Commentaires bibliques

The Israelites pitch in the plains of Moab, Numbers 22:1. Balak the king sends for Balaam to curse Israel, Numbers 22:2-8. He inquires of the Lord, who forbids him to go: he goes not, Numbers 22:9-14. Balak sends again: the Lord permits Balaam to go, Numbers 22:15-21. An angel stands in the way; which his ass perceives: his eyes are at length opened to see the angel, who rebukes him, Numbers 22:22-33. He confesses his fault, and offers to go back; He is commanded to go on, and speak as should be revealed to him, Numbers 22:34,35. Balak comes to meet him; receives him; expostulates with him; he declares he has no power but to speak the word which God should put into his mouth, Numbers 22:36-41.

The plains of Moab still retained their ancient title, though they had been taken away from the Moabites by Sihon, and from him by the Israelites.

By Jericho, i.e. over against Jericho; or, near the passage over Jordan to Jericho, or its territories.

Balak, the son or successor of him whom Sihon had spoiled of part of his kingdom, Numbers 21:26. Of him see Judges 11:25 Micah 6:5.

As it was foretold both in general of all nations, Deu 2:25, and particularly concerning Moab, Exodus 15:15.

The elders of Midian, called the kings of Midian, Numbers 31:8, and princes of Midian, Joshua 13:21; who though divided into their kingdoms, yet were now unified upon the approach of the Israelites their common enemy; and being, as it seems, a potent and crafty people, and neighbours to the Moabites, these seek confederacy with them. We read of Midianites near Mount Sinai, Exo 2 Exo 3, which seem to have been a part or colony of this people that went out to seek new quarters, as the manner of those times was, but the body of that people were seated in those parts, as is evident from many scriptures.

Lick up, i.e. consume and utterly destroy, in which sense the fire is said to lick up the water and sacrifices, 1 Kings 18:38. The meaning is, we can expect no mercy from them, they will utterly root us out as they did the Amorites, if we do not make a stout and timely opposition.

All that are round about us, i.e. all our people, who lived in the country and territory adjoining to each city, where the princes resided.

Balaam is called a prophet, 2 Peter 2:16, because God was pleased to inspire and direct him to speak the following prophecy, as he did inspire Caiaphas to speak those words, John 11:51,52, and as sometimes he did for a time inspire other wicked men; but in truth he was a soothsayer, as he is called, Joshua 13:22. See Numbers 24:1.

Beor, or Bosor, 2 Peter 2:15; for he had two names, as many others had.

Pethor; a city in Mesopotamia or Aram: see Numbers 23:7 Deu 23:4.

By the river, i.e. by Euphrates, which is oft called the river, by way of eminency, as Genesis 15:18 Joshua 24:2,15, and here the river of Balaam’s land or country, to wit, of Mesopotamia or Aram, Numbers 21:7.

They abide over against me; they are encamped in my neighbourhood, ready to invade my kingdom.

Curse me this people, i.e. curse them for my sake and benefit; use thy utmost power, which thou hast with thy gods or infernal spirits, to blast and ruin them.

That we may smite them; thou by thy magical imprecations, and I by my sword joined with them. He had some experience of, or, at least, a great confidence in, Balaam’s skill and power in these matters.

With the rewards of divination, Heb. with divinations; by which he understands not the instruments of divination, which it was needless and absurd to bring to so eminent a diviner, who doubtless was thoroughly furnished for his own trade; but the rewards of it, as it is explained 2 Peter 2:15, and as in the Hebrew, 2 Samuel 4:10, good tidings is put for the reward of good tidings. Nor is it probable they would go to, or could expect to prevail with such a person, especially being noted for his covetousness, as appears from the story, without that powerful engine.

The night was the time when God used to reveal his mind by dreams. Here is the first discovery of his wickedness, that he hakes time to consider, and doth his endeavour to effect that wicked notion of cursing the Israelites, which he should have rejected and abhorred at the first mention of it.

As the Lord shall speak, Heb. Jehovah, the true God, whom he here mentions, either for his own greater reputation, as if he consulted not with inferior spirits, as other soothsayers did, but with the supreme God; or rather because this was Israel’s God, and the only possible way of ruining them was by engaging their God against them; as the known way of the Romans and other heathens, when they went to besiege any city, they used enchantments to call forth that god under whose peculiar protection they were.

The princes of Moab, and of Midian too, as is manifest from Numbers 22:7, which was needless to repeat here.