And he said unto Balak, stand here by thy burnt offering ,.... As he had before directed him, Numbers 23:3 . while I meet the Lord yonder ; pointing to some place at a little distance, where he expected to meet the Lord, and have some instructions from him, which he seemed confident of, having met with him once already. read more
And the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth ,.... As he did before, Numbers 23:5 . and said, go again unto Balak, and say thus ; the words which are expressed in Numbers 23:18 . read more
And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering ,.... As before; Numbers 23:6 and the princes of Moab with him; Jarchi observes, that before it is said, all the princes of Moab, but not so here; for when they saw there was no hope of succeeding, some of them went away, and only some were left: and Balak said unto him, what hath the Lord spoken ? being in haste to know what it was, whether agreeable or not. read more
What hath the Lord spoken? - Balak himself now understood that Balaam was wholly under the influence of Jehovah, and would say nothing but what God commanded him; but not knowing Jehovah as Balaam did, he hoped that he might be induced to change his mind, and curse a people whom he had hitherto determined to bless. read more
Verse 17 17.And when he came to him. Balak inquires what God had answered, although he had rejected the previous revelation. Thus do hypocrites profess anxious solicitude in inquiring the will of God, whilst the knowledge of it is intolerable to them. Therefore their extreme earnestness in inquiry is nothing but mere dissimulation. Besides, Balak hunts, as it were, for the answer of God by a distant divination, whereas a testimony to God’s will was all the time engraven upon his heart. But this... read more
While I meet the Lord yonder. Rather, "and I will go and meet thus." וְאָנֹכִי אִקָּרֶה כֹּה . Balaam does not say whom or what he is going to meet, but from the use of the same term in Numbers 24:1-25 . I it is evident that he employed the language of soothsayers looking for auguries. He may have spoken vaguely on purpose, because he was in truth acting a part with Balak. read more
Numbers 23:15. While I meet the Lord To consult him and receive an answer from him, if peradventure these renewed sacrifices will prevail with him to comply with our desires. read more
Balaam’s announcements (22:36-24:25)Balak welcomed Balaam and took him to a high place where he could see the vastness of the Israelite camp. Balak no doubt hoped that Balaam, on seeing this, would be convinced that the Israelites were a serious threat and would put a destructive curse upon them (36-41). But Balaam announced God’s approval of the Israelites. Their vast number, their place in history and their present migration were according to God’s will. Balaam comforted himself with the... read more
burnt offering. Some codices, one early printed edition, with Samaritan Pentateuch and Syriac, read "offerings" ( plural ). read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 23:13-30
Here is, I. Preparation made the second time, as before, for the cursing of Israel. 1. The place is changed, Num. 23:13. Balak fancied that Balaam, having so full a prospect of the whole camp of Israel, from the top of the rocks (Num. 23:9), was either so enamoured with the beauty of it that he would not curse them or so affrighted with the terror of it that he durst not; and therefore he would bring him to another place, form which he might see only some part of them, which would appear more... read more