Numbers 23:1

And Balaam said unto Balak,.... When upon one of the high places of Baal, and after having taken a view of the people of Israel as they lay encamped: build me here seven altars; this was purely

And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams. Build me here seven altars.

NUMBERS CHAPTER 23 Balak and Balsam sacrifice: God meets him, and he blesses Israel, . Balak is troubled: they go to another place to curse them: they sacrifice again: Balaam consults God, who meets him, and he again blesses Israel, . They go to a third place, and sacrifice again, . The altars were either, 1. To Baal, in whose high places this was done and to whom alone Balak used to sacrifice. Or rather, 2. To the true God, otherwise he would not have mentioned it to God as an argument why he should grant his requests, as he doth . And though Balak was averse from God and his worship, yet he would be easily overruled by Balaam, who doubtless told him that it was in vain to make an address to any other than the God of Israel, who alone was able either to bless or curse them, as he pleased. And therefore when Balaam lost his design this way he tried it another way with greater success, but still used to the same method, in provoking their own God to destroy the Israelites, Numbers 25. But though he direct his sacrifices to the right object, he chooseth a wrong place, and, to comply with Balak’ s desire, makes use of the high places of Baal for this end, and mingles his own superstitions with the worship of God, in erecting divers altars, according to the manner of heathens and idolators, 10:1 12:11; whereas God appointed and holy men used but one altar, though many sacrifices were to be offered upon it, 24:4. Seven was the solemn and usual number in sacrifices, .

Numbers 23:1 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.Ver. 1. Build me here seven altars.] Here, in Baal’ s high places. A sinful mixture, such as was that of those mongrels and their natural nephews, the Samaritans, Ambidexters in their religion, which being grosser at first, was afterward refined by Manasseh a Jewish priest - such another as Balaam - that in Alexander’ s time made a defection to them, and brought many Jews with him. Of Constantinus Copronymus it is said, how truly I know not, that he was neither Jew, heathen, nor Christian, sed colluviem quandam impietatis, but a hodge podge of wickedness. And of Redwald, king of the East Saxons, the first that was baptized, Camden reports, that he had in the same Church one altar for Christian religion and another for sacrificing to devils. And a loaf of the same leaven was that resolute Rufus, that painted God on the one side of his shield, and the devil on the other, with this desperate inscription, In utrumque paratus, Ready for either, catch as catch may.

XXIII.(1) Build me here seven altars.—The patriarchs of old, as their pious descendants after the giving of the Law, never erected more than one altar in one place. A plurality of altars was the badge of idolatry. Hengsten-berg adduces several instances in proof that the ancients were accustomed to have recourse to sacrifice and conjuration in order to avert calamity and produce prosperity. (History of Balaam and his Prophecies, p. 392.) The number seven was regarded as significant among the Greeks and Romans, as well as among the Israelites.

CHAPTER XXIII Being arrived at the high places of Baal, (Numbers 22:41,) Balaam orders Balak to build seven altars, and prepare oxen and rams for sacrifice, 1, 2. Balaam inquires of the Lord, receives an answer, with which he returns to Balak, 3-10. Balak, finding that this was a prediction of the prosperity of the Israelites, is greatly troubled, 11. Balaam excuses himself, 12. He brings him to another place, where he might see only a part of Israel, and repeats his sacrifices, 13, 14. Balaam again consults the Lord, 15-17. Returns with his answer, and again predicts the glory of Israel, 18-24. Balak is angry, 25; and Balaam again excuses himself. Balak proposes another trial, takes him to another place, and repeats the same sacrifices, 26-30. NOTES ON CHAP. XXIII Verse 1. Build me here seven altars, c.] The oxen and the rams were such as the Mosaic law had ordered to be offered to God in sacrifice the building of seven altars was not commanded. Some think that these seven altars were built to the seven planets: this is most gratuitously said; of it there is no proof whatever; it is mere trifling, even with conjecture. As seven was a number of perfection, Balaam chose it on this occasion, because he intended to offer a grand sacrifice, and to offer a bullock and a ram upon each of the altars; the whole to be made a burnt-offering at the same time. And as he intended to offer seven bullocks and seven rams at the same time, it could not be conveniently done on one altar, therefore he ordered seven to be built. We need go no farther to find out his reasons.

1–6. Balaam demanded a seven-fold sacrifice, in order to propitiate God, that He might be willing to give His prophet a message. Balak complied with the request, hoping that the message might be a curse.

Balaam, after the general custom of the pagan, prefaced his divinations by sacrifice. In the number of the altars regard was probably had to the number of the then known planets.

, Numbers 23:1-6. 1. Build me here — Against the express prohibition of God Balaam proceeds in his purpose to gain Jehovah’s permission to curse his chosen people.