Numbers 22

— that shall thou do.] God permits him to follow his evil and covetous desires, but restrains him from doing the evil that he wished. Bp. Wilson.

— Because thou hast mocked me:] Exposed me to scorn and laughter. Bp. Patrick.

— seven oxen and seven rams.] This number was used by pious persons, both in these days, Job xlii. 8, and in aftertimes, 1 Chron. xv. 26. Bp. Patrick.

Numbers 22:2

2. — Balak and Balaam offered &c.] Balak presented the sacrifices to be offered for him and for his people; and Balaam performed the office of a priest, and offered them. Bp. Patrick.

Numbers 22:3

3. — And he went to an high place.] We translate it in the margin, “he went solitary.” Probably it is to be understood of some part of the high place, where he might be solitary; for instance, the grove, which high places seldom wanted. Bp. Patrick.

The sacrifice being over, he retired alone to a solitude sacred to these occasions, there to wait the Divine inspiration or answer, for which the foregoing rites were the preparation. Bp. Butler.

Numbers 22:7

7. — the rewards of divination] It was the custom among God’s people, when they consulted a Prophet, to bring with them a present, 1 Sam. ix. 7, 8. And indeed from ancient time, men were not used to approach a great person without one. See Gen. xliii. 11, 25, 26. Bp. Patrick. What the rewards of divination were, we know not. It is probable, however, they were only an ordinary recompense: such as Balaam had often received from other people; and what had not the force of a temptation in his eye. So that he appears at first not to show any great eagerness to attend the call of Balak. Gilpin.

8. — he took up his parable.] He lift up his voice, and delivered in a loud and audible manner this his prophetical speech, being of weighty concern, and expressed in sublime and majestic words, Job xxvii. 1; xxix. 1. Dr. Wells. There are different significations of the word parable, both in the Old and in the New Testament. 1. It is sometimes used for elevated and instructive poetry. Balaam is said to take up his parable, when he uttered his sublime poems and predictions relating to Israel. David says, “I will incline mine ear to a parable,” which is equivalent to speaking of wisdom, and musing of understanding, Ps. xlix. 3, 4. In Ps. lxxviii. we find the words, “I will open my mouth in a parable;” and the author then proceeds to relate historical, but very useful, facts. 2. It signifies a proverbial saying: thus Solomon is said to have spoken three thousand proverbs, or parables, as the Greek word is, 1 Kings iv. 32. In Ecclesiasticus the word is translated “a wise sentence,” chap. xx. 20. And in Luke iv. 23, the word rendered “proverb,” is literally parable. 3. It occurs in the Gospels for a short comparison or similitude; see Luke v. 36; vi. 39; Matt. xiii. 31, 34. Lastly, the word parable occurs for a continued relation

Before CHRIST 1453. Or, he went solitary.

Numbers 22:9

9. — What men are these with thee?] God heard all the consultation of these Moabites: these messengers could not have moved their foot or their tongue but in Him: and yet He, who asked Adam where he was, asks Balaam, “What men are these?” God loves to take occasion of proceeding with us from ourselves, rather than from His own immediate prescience. Hence it is, that we lay open our wants, and confess our sins, to Him that knows both better than our own hearts, because He will deal with us from our own mouths. Bp. Hall.

Numbers 22:12

12. — Thou shalt not go with them;] The reward of divination had easily procured the journey and curse of the covetous Prophet, if God had not stayed him. How often are wicked men curbed by a Divine hand, even in those sins which their heart desires. Bp. Hall.

— thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.] This Divine command to Balaam, which he afterwards pleads in opposition to Balak’s wishes, chap. xxiii. 7, 8, refers to the blessing of Abraham, Gen. xii. 3, renewed to Jacob, Gen. xxvii. 29. The prophecies of Balaam, which follow, are most curious and important, and were evidently dictated by the same Spirit as those

of Jacob, of which they furnish the continuation and development. Dr. Hales.

