Chapter commentary
Numbers Chapter 24
1
Nu 24:1-25.
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English original
Nu 24:1-25.
BALAAM FORETELLS ISRAEL'S HAPPINESS.
1. to seek for--that is, to use enchantments. His experience on the two former occasions
[Nu 23:3, 15]
had taught him that these superstitious accompaniments of his worship were useless, and therefore he now simply looked towards the camp of Israel, either with a secret design to curse them, or to await the divine afflatus.
2
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2. 他看見以色列人按着支派居住在帳棚中——即看見營盤井然有序的分佈
(Nu 2:1-34)。
神的靈就臨到他身上——在先知的常設職事設立之前，神使用各樣的人作為啟示祂旨意的器皿，巴蘭便是其中之一
(De 23:5)。
English original
2. he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes--that is, in the orderly distribution of the camp
(Nu 2:1-34).
the spirit of God came upon him--Before the regular ministry of the prophets was instituted, God made use of various persons as the instruments through whom He revealed His will, and Balaam was one of these
(De 23:5).
3
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3. 眼目閉住的人——意即先見
(1Sa 9:9)， 是先知，未來的異象向他顯明——有時是在沉睡之時
(Ge 15:12-15)， 更多時候是進入「恍惚」狀態之中。
English original
3. the man whose eyes are open--that is, a seer
(1Sa 9:9),
a prophet, to whom the visioned future was disclosed--sometimes when falling into a sleep
(Ge 15:12-15),
frequently into "a trance."
5
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5-7. 雅各啊，你的帳棚何等華美……以色列啊！——這是一段優美的讚歎，以高度詩意的筆調表達。凡旅行者都描寫貝都因帳幕的圓形群落為沙漠增添的美景。那麼，從亞巴琳的高處俯瞰以色列那漫布於下方平原上的遼闊營盤，那景象該是何等壯觀。
English original
5-7. How goodly are thy tents, . . . O Israel!--a fine burst of admiration, expressed in highly poetical strains. All travellers describe the beauty which the circular area of Bedouin tents impart to the desert. How impressive, then, must have been the view, as seen from the heights of Abarim, of the immense camp of Israel extended over the subjacent plains.
6
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6. 如溪水旁——希伯來文作「如溪流」，即山間的水道。
沉香樹——是他本鄉幼發拉底河岸邊的一種芳香灌木，其圓錐形態恰可比擬帳幕。這幾節重疊的意象，描繪了以色列卑微的起頭、迅速的發展與昌盛。
English original
6. As the valleys--Hebrew, "brooks," the watercourses of the mountains.
lign aloes--an aromatic shrub on the banks of his native Euphrates, the conical form of which suggested an apt resemblance to a tent. The redundant imagery of these verses depicts the humble origin, rapid progress, and prosperity of Israel.
7
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7. 他的王必超過亞甲——亞瑪力人當時是沙漠諸族中最強大的，而「亞甲」是其諸王通用的尊號。
English original
7. his king shall be higher than Agag--The Amalekites were then the most powerful of all the desert tribes, and "Agag" a title common to their kings.
10
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10-14. 巴勒向巴蘭發怒，就拍起手來——在東方人中，「拍手」是極度震怒（見
Eze 21:17; 22:13）
和羞辱逐退的表示。
English original
10-14. Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together--The "smiting of the hands together" is, among Oriental people, an indication of the most violent rage (see
Eze 21:17; 22:13)
and ignominious dismissal.
15
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15. 他就提起詩歌說——即以詩體發出的預言。
English original
15. he took his parable--or prophecy, uttered in a poetical style.
