Numbers 23

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 23:27

And Balak said unto Balaam, come, I pray thee ,.... Come along with me: I will bring thee unto another place: if not better for the view of the people, yet a more religious place, on which account the king hoped for success: peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence ; it may be God will give thee leave to curse the people from that place, being devoted to sacred service: this is the first time that Balak makes mention of the name of God; and he now seems... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 23:28

And Balak brought Balaam to the top of Peor ,.... The name of an high mountain in Moab, so called from a gap or opening in it; here the idol Baal was worshipped, and from hence had the name of Baalpeor, Numbers 25:3 and here, very probably, was a temple built to the honour of him, called Bethpeor, the house or temple of Baalpeor, Deuteronomy 34:6 , that looketh towards Jeshimon ; as Pisgah also did, and very likely it was not far from it, since from thence they came hither, Numbers... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 23:29

And Balaam said unto Balak ,.... Being willing to try again what could be done, and to gratify the king, and especially to get the wages of unrighteousness, if possible, which he dearly loved, as the apostle says, 2 Peter 2:15 . build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams ; which had been done in two places before, Numbers 23:1 the same sort of creatures, and the same number here as there, and these only clean creatures, such as were used in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 23:30

And Balak did as Balaam had said ,.... Though the sacrifices were expensive, he did not grudge them; he spared no cost to gain his point, though he now could have but little hope of it: and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar; as he had done before, Numbers 23:2 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 23

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, Numbers 23:1 , Numbers 23:2 . Balaam inquires of the Lord, receives an answer, with which he returns to Balak, Numbers 23:3-10 . Balak, finding that this was a prediction of the prosperity of the Israelites, is greatly troubled, Numbers 23:11 . Balaam excuses himself, Numbers 23:12 . He brings him to another place, where he might see only... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 23:1

Build me here seven altars, etc. - 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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 23:3

Stand by thy burnt-offering - We have already seen that blessing and cursing in this way were considered as religious rites, and therefore must be always preceded by sacrifice. See this exemplified in the case of Isaac, before he blessed Jacob and Esau, Genesis 27 (note), and the notes there. The venison that was brought to Isaac, of which he did eat, was properly the preparatory sacrifice. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 23:7

And he took up his parable - משלו meshalo , see on Numbers 21:27 ; (note). All these oracular speeches of Balaam are in hemistich metre in the original. They are highly dignified, and may be considered as immediate poetic productions of the Spirit of God; for it is expressly said, Numbers 23:5 , that God put the word in Balaam's mouth, and that the Spirit of God came upon him, Numbers 24:2 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 23:8

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? - It was granted on all hands that no incantations nor imprecations could avail, unless God concurred and ratified them. From God's communication to Balaam he saw that God was determined to bless and defend Israel, and therefore all endeavors to injure them must be in vain. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 23:9

From the top of the rocks I see him - That is, from the high places of Baal where he went, Numbers 22:41 , that he might the more advantageously see the whole camp of Israel. The people shall dwell alone - They shall ever be preserved as a distinct nation. This prophecy has been literally fulfilled through a period of 3300 years to the present day. This is truly astonishing. read more

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