Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 4 · Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIV.
1 Balaam leaving inchantments, prophesieth by the Spirit of God the happinesse of Israel. 10 Balak in anger dismisseth him; 14 but before his departure he prophesieth of the Starre of Iakob, and the distruction of some nations.
ANd Balaam saw that it was good in the eyes of Iehovah, to blesse Israel; and he went not as at other times, to meet with inchantments, but he set his face toward the wildernesse. And Balaam lifted up his eies, and he saw Israel abiding in tents, according to their tribes, and the Spirit of God was upon him. And he tooke up his parable and said, Balaam the sonne of Beor assuredly saith, and the man whose eye is open, assuredly saith. Hee assuredly saith, which heard the oracles of God, which saw the vision of the Almightie, falling and having his eyes uncovered. How goodly are thy tents, O Iakob, thy tabernacles, O Israel! As the valleyes are they spread forth, as gardens by the river side: as Lign-aloes-trees, which Iehovah hath planted, as Cedar trees beside the waters. He shall poure waters out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his King shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shal be exalted. God brought him forth out of Aegypt; hee hath as the strengths of an Vnicorne: he shall …at up the nations his distressers, and shall breake their bones, and pierce them thorow with his arrowes. He couched, he lay downe as a renting Lion, and as a couragious Lion, who shall stirre him up? Blessed be every one of them that blesse thee; and cursed be every one of them that curse thee.
And Balaks anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together; and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies; and behold, blessing thou hast blessed them these three times. And now flee thou unto thy place: I said, honouring I will honour thee; but loe, Iehovah hath kept thee backe from honour. And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying, If Balak would give me his housefull of silver and gold, I cannot goe beyond the mouth of Iehovah, to doe good or evill out of mine owne heart: what Iehovah shall speake, that will I speake. And now, behold I goe unto my people: Come, I will counsell thee what this people shall doe to thy people, in the latter daies.
And hee tooke up his parable, and said, Balaam the sonne of Beor assuredly saith; and the man whose eye is open, assuredly saith.
Hee assuredly saith, which heard the o… cles of God, and knew the knowledge of the Most high, which saw the vision of the Almightie, falling, and having his eyes uncovered. I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not nigh: There shall proceed a starre out of Iakob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite thorow the corners of Moab, and shall unwall all the sons of Seth. And Edom shall be a possession, and Seir shall be a possession for his enemies, and Israel shall doe valiantnesse. And hee shall have dominion out of Iakob, and shall destroy him that remaineth, out of the citie.
And he looked on Amalek; and he tooke up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be, that he perish for ever.
And he looked on the Kenite, and tooke up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwelling place, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.
Neverthelesse, Kain shall be wasted, untill Ashur shall carry thee away captive.
And hee tooke up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doth this?
And ships (shall come) from the coast of Kitim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shal afflict Heber, and he also shall perish for ever.
And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went to his way.
Annotations.
HE went not as at other times] or, not at this time, as the time before, (which the Greeke translateth, according to his custome,) to meet with inchantments. This sheweth, that all his former altars, and sacrifices, and consultations with the Lord, were by that wicked art of inchantment, or observing of fortunes, such as the Prophets and diviners of the nations used, Deut. 18. 10. 14. Which thing he now left, as seeing it not availeable for his purpose; but that his evill heart was not changed, appeareth by his going with the King to mount Peor, to see if from thence he might curse Israel, by his commanding of altars and sacrifices as before, Numb. 23. 27,—30. and by his pestilent counsell which he gave the king after this, for the destruction of Gods people, Numb. 31. 16. Rev. 2. 14. set his face toward the wildernesse] where Israel lay encamping, that he might as it were prevent God, and suddenly utter a curse against his people. The Chaldee paraphraseth, he set his face towards the Calfe that Israel had made in the wildernesse, (Exod. 32.) as if, looking upon their sinnes, hee thought for them he might have cursed Israel: and so in Targum Ierusalemy it is explained, He set his face toward the wildernesse, and remembred concerning them the worke of the Calfe, and would have cursed Israel.