Numbers 22:17

17. — I will promote thee unto very great honour.] He probably imagined, that Balaam thought the rewards of divination not sufficient encouragement; and therefore promises to advance him to some high preferment in his court. Bp. Patrick. Here was a temptation of a more splendid nature. This might have shaken a firmer soul than Balaam’s: of his it seems to have taken entire possession. From the moment this message rang in his ears, he seems to have given himself totally up to views of ambition. What had he to do to consult God a second time about going? Had he not had his answer already? “Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.” God however (who often suffers wicked men to be hurried on by their own obstinate perverseness, and out of that perverseness works His own righteous purposes,) at length permitted him to go; that is, He gave him such permission, as our blessed Saviour once gave Iscariot, “That thou doest, do quickly,” John xiii. 27. Gilpin.

Numbers 22:20

20. — rise up, and go with them;] Since thou hast such a mind to go, follow thy inclinations. Bp. Patrick. Compare 2 Kings ii. 17, 18.

When God sees men leaning too far to ambitious or covetous desires, and not wise enough to profit by gentle hints, He then leaves them to pursue their own heart’s lust, and lets them follow their own imaginations. After the first prohibition, a wise man would have absolutely refused to treat with any ambassadours on the same errand. But Balaam had set his heart upon the bribes. So God permitted the foolish man to follow his inclination, and to run his utmost length of folly

An angel would have slain Balaam, Before CHRIST 1403. I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.

Numbers 22:21

21. — and saddled his ass.] The common breed of asses in the East is larger than that usually seen in Britain; and another, still larger, is preserved for the saddle: for the ordinary people, and many of the middle class, commonly ride asses. Asses are often preferred to horses by the Sheths, or religious men; and though most of the opulent merchants keep horses, they are not ashamed, especially when old, to appear mounted on asses. Those intended for the saddle, of the best sort, bear a high price; they are tall, delicately limbed, go swiftly in an easy pace or gallop, and are very sure footed. They are fed and dressed with the same care as horses. The bridle is ornamented with fringe and cowries, or small shells; and the saddle, which is broad and easy, is covered with a fine carpet. Dr. Russell.

Numbers 22:22

22. — God’s anger was kindled because he went.] God, who seeth the heart, and knew the sinister affections and intentions wherewith Balaam went, was sore displeased at his going. Bp. Hall. It may seem strange, that God should be angry with him for going, when He had bidden him “rise up and go.” In answer, it may be observed, 1st, That God did expressly forbid his going at first; God had said to him, “Thou shalt not go with them.” 2dly, That God did after this only permit, but not command, nor yet approve of, his going. God having declared Himself positively, Balaam ought not to have made further inquiry; yet this he did out of covetousness, on the arrival of more honourable messengers. 3dly, His going was attended with an evil design. The angel says, “Thy way is perverse before me,” ver. 32. And he seemed to go with a purpose of cursing Israel, which the king of Moab expressly desired, and God had as expressly forbidden. “Nevertheless the Lord thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the Lord

thy God loved thee,” Deut. xxiii. 5. Bp. Kidder. Balaam probably now expected, that having gained one point, he might gain another; and that, as he had been suffered to go to Balak, he might also be permitted to curse his enemies. This supposition is supported by a passage in Deuteronomy, which says, “God would not hearken unto Balaam.” Why “hearken?” It does not appear from the face of the story, that Balaam had been pleading openly with God on this subject; it must relate then to some secret pleading. And it is not unlikely, that in the midst of a train of ambitious thoughts, in which the apostate Prophet might be indulging his corrupt heart, the angel of God withstood him. Gilpin.

— because he went.] That is, with a wrong disposition. In the Arabick version there is a word, expressing this very disposition: “God was angry with him, because he went covertously,” or, with a covetous inclination. Dr. Kresscott. Our inward disposition is the life of our actions: according to that doth “the God of spirits” judge us, while men censure, according to our external motions. Bp. Hall.

Numbers 22:23

23. — the ass saw] 2 Pet. ii. 16; Jude 11. Which was more than Balaam or his servants did; God thinking fit to restrain their sight. Bp. Kidder.

Numbers 22:27

27. — and he smote the ass with a staff.] If Balaam had done justly, he would have spared the ass, and have corrected himself; but the false Prophet commits the fault, and the poor beast must bear both the blame and the punishment. When we suffer, we are apt to curse, or at least to blame, the creatures of God: this weather, that flood, such a storm, has blasted our fruits, deluged our grounds, shipwrecked our merchandise, and undone us: whereas these have no power to hurt us, but such as we ourselves occasion by our sins. Every sense of evil therefore in or from the creatures of God should work in us a sense of our disobedience to the Creator; should increase in us a detestation of the sins we have committed against Him; should teach us, by condemning ourselves, to acquit them; which, as they are good in themselves, would continue always good unto us, if we continued true to ourselves, and faithful servants unto God. Bp. Sanderson.

