Numbers 24:16-20

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 24:15-16

And he took up his parable, and said ,.... In this and the following verse; the same preface, in the same words, is made to his prophecy as before; see Gill on Numbers 24:3 , Numbers 24:4 ; only one clause is added, "and knew the knowledge of the Most High"; that Balaam had some knowledge of God is certain from the names by which he calls him, being such that he made himself known by to the patriarchs, and by which he is frequently called in the sacred writings; but then this knowledge... read more

John Gill

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 24:17

I shall see him, but not now - Or, I shall see him, but he is not now. I shall behold him, but not nigh - I shall have a full view of him, but the time is yet distant. That is, The person of whom I am now prophesying does not at present exist among these Israelites, nor shall he appear in this generation. There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel - a person eminent for wisdom, and formidable for strength and power, shall arise as king among this people. He... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 24:18

And Edom shall be a possession - That is, to David: as it is said: "And all they of Edom became David's servants;" 2 Samuel 8:14 . Seir also shall be a possession - That is, unto the king Messiah; as it is said: "And saviours shall come upon Mount Zion to judge the Mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord's;" Obadiah 1:21 . See Ainsworth. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 24:19

Out of Jacob shall come, etc. - This is supposed to refer to Christ, because of what is said Genesis 49:10 . It is exceedingly difficult to fix the true sense of this prophecy in all its particulars. Probably the star, Numbers 24:17 , is only an emblem of kingly power. Among the Egyptians a star is said to have been the symbol of the Divine Being. The scepter refers to the kingly power in exercise. The corners or outskirts may mean the petty Moabitish governments, as the Chaldee has... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 24:20

Amalek was the first of the nations - The most ancient and most powerful of all the nations or states then within the view of Balaam; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever, or his posterity אחריתו acharitho , shall be destroyed, or shall utterly fail. This oracle began to be fulfilled by Saul, 1 Samuel 15:7 , 1 Samuel 15:8 , who overthrew the Amalekites, and took their king, Agag, prisoner. Afterwards they were nearly destroyed by David, 1 Samuel 27:8 , and they were... read more

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