Numbers 23:27-30

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

John Gill

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 23:28

Unto the top of Peor - Probably the place where the famous Baal-peor had his chief temple. He appears to have been the Priapus of the Moabites, and to have been worshipped with the same obscene and abominable rites. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Numbers 23:27

I will bring thee unto another place. At first ( Numbers 23:25 ) Balak had in his vexation desired to stop the mouth of Balaam, but afterwards he thought it wiser to make yet another attempt to change the mind of God; as a heathen, he still thought that this might be done by dint of importunity and renewed sacrifices. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Numbers 23:28

Unto the top of Peer. On the meaning of Peer see on Numbers 25:3 . This Peer was a summit of the Abarim ranges northwards from Pisgah, and nearer to the Israelites. The adjacent village, Beth-Peer, was near the place of Moses' burial ( Deuteronomy 34:6 ). From the phrase used in Deuteronomy 3:29 ; Deuteronomy 4:46 , with which the testimony of Eusebius agrees, it must have lain almost opposite Jericho on the heights behind the Arboth Moab. From Peer, therefore, the whole... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Numbers 23:28

The position of Peor northward from Pisgah, along the Abarim heights, is approximately determined by the extant notices of Beth-peor.Jeshimon - was the waste, in the great valley below, where stood Beth-jeshimoth, “the house of the wastes.” read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Numbers 23:28

Numbers 23:28. Unto the top of Peor The most famous high-place in all the country of Moab, where, as Seiden conjectures, Baal had a temple, called Beth-peor, or the house of Peor, (Deuteronomy 3:29,) and was therefore named Baal-peor. Balak seems to have chosen this place in hope that, being the residence, as he fancied, of Baal, the god of Moab, the God of Israel would not or could not come thither to hinder the operation; or that, being a place acceptable to his god, it must be so... read more

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