hereditary title of the Amalekite kings, and his kingdom shall be exalted. Above all the enmity of the world as represented by the kingdoms of the heathen, the people of the Lord would be secure in their relation to Jehovah, blessed with prosperity and glory.
v. 8. God brought him (Israel) forth out of Egypt; he hath, as it were, the strength of an unicorn, of the wild ox, which was noted for its fierceness; he shall eat up the nations, his enemies, devour them in his great wrath and power, and shall break their bones, utterly crush them, and pierce them through with his arrows, or, break their arrows, their weapons of warfare, to pieces.
v. 9. He couched, he lay down as a lion and as a great lion; who shall stir him up? Cf Gen_49:9. Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee. This last contained a warning to Balak, for it intimated that the blessing of Abraham and Isaac, Gen_12:3; Gen_27:29, had been laid upon the entire nation of Israel, and there was danger in being the enemy of such a people.
v. 10. And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together, as an expression of his disappointment and disgust; and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them. these three times.
v. 11. Therefore now flee thou to thy place, go back home as quickly as possible; I thought to promote thee unto great honor; but, lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honor. Here the irony with which Balak derided the dependence of Balaam. upon Jehovah is plainly shown. Since Balaam's power of divination was not strong enough to overcome the opposition of Jehovah, he must take the consequences.
v. 12. And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,
v. 13. If 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 of mine own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will I speak? Cf Num_22:18.
v. 14. And now, behold, I go unto my people, the breach between him and? Balak was made; come, therefore, and I will advertise, teach, thee what this people-shall do to thy people in the latter days. All restraint was now removed from Balaam; he wanted to teach and at the same time advise Balak as to his conduct toward the invaders and their overwhelming strength.