Numbers 24

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 24

This chapter continues and concludes the history of the defeat of the counsels of Balak and Balaam against Israel, not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts; and as great an instance it is of God's power over the children of men, and his favour towards his own children, as any of the victories recorded in the book of the wars of the Lord. What preparation was made the third time for the cursing of Israel we read of in the close of the foregoing chapter. In this chapter... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 24:1-9

The blessing itself which Balaam here pronounces upon Israel is much the same with the two we had in the foregoing chapter; but the introduction to it is different. I. The method of proceeding here varies much in several instances. 1. Balaam laid aside the enchantments which he had hitherto depended on, used no spells, or charms, or magic arts, finding they did him no service; it was to no purpose to deal with the devil for a curse, when it was plain that God was determined immovably to bless,... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 24:10-14

We have here the conclusion of this vain attempt to curse Israel, and the total abandonment of it. 1. Balak made the worst of it. He broke out into a rage against Balaam (Num. 24:10), expressed both in words and gesture the highest degree of vexation at the disappointment; he smote his hands together, for indignation, to see all his measures thus broken, and his project baffled. He charged Balaam with putting upon him the basest affront and cheat imaginable: ?I called thee to curse my enemies,... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 24:15-25

The office of prophets was both to bless and to prophesy in the name of the Lord. Balaam, as a prophet, per force had blessed Israel; here he foretels future events. I. His preface is much the same as that, Num. 24:3; 4. He personates a true prophet admirably well, God permitting and directing him to do so, because, whatever he was, the prophecy itself was a true prophecy. He boasts, 1. That his eyes are open (Num. 24:15), for prophets were in old time called seers (1 Sam. 9:9), because they... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 24

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 24 In this chapter we are told, that Balaam leaving his enchantments, the Spirit of God came on him, and he spake of the happiness of Israel, and prophesied of their future greatness and glory, Numbers 24:1 which so exasperated Balak, that he ordered him at once to depart from him, Numbers 24:10 . Balaam justified himself in what he said and did, and suggested that before they parted, he had something to say in a prophetic manner, concerning what Israel should... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 24:1

And when Balsam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel ,.... That it was good in his sight, what he approved of, and was well-pleasing to him, and that it was his determined mind that Israel should be blessed, and not cursed, from which there was no turning him, by offering sacrifices to him, and much less by his sorceries and divinations: he went not as at other times ; or, "as at a time in a time" F17 כפעם בפעם "sicut vice in vice", Montanus, Vatablus. , at two times,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 24:2

And Balaam lifted up his eyes ,.... Being on Mount Peor: and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes ; in that exact order in which they were directed to encamp under four standards, and so many tribes under each standard, Numbers 2:1 . and the Spirit of God came upon him ; not in his grace but in his gifts; not as a spirit of sanctification, but as a spirit of prophecy, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan paraphrase it; and so sometimes the Spirit of God in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 24:3

And he took up his parable ,.... His parable of prophecy, as the Targums, his prophetic speech, which, with a loud voice, he expressed in the hearing of Balak and his nobles: and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said ; the preface to his prophecy is pompous, and seems to be full of pride and vanity, and so the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem represent him;"the man who is more excellent than his father hath said, to whom hidden secrets, even what was hidden from the prophets is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 24:4

He hath said, which heard the words of God ,.... God speaking to him, which he did several times, and with which he was greatly elated, see Numbers 22:9 , which saw the vision of the Almighty ; not that he had a sight of any similitude of God, though the angel that appeared to him, which was Christ the uncreated angel, might appear in an human form, for some visible form was seen both by the ass and him; but rather this respects the visions of God to him in the night; it may be in a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 24:5

How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob ,.... Not that the matter of which they were made was so rich, or their structure so admirable, but the order in which they were placed was so beautiful and agreeable: and thy tabernacles, O Israel ; which is the same thing in other words, and which may be applied figuratively to the church of God, which often goes by the names of Jacob and Israel; and agrees with particular congregations and assemblies of saints, where they dwell as in tents in a... read more

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