17
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17. 我看他卻不在現在——不如譯作「我看見他」或「我已經看見他」——這是預言性的看見，如亞伯拉罕的看見
(Joh 8:56)。
他——指以色列。
有星要出於雅各，有杖要興於以色列——這意象，用東方的象形語言，指某位傑出的君王——首先是大衛，但其次、也是首要地，指彌賽亞（參
Ge 49:10）。
四角——即邊境，常用以指整個國家
(Ex 8:2; Ps 74:17)。
舍特之子——大概是摩押的某位首領；或據某些譯法，作「東方之子」。
English original
17. I shall see him--rather, "I do see" or "I have seen him"--a prophetic sight, like that of Abraham
(Joh 8:56).
him--that is, Israel.
there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel--This imagery, in the hieroglyphic language of the East, denotes some eminent ruler--primarily David; but secondarily and pre-eminently, the Messiah (see on
Ge 49:10).
corners--border, often used for a whole country
(Ex 8:2; Ps 74:17).
children of Sheth--some prince of Moab; or, according to some, "the children of the East."
18
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18. 以東必為他的產業——這預言在大衛時應驗
(2Sa 8:14)。
西珥——在南方可見，詩意上用以指以東。摩押和以東的雙重征服，詩篇有所影射
(Ps 60:8; 108:9)。
English original
18. Edom shall be a possession--This prophecy was accomplished by David
(2Sa 8:14).
Seir--seen in the south, and poetically used for Edom. The double conquest of Moab and Edom is alluded to
(Ps 60:8; 108:9).
19
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19. 出於雅各的必掌大權——指大衛，更是指基督。
那剩於城中的——指那些從戰場逃入堅固城的人
(Ps 60:9)。
English original
19. Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion--David, and particularly Christ.
that remaineth of the city--those who flee from the field to fortified places
(Ps 60:9).
20
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20. 亞瑪力……他的結局必致滅亡——他們的領土可見於沙漠的遠端。（參
Ex 17:13； 亦見
1Sa 15:1-35）。
English original
20. Amalek . . . his latter end shall be that he perish for ever--Their territory was seen at the remote extremity of the desert. (See on
Ex 17:13;
also
1Sa 15:1-35).
21
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21. 基尼人……窩巢在巖石中——他們雖安穩地安居在隱基底西面高岩的裂縫中，卻要被接連而來的仇敵逐漸削減，直到亞述入侵者將他們擄去
(Jud 1:16; 4:11, 16, 17; 亦見 2Ki 15:29; 17:6)。
English original
21. Kenites . . . nest in a rock--Though securely established among the clefts in the high rocks of En-gedi towards the west, they should be gradually reduced by a succession of enemies till the Assyrian invader carried them into captivity
(Jud 1:16; 4:11, 16, 17; also 2Ki 15:29; 17:6).
23
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23. 神行這事，誰能存活！——少有人能逃過那場使尼布甲尼撒前來鞭笞那些地區的荒涼。
English original
23. who shall live when God doeth this!--Few shall escape the desolation that shall send a Nebuchadnezzar to scourge all those regions.
24
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24. 基提——指地中海沿岸的列國，特別是希臘與義大利
（Da 11:29, 30）。
亞述人自己也要被傾覆——首先被亞歷山大大帝及其繼承者治下的希臘人所滅；其次被羅馬人所滅。
希伯——希伯來人的後裔
（Ge 10:24）。
他也必沉淪——意即亞設與希伯的征服者，亦即希臘與羅馬帝國。
English original
24. Chittim--the countries lying on the Mediterranean, particularly Greece and Italy
(Da 11:29, 30).
The Assyrians were themselves to be overthrown--first, by the Greeks under Alexander the Great and his successors; secondly, by the Romans.
Eber--the posterity of the Hebrews
(Ge 10:24).
he also shall perish--that is, the conqueror of Asher and Eber, namely, the Greek and Roman empires.
25
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25. 巴蘭就起來，回……他本鄉去——即米所波大米，但他並未回到那裏。（參見
Nu 31:8。）
English original
25. Balaam rose up, and went . . . to his place--Mesopotamia, to which, however, he did not return. (See on
Nu 31:8).
Nu 24:1-25.
巴蘭預言以色列的福樂
1. 尋求——即使用法術。前兩次的經歷
[Nu 23:3, 15]
已使他明白，這些伴隨敬拜而來的迷信之舉全無用處，因此他這回只是單單朝向以色列的營盤觀看——或因暗中仍存咒詛他們的念頭，或是要等候神的靈感臨到。