Numbers 24

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 24:17

I shall see him, but not now ,.... Meaning not Israel, for he now saw him encamped, and at no great distance; but one that should descend from him, a famous and excellent person, and who is no other than the Messiah, as appears by what follows; him he should see, not spiritually with an eye of faith, nor corporeally with his bodily eyes in his state of incarnation, but at the day of judgment; and now, indeed, he saw him by a spirit of prophecy: I shall behold him, but not nigh ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 24:18

And Edom shall be a possession ,.... Of the children of Israel, which was fulfilled in part when the Edomites became the servants of David, 2 Samuel 8:14 and when they were smitten and spoiled by Judas Maccabeus,them a great overthrow, and abated their courage, and took their spoils.' (1 Maccabees 5:3)and still more so when all the Edomites or the Idumaeans were subdued by Hyrcanus, and they became one people with the Jews, and conformed to their religious rites; which is not only related... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 24:19

Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion ,.... Meaning either David, or rather the Messiah; and so Jarchi interprets this of another ruler out of Jacob, even of the Messiah, of whom it is said, he shall have dominion from sea to sea; Psalm 72:8 , and shall destroy him, that remaineth of the city ; chief city of Edom, or of any of the cities of it, signifying that there should be none left, see Obadiah 1:18 , this is also applied to the days of the Messiah, in the ancient... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 24:20

And when he looked on Amalek ,.... The country of Amalek, which lay to the south of the land of Canaan, Numbers 13:29 and which Balaam had a view of from the mountain of Peor, where he now was: and he took up his parable, and said ; the parable of his prophecy, as the Targum of Jonathan, and pronounced it aloud: Amalek was the first of the nations ; not the first nation in the world, nor the chief and principal for numbers, riches, or strength, but the first that made war with... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 24:21

And he looked on the Kenites ,.... Not the family and posterity of Jethro, as Aben Ezra, Jarchi, and Abendana; for they were not a people by themselves, but were now encamped with Israel, and went with them into the land of Canaan, and were not carried captive with the ten tribes, though some might that dwelt in Naphtali, Judges 9:4 , for they after that remained with Judah under the name of Rechabites, Jeremiah 35:2 and returned with the two tribes, being carried captive with them, 1... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 24:22

Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted ,.... Though they were so strongly fortified, and closely immured and surrounded with rocks and mountains, yet they should gradually waste away, as they were but few in Saul's time, 1 Samuel 15:6 . until Ashur shall carry thee away captive ; Tiglathpileser, king of Assyria, when he carried captive the people of Syria, took these with them, 2 Kings 16:9 , though Jarchi thinks they were carried captives with the ten tribes, that is, by... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 24:23

And he took up his parable, and said ,.... Or delivered another prophecy, having made some little pause: alas, who shall live when God doeth this ? referring not to what goes before, but to what follows; though Jarchi and Aben Ezra think it refers to the Assyria conquering and carrying captive, not only the Kenites, but all the nations of the world, so that there was no living comfortably in it on his account; but this is said after Balaam had taken up his parable again, and so respects... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 24:24

And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim ,.... Kittim was the son of Javan, Genesis 10:4 and so designs some part of Greece: Josephus F18 Antiqu. l. 1. c. 6. sect. 1. says that Kittim possessed the island now called Cyprus, in which was a city now called Citium, after his name; Macedonia, a considerable part of Greece, is called the land of Cittim,"And it happened, after that Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came out of the land of Chettiim, had smitten Darius... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 24:25

And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place ,.... The country from whence he came, that is, he went from Balak, according to his command, in order to return to his own land; for he seems not to have reached it, but stayed by the way among the Moabites and Midianites, and was slain in a battle between Israel and them, Numbers 31:8 , or if he did reach Mesopotamia, he returned again, as Chaskuni says; and either before he left Balak, or in his journey homewards, or when he... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 24

Balaam, finding that God was determined to bless Israel, seeks no longer for enchantments, Numbers 24:1 . The Spirit of God coming upon him, he delivers a most important prophetic parable, Numbers 24:2-9 . Balak's anger is kindled against him, and he commands him to depart to his own country, Numbers 24:10 , Numbers 24:11 . Balaam vindicates his conduct, Numbers 24:12 , Numbers 24:13 ; and delivers a prophecy relative to the future destruction of Moab by the Israelites, Numbers... read more

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