Vers▪ 2. abiding in tents] or, dwelling; which the Greeke translateth, camping, or having their armie, or l…er. The order wherein God had placed the armies of Israel about his sanctuary, Numb. 2. they alwaies kept, when they pitched in the wildernesse: the sight whereof astonished the enemie, so that he could not curse them as hee desired, but blessed them the third time. the Spirit of God was upon him] that is, as the Chaldee explaineth it, the spirit of prophesie from before the Lord rested upon him: and as Sol. Iarchi here noteth, it came into his heart that he should not curse them. The like phrase was before in Numb. 11. vers. 26. the Spirit rested upon them, and they prophesied: and againe in vers. 29. would God that all the Lords people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them. This was Gods powerfull worke, changing Balaams heart when he intended evill; as when Saul and his messengers went with an evill purpose to have taken David in Naioth, the Spirit of God was upon them, and they also prophesied, 1 Sam. 19. 19, 20,—23. And when wicked men, being thus over-ruled, uttered divine oracles, as now Balaam did, they spake not of themselves, as it is said of the holy Prophets, For prophesie came not at any time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake, being moved (or carried) by the holy Ghost, 2 Pet. 1. 21.
Vers. 3. he tooke up his parable] that is, prophesied; see Numb. 23. 7. assuredly saith] or affirmeth, averreth: a word appropriate to the oracle of God, which is a faithfull saying, 1 Tim. 1. 15. See the Annotations on Gen. 22. 16. Here Balaam beginneth his third blessing with a solemne preface, avouching the truth and constancie of it from God; against whose will the more he strugleth, the stronger he is resisted. the man whose eye is open] which the Chaldee expoundeth, the man that is faire sighted, that seeth well; the Greeke translateth, the true man: hee seemeth hereby to signifie that he was a Prophet, who in old time was called a Seer, 1 Sam. 9. 9. Shethum the originall word, used only here, and in vers. 15. is of contrary signification to Sethum, that is, closed, or shut up: howbeit some take it to be of the same meaning, which may then be explained thus, The man who had his eye shut, but now open. And eye is put for eyes, understanding the eyes of his minde opened by the spirit of prophesie: though some of the Hebrewes (as Iarchi here observeth) have from hence conjectured, that Balaam was blinde of one eye.
Vers. 4. the oracles of God] or, the sayings of God, as the Chaldee saith, the word from before God: but the Greeke translateth strong oracles, because God (in Hebrew El) is so named of being strong or mightie. vision of the Almightie] or, of the Alsufficient, that is, as the Greeke translateth, of God. falling] understand, into a trance, or deep sleepe, or falling on my face to the ground: for even the holy men of God, when they saw divine visions, used to fall downe on their faces, and into deep sleepes, as dead men. So a deepe sleepe (or trance) f…ll upon Abraham, Gen. 15. 12. and Daniel was afraid, and fell on his face, and was in a deepe sleepe on his face toward the ground, Dan. 8. 17, 18. and Iohn fell at his feet as dead, Rev. 1. 17. and Ezekiel fell on his face, Ezek 1. 28. and 3. 23. and 43. 3. and 44. 4. Likewise when the spirit of prophesie came upon men, they are said to fall, or lye downe, as did Saul, 1 Sam. 19. 24. And in this place of Balaam, the Chaldee translateth it, lying downe; the Greeke, in a sleepe; so after, in vers. 16. eyes uncovered] or, unvailed, to wit, to see the vision, as the Chaldee saith, and it was revealed unto him.
Vers. 5. How goodly] or, how good! which word implieth profit, pleasure, beauty, joy, delight, &c. See the Notes on Gen. 1. 4. thy tents] in Greek, thy houses, or dwellings; but tents are a moveable habitation, fitting the people of God in this world. Hebr. 11. 9. and a warlike life, Ier. 6. 3. Afterward the Church is called the tents of Iakob, Mal. 2. 12 and the tents of Iudah, Zach. 12. 7. And lakob their f…ther is noted to have dwelled in tents, Gen. 25. 27. Moreover, when this people were seated in Canaan, their dwelling places were called their Tents, 2 Chron. 10. 16. and 7. 10. So this is meant of the state of the Church, not only then present, but throughout all ages. thy tabernacles] or, thy habitacles, dwelling places; which have their name of vicinitie, or neerenesse together. This therefore noteth the communion of the Church with Christ, and one with another: and is by Targum Ionathan expounded, the Tabernacle of the congregation which is set among you, and your tabernacles which are round about it, O house of Israel. O Israel] that is, O Israelites. The Church is named after their father Iakob and Israel; Iakob is their name in respect of their owne infirmitie, (whereupon it is said, Feare not, thou worme Iakob, Esay 41. 14. and, by whom shall Iakob arise? for he is small, Amos 7. 2. 5.) but Israel is the name of their power and prevailing with God and men. See the Annotations on Gen. 32. 28.
