Numbers 24:14-24

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 24:14

And now, behold, I go unto my people ,.... According to thine order, I shall not stay to make thee uneasy with my company, only I crave thy patience to hear me a little before we part: come therefore, and I will advertise thee ; about some things that shall come to pass in future time, respecting this people, and thine, and other nations, both near and remote; and he hoped by this to bring him into a better temper, and part good friends: or "I will counsel thee"; what thou shall do, as... 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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 24:21

And he looked on the Kenites ,.... Not the family and posterity of Jethro, as Aben Ezra, Jarchi, and Abendana; for they were not a people by themselves, but were now encamped with Israel, and went with them into the land of Canaan, and were not carried captive with the ten tribes, though some might that dwelt in Naphtali, Judges 9:4 , for they after that remained with Judah under the name of Rechabites, Jeremiah 35:2 and returned with the two tribes, being carried captive with them, 1... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 24:22

Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted ,.... Though they were so strongly fortified, and closely immured and surrounded with rocks and mountains, yet they should gradually waste away, as they were but few in Saul's time, 1 Samuel 15:6 . until Ashur shall carry thee away captive ; Tiglathpileser, king of Assyria, when he carried captive the people of Syria, took these with them, 2 Kings 16:9 , though Jarchi thinks they were carried captives with the ten tribes, that is, by... read more

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