Num. 24 Balaam lays aside his sorceries, and the Spirit of God comes upon him; his eyes are open; hears the words of God, and sees the vision of the Almighty, Num. 24:1–4; prophesies of Israel’s prosperity, Num. 24:5–9. Balak is angry; commands him to flee; his answer, Num. 24:10–14.

To seek for enchantments, i.e. to use enchantments, which he is said to have done, either because when he consulted and sacrificed to God, he did also use enchantments and consult with the devil, that if one would not, the other might help him; or because he consulted God in a magical and…

According to their tribes; in the order appointed, Num. 2:0. Came upon him, i.e. inspired him to speak the following words, and so constrained him again to bless those whom he desired to curse.

The eyes, either, 1. Of his body, as in the following verse; or, 2. Of his mind, which God had opened in a peculiar and prophetical manner, whence prophets are called seers, 1 Sam. 9:9. He implies that before he was blind and stupid, having eyes, but not seeing nor understanding.

The vision; so called either strictly and properly, because he was awake when this was revealed to him; or largely and improperly, for any extraordinary discovery of God’s mind to him, whether sleeping or waking.

Valleys ofttimes from a small beginning are spread forth fir and wide. Others, as the brooks, or rivers, as the word signifies, which stretch out and disperse their waters into several channels, and sometimes farther. Are they spread forth, i.e. the Israelites last mentioned.

He, i.e. God, will abundantly water the valleys, gardens, and trees, is which represent the Israelites, Num. 24:6, i.e. he will wonderfully bless his people, not only with outward blessings, of which a chief one in those parts was plenty of water, but also with higher gifts and graces, with his…

Shall break their bones, or, unbone, or, take out, i.e. shall eat the flesh to the very bones, and then break them also.

Having conquered his enemies the Canaanites, and their land, he shall quietly and securely rest and settle himself there. Stir him up, i.e. awake or provoke him.

He smote his hands together; a sign of great anger, Ezek. 21:17, Ezek. 22:13.

Flee thou to thy place, whence I sent for thee, Num. 22:5. The Lord, whose commands thou hast preferred before my desires and interest; and therefore seek thy recompence from him, and not from me.

Advertise thee, or inform thee, to wit, concerning future things, as it here follows, for this word seems inseparably joined with the following. Others, give thee counsel, and tell thee what this people, &c. So it is a short and defective speech, such as we have Ex. 4:5, Ex. 13:8. And by counsel.

I shall see, or, I have seen, or do see, for the future is oft put for other times or tenses: he speaks of a prophetical sight, like that of Abraham’s, who saw Christ’s day, John 8:56. Him, to wit, the Star and Sceptre, as it here follows, i.e.

A possession; which was also foretold Gen. 25:23, and in part fulfilled, 2 Sam. 8:14, 1 Chron. 18:13, but more fully by Christ, Amos 9:12, Obad. 18; who shall subdue and possess all his enemies; here signified by the name of Edom; as Jacob or Israel, his brother, signifies all his church and…

Out of Jacob; out of Jacob’s loins. He that shall have dominion; David, and especially Christ. Of the city, or, from or out of this city, i.e. the cities, the singular number for the plural, which hath been oft noted before.

He looked from the top of Pisgah, which was exceeding high, and gave him the prospect of parts of all these kingdoms. The first, Heb. the first-fruits; so called either, 1. Because they were the first of all the neighbouring nations which were embodied together in one government. Or, 2.

The Kenite; the posterity or kindred of Jethro; not that part of them which dwelt among the Israelites, to whom the following words do not agree, but those of them who were mingled with the Amalekites and Midianites. See Ex. 3:1, Judg. 1:16, Judg. 4:11, 1 Sam. 15:6. Thy nest, i.e.

Kenite, Heb. Kain, i.e. the Kenite; so called, either by a transposition of letters, which is very usual in the Hebrew tongue; or from the name of some eminent place where they lived, or person from whom they were descended, though now the memory of them be utterly lost, as it hath fared with…

How calamitous and miserable will the state of the world be, when the Assyrian, and after him the Chaldean, shall overrun and overturn all these parts of the world! who will be able to live and keep his heart from fainting under such grievous pressures? how few will then escape the destroying sword!

Chittim; a place or people so called from Chittim the son of Javan, Gen. 10:4, whose posterity were very numerous, and were first seated in the Lesser Asia, and from thence sent forth colonies into the islands of the Ægean Sea, and into Cyprus, and afterwards into Macedonia, and other parts of…

To his place, i.e. to Mesopotamia. Object: He went only to Midian, where he was slain, Num. 31:8. Answ. 1. He is said to return home, because he intended and began to do so, though he was diverted by the Midianites; for men in Scripture are oft said to do what they design or attempt to do, as Ex.