Vers. 6. spred forth] or stretched out, implying both length, and bredth, and large extent of Israels habitations; compared therefore to valleyes or bournes, which are long, large, pleasant to behold, and watered with rivers, whereby they are fruitfull, as Song 6. 11. as Gardens] which are inclosed, set with pleasant and wholesome plants, and by rivers are made alwaies fresh, greene, and fruitfull. Wherefore the Scripture likeneth the Church to a garden full of pleasant fruits, Song 4. 12.—16. Esay 61. 11. by the river] in Greeke, by rivers: whereby the gardens are made greene and fruitfull, without which they wither. Therefore when God threatneth judgement to Israel, he saith, ye shall be as a garden that hath no water, Esay 1. …0. and promising mercy, he saith, Thou shalt be like a watered garden, Esay 58. 11. Hereby was signified that river of God full of water, Psal. 65. 9. the river, the streames whereof make glad the citie of God, Psal, 46. 4. even the Word and Spirit of the Lord, which refresheth and comforteth his people, as it is written, Their soule shall be as a watered garden, and they shall not sorrow any more at all, Ier. 31. 12. Lign-aloes-trees] or, as some thinke, Santalltrees, in Hebrew Ahalim, which hath affinity with the …ame of Aloes derived of it. The Greeke translateth it Tents; but the Chaldee Spices. The Lig… aloes is a tree growing in Arabia and India, which giveth a sweet odour, and is like the Thyine wood mentioned in Revel. 18. 12. and is here used to signifie the good fame of the Church, and report of her graces, which is as a sweet smell. Ie… hath planted] this signifieth the excellencie of this tree above others, and the growth in the n…ll place, where it best prospereth: so the Cedars are said to be planted by him, in Psal. 104. 16. and he is the Planter of his Church, Ier. 2. 21. … by the waters] The Cedar is one of the goodli…st trees, for talnesse, bignesse, strength and durance; with the timber of it the Temple was built, 1 King. 6. 9, 10. & by the waters it best flourisheth, and signifieth the glory of the kingdome of Israel; as it is written of the kingdome of Assyria, Behold the Assyrian was a Cedar in …non, with faire branches, and with a shadowing shrend, & of an high stature, &c. The waters made him great, the deepe …et him up on high, with her rivers running re…d about his plants, &c. Ezek 31. 3, 4. See also Psal. 1. 3.
Vers. 7. Hee shall poure waters] or, water shall flow out of his buckets: speaking of Israel. This parable is translated by the Greeke Interpreters thus; There shall come forth a man out of his seed, and shall have dominion over many nations, and his kingdome shall be higher than Gog, and his kingdome shall be increased. And by the Chaldee Paraphrast thus; There shall grow up a King, which shall be anoi…ted of his sonnes, and shall have dominion over many peoples; and his King shall be mightier than Ag…g, and his kingdome shall be exalted. And Targum Ionathan expoundeth it to the like effect; and the exposition accordeth with other Scriptures which speake of the propagation of children, by the similitude of waters, fountaines, eisternes, and the like: as, Heare yee this, O house of I…kob, &c. which are come forth out of the waters of Iudah, Esay 48. 1. and yee of the fountaine of Israel, Psal. 68. 27. And Solomon speaking of wife and children in the lawfull state of marriage, saith, Drinke waters out of thine owne cisterne, and running waters out of thine owne well. Let thy fountaines be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets; Let them be onelyonly thine owne, &c. Prov. 5. 15.—18. And againe speaking of the harlot, he saith, Stollen waters are sweet, Prov. 9. 17. Thus Balaam prophesieth here of Israels great increase, and of the glorie of their kingdome, in David and Solomon, but chiefly in Christ. Otherwise, by waters may be understood the Word and Spirit of God, as Ioh. 3▪ 5. and 4. 10. and 7. 38, 39. which should plentifully be poured out in the Church; that they might with joy draw water out of the wells of salvation, as Esay 12. 3. his seed, in many waters] this seed may be understood as before, of children; and many waters, of many peoples, as in Revel. 17. 15. Esay 57. 19. Psal. 144. 7. Or seed may meane corne, sowen in watry, moist and fruitfull places, to bring forth much increase: as, Blessed are yee that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the sect of the Oxe and the Asse, Esay 32. 20. higher than Agag] the King of the Amalekites, whom Saul the King of Israel subdued, 1 Sam. 15. 8. and it seemeth this was a common name to all the Kings of Amalek, as Pharaoh was to all the Kings of Aegypt. Spiritually the King of Israel is Christ, Iohn 1. 49. and 12. 13, 15. who is higher than the Kings of the earth, Psal. 89. 28. amongst whom Agag sometime excelled. his kingdome] the kingdome of Israel, exalted by David and Solomon, but above all by Christ, whose Church and kingdome is above all kingdomes, in grace, glory, and incorruption, Esay 2. 2. Dan. 2. 44. Rev. 11. 15.
