Num. 22 The Israelites pitch in the plains of Moab, Num. 22:1. Balak the king sends for Balaam to curse Israel, Num. 22:2–8. He inquires of the Lord, who forbids him to go: he goes not, Num. 22:9–14. Balak sends again: the Lord permits Balaam to go, Num. 22:15–21.

The plains of Moab still retained their ancient title, though they had been taken away from the Moabites by Sihon, and from him by the Israelites. By Jericho, i.e. over against Jericho; or, near the passage over Jordan to Jericho, or its territories.

Balak, the son or successor of him whom Sihon had spoiled of part of his kingdom, Num. 21:26. Of him see Judg. 11:25, Mic. 6:5.

As it was foretold both in general of all nations, Deut. 2:25, and particularly concerning Moab, Ex. 15:15.

The elders of Midian, called the kings of Midian, Num. 31:8, and princes of Midian, Josh. 13:21; who though divided into their kingdoms, yet were now unified upon the approach of the Israelites their common enemy; and being, as it seems, a potent and crafty people, and neighbours to the Moabites,…

Balaam is called a prophet, 2 Pet. 2:16, because God was pleased to inspire and direct him to speak the following prophecy, as he did inspire Caiaphas to speak those words, John 11:51–52, and as sometimes he did for a time inspire other wicked men; but in truth he was a soothsayer, as he is called,…

Curse me this people, i.e. curse them for my sake and benefit; use thy utmost power, which thou hast with thy gods or infernal spirits, to blast and ruin them. That we may smite them; thou by thy magical imprecations, and I by my sword joined with them.

With the rewards of divination, Heb. with divinations; by which he understands not the instruments of divination, which it was needless and absurd to bring to so eminent a diviner, who doubtless was thoroughly furnished for his own trade; but the rewards of it, as it is explained 2 Pet.

The night was the time when God used to reveal his mind by dreams. Here is the first discovery of his wickedness, that he hakes time to consider, and doth his endeavour to effect that wicked notion of cursing the Israelites, which he should have rejected and abhorred at the first mention of it.

God came unto Balaam, not to gratify his covetous desire, but to advance his own honour and service, even by the counsels of his enemies. He asketh not for his own information, but partly that Balaam by repeating the thing in God’s presence might be convinced and ashamed of his sin and folly in…

God revealeth his mind to Balaam, not for any love to him, but for the sake of his people concerned in it, as he did to Pharaoh, Gen. 41:25, and to Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 2:45. They are blessed by my irrevocable decree and sentence, and therefore it is in vain for men to curse them.

He conceals the principal things, to wit, the reason of God’s prohibition, which might have given a stop to their further course and counsels in this matter, and secretly intimates his own goodwill and readiness to comply with them, if God had not hindered him.

Thus they lay the blame upon Balaam, which he imputed to God.

No counsel nor suggestion either of God or man.

Before he wrought upon his covetousness, now upon his ambition.

You desire and expect that from me which is out of my power, to resist the will of the great God. He slyly insinuates, that he wanted not will, but power only.

Possibly he may change his mind, or yield to my renewed suit. Thus he sought to make God and his conscience stoop to the service of his pride and covetousness, which was abominable.

Go with them, since this is thy great desire and purpose; as far as thou canst, take thy course; I will, according to thy wish, withdraw my restraint, and leave thee to thyself and thy own choice. Compare Ps. 81:11–12.

God’s anger was kindled; either, 1. Because he went of his own accord with the princes of Moab, and did not wait till they came to call him, i.e. urged him to go, which was the sign and condition of God’s permission, Num. 22:20, but rather himself rose and called them, as it may seem from Num.

Balaam saw not the angel because God withheld his eyes, as he did the eyes of Daniel’s companions, Dan. 10:7. It is a truth, which mere philosophers own, that when God withdraws his concourse or help from any of his creatures, they cannot perform their natural acts and offices; the eye cannot see,…

i.e. The Lord conferred upon the ass the power of speech and reasoning for that time. Impudent are those heathens that disbelieve and scoff at the Scripture for this and some such relations contained in it, when there are examples of the same kind of prodigies, to wit, of oxen and other brute…

Balaam, was not much terrified with the ass’s speaking, because he was much accustomed to converse with evil spirits, which oft appeared to him and discoursed with him in the shape of such creatures.

In token of reverence and submission.

Howsoever thou mayst deceive thyself or others, I see the perverseness of thy heart and way, the wickedness of thy design and desires in this journey, which thou hast undertaken, not to please me, but to gratify Balak, and, if it be possible, to curse my people.

I had slain thee alone, and left her; and therefore her turning aside and falling down was wholly for thy sake and benefit, not for her own, and thy anger against her was unjust and unreasonable.

A frivolous supposition; for it was apparently displeasing to God, who had now said that his way was perverse, and had therefore opposed him and sought to slay him: but hereby he shows how loth he was to go back and lose the hopes he had conceived; and besides he speaks of desisting from the…

Go with the men: this may be either, 1. A mere permission; Since neither the convictions of thy own conscience, nor the experience of thy danger, have weaned thee from thy base designs and inclinations, I shall no further restrain thee; my angel shall give thee no more disturbance; go on and…

That by this great honour he might give him a taste and earnest of those great rewards he designed him, and thereby oblige him to use his utmost skill and interest for him. The utmost coast; not far from the camp of the Israelites, whom he desired him to curse.

Any thing, to wit, agreeable to thy expectation or my own inclination. That shall I speak; I am forced to do so by his superior power, and therefore be not offended with me, if I speak things unpleasing to thee.

Or, killed, either for sacrifice, or rather for a feast; for the sacrifices were offered after this, Num. 23:1–2. Sent to Balaam, to invite him to the feast. The king had left the princes to accompany him and attend upon him.

The high places of Baal, i.e. consecrated to the worship of Baal, i.e. of Baal-peor, who was their Baal or god, Num. 25:2–3 or of Chemosh. The utmost part of the people, i.e. all that people, even to the utmost and remotest of them, as appears by comparing this with Num. 23:13.