Numbers 22:28

28. — the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, &c.] God caused the ass miraculously to speak with the voice of man, to reprove the foolishness of the Prophet. Bp. Hall. A voice, proceeding from a dumb creature, was made, upon this occasion, to teach a lesson similar to that deduced, upon another, from the example of the

if his ass had not saved him. Before CHRIST 1432. hasr ridden upon me. since thou wast, &c. himself. Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

Numbers 22:29

29. And Balaam said unto the ass,] It is thought strange that Balaam should express no surprise on this extraordinary occasion. But perhaps he had been accustomed to prodigies in his enchantments: or perhaps, believing the Eastern doctrine of the transmigration of human souls into the bodies of brutes, he might think behold, I went out † to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:

Numbers 22:30

30. And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I &c.] This does not imply that the ass understood what Balaam said, and thereupon returned this pertinent answer: but that the same power, which made the ass speak at first, continued to form such an answer, as might convince Balaam of his error. Bp. Patrick.

Numbers 22:31

31. Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam,] He was not blind before: but his eyes were held, as the eyes of the men of Sodom were, who could not see Lot’s door, though they found their way to their own homes. Bp. Patrick. 32. — Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? ] The angel of God takes notice of the cruelty of Balaam to his beast: his first words to the unmerciful Prophet are an expostulation for this wrong. We little think it, but God shall call us to an account for the unkind and cruel usage of His poor mute creatures. He hath made us lords, not tyrants; owners, not tormentors: He that hath given us leave to kill them for our use, hath not given us leave to abuse them at our pleasure. Bp. Hall. — thy way is perverse before me:] Thy intentions and purposes are not sincere and honest before Me; for thou designest to serve Balak, and so to gain thy covetous and ambitious ends, rather than to serve Me. Dr. Wells.

Numbers 22:34

34. — I have sinned; ] I have done ill in smiting my beast causelessly. Bp. Hall. He makes no confession of his covetousness, which was the faulty principle that set him forward. Bp. Kidder. Before CHRIST 1432. an adversary unto thee. well in thine eyes. Balak entertaineth Balaam. Balak’s sacrifice. Before CHRIST 1453.

meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.

Numbers 22:40

40. — sent to Balaam.] To feast upon the oxen and sheep which he had slain. Bp. Patrick.

Numbers 22:41

41. — the high places of Baal.] The high places set apart for the worship of their idol or false god, Baal. Thither Balak brings Balaam, as to a place most advantageous for his purpose, both as it was a place dedicated to Baal, and for its height, giving him a prospect of the camp of Israel. Bp. Kidder. The word Baal signifies Lord, and was the name of several gods, both male and female. The god of the Moabites was Chemosh; but here very probably is called by the common name of Baal. And as all nations worshipped their gods upon high places, so this god of Moab, having more places of worship than one, Balak carried Balaam to them all, that from thence he might take the most advantageous prospect of the Israelites. These high places were full of trees and shady groves, which made them commodious both for the solemn thoughts and prayers of such as were devout; and for the filthy inclinations and abominable practices of the wicked. Bp. Patrick, Stackhouse.

Chap. XXIII. ver. 1. — build me here seven altars.] Balaam appoints this for the worship of the true God, ver. 4. But he was blameable, because he would have the altars erected in the high places of Baal. Such were they, who “feared the Lord,” and yet had their sacrifices in the “houses of the high places:” they are said to “fear the Lord, and serve their own gods,” 2 Kings xvii. 32, 33. Besides this, though the number of sacrifices were not reprobable, yet the multiplying of altars has a bad name in Scripture. Bp. Kidder. The number “seven” was much observed among the Hebrews, by God’s order, Lev. iv. 6; Josh. vi. 4; but no more than one altar at a time was built by the Patriarchs, when they offered sacrifices; nor was more than one allowed by Moses. So that in this erection of seven altars there was probably something of heathen superstition. Bp. Patrick, Stackhouse.

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