Numbers 24:20-25

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 24:20

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 24:23

And he took up his parable, and said ,.... Or delivered another prophecy, having made some little pause: alas, who shall live when God doeth this ? referring not to what goes before, but to what follows; though Jarchi and Aben Ezra think it refers to the Assyria conquering and carrying captive, not only the Kenites, but all the nations of the world, so that there was no living comfortably in it on his account; but this is said after Balaam had taken up his parable again, and so respects... read more

John Gill

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

And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim ,.... Kittim was the son of Javan, Genesis 10:4 and so designs some part of Greece: Josephus F18 Antiqu. l. 1. c. 6. sect. 1. says that Kittim possessed the island now called Cyprus, in which was a city now called Citium, after his name; Macedonia, a considerable part of Greece, is called the land of Cittim,"And it happened, after that Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came out of the land of Chettiim, had smitten Darius... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 24:25

And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place ,.... The country from whence he came, that is, he went from Balak, according to his command, in order to return to his own land; for he seems not to have reached it, but stayed by the way among the Moabites and Midianites, and was slain in a battle between Israel and them, Numbers 31:8 , or if he did reach Mesopotamia, he returned again, as Chaskuni says; and either before he left Balak, or in his journey homewards, or when he... 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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 24:21

He looked on the Kenites - Commentators are not well agreed who the Kenites were. Dr. Dodd's opinion is, I think, nearest to the truth. Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, is called a priest or prince of Midian, Exodus 3:1 , and in Judges 1:16 ; he is called a Kenite; we may infer, therefore, says he, that the Kenites and the Midianites were the same, or at least that the Kenites and the Midianites were confederate tribes. Some of these we learn from Judges 1, followed the Israelites,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 24:22

Until Asshur shall carry thee away captive - The Assyrians and Babylonians who carried away captive the ten tribes, 2 Kings 17:6 , and the Jews into Babylon, 2 Kings 25, probably carried away the Kenites also. Indeed this seems pretty evident, as we find some Kenites mentioned among the Jews after their return from the Babylonish captivity, 1 Chronicles 2:55 . read more

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