Vers. 8. of an Vnicorne] This similitude is here repeated and inlarged from the former blessing, in Num. 23. 22. …t up] that is, consume the nations, as the seven nations in Canaan, Deut. 7. 1. and all other, subdued by faith, as it is said, The nation and kingdome that will not serve thee, shall perish: yea those nations shall be utterly wasted, Esay 60. 12. See also Num. 14. 9. breake their bones] in Greeke, unmarrow (or eat out the marrow of) their fat bones. It signifieth an utter weakning of them, that they should never recover their strength. pierce them] in Greeke, shoot thorow the enemie with his arrowes. Arrowes are often mentioned among other instruments of warre, Jer. 50. 9. 14. and 51. 11. Zac. 9. 14. These pierce inwardly, and are figuratively applied to piercing words, Psal. 64. 4. and spiritually to the words of Christ, whose arrowes are sharpe in the heart of the kings enemies, Psal. 45. 6.
Vers. 9. He couched] Here Balaam applieth unto Israel that blessing which Iakob gave unto his son Iudah, the father of our Lord Christ, the Lion of that tribe, Gen. 49. 9. and it signifieth the victory of the Church over their enemies: See also Numb. 23. 24. who shall stirre him up] who dare provoke him? meaning, none. So the victory gotten shall quietly be held; and the peace of the Church after her warfare, is here foretold, but accomplished in Christ. Blessed be every one of them] The conclusion of this blessing is the same wherewith Isaak ended the blessing upon Iakob the father of this people, Gen. 27. 29. and like that which God gave unto Abraham, Gen. 12. 3. Thus God continueth his grace to the faithfull and their seed for ever; and here, by Balaams owne mouth, curseth all this wicked plot and practise of the king and prophet, who had endevoured with their utmost craft to curse the people whom God had blessed, and Balaam is condemned of himselfe.
Vers. 10. he smote his hands] or, clapped the palmes of his hands; a signe of indignation and griefe in the king, with a contempt of the prophet; as elsewhere it is said, Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hisse him out of his place, Iob 27. 23. and, All that passe by the way, clap their hands at thee, they hisse, and wag their head, &c. Lam. 2. 15.
Vers. 11. Flee thou] or, Flee for thy selfe, that is, Get thee gone speedily: so fleeing is used for speedy departing, in Esay 48. 20. Zac. 2. 6. Iob 9. 25. and 14. 2. Amos 7. 12. Here Balak being out of hope to effect his purpose, leadeth not Balaam to another place, as he had done before, but turneth him off with ignominie. unto thy place] thy countrey Mesopotamia, as the place of the Canaanites, &c. in Exod. 3. 8. is their country, and in Exod. 23. 20. the place, is in Greek, the land. Or, unto thy city Pethor, as, unto the place of Sichem, Gen. 12. 6. is the citie of Sichem: See Amos 4. 6. kept thee back] in Greek, deprived thee of honour. Here Balaam, who ambitiously sought after honour and riches, is sent away with shame, and misseth of the wages of unrighteousnesse which he loved: for, The wicked worketh adeceit full worke; but to him that soweth righteousnesse, shall be a sure reward. Prov. 11. 18.
Vers. 13. goe beyond the mouth] in Greeke, transgresse the word: See Numb. 22. 18. out of mine owne heart] in Greeke, of myselfe.
Vers. 14. I will counseil thee what this people shall doe] This seemeth to be an unperfect speech, which the Chaldee Paraphrast well explaineth thus; I wi… counsell thee what thou shalt doe, and I will shew thee what this people shal do. For the Scriptures have many like briefe speeches, as is noted on Exod. 4. 5. & 13. 8. and Moses after sheweth, that Balaam gave Balak wicked counsell against Israel, to draw them unto idolatry and fornication, Num. 31. 16 and our Saviour calleth it the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication, Rev. 2. 14. the history whereof followeth in Num. 25. And thus the Hebrews also expound this place: Chazkuni in these words, I will counsel thee: Moses our Teacher concealeth the counsell, because Balaam said it to Balak in secret: but in Num. 31. 16. it is revealed. To like effect writeth Sol. Iarchi, saying, This Scripture is briefe, I will coūsell thee to cause them to stūble (or fall) & I will tell thee what evill they shal doe to Moab in the latter daies: and Targum Ionathan openeth it by Num. 25. 1, 2, &c. in the latter daies] that is, the daies after following: See the like in Gen. 49. 1. For the time present Israel might not meddle with the people of Moab, Deut. 2. 9. but after in Davids daies, he smote Moab and measured them with a line, casting them downe to the ground: even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keepe alive; and so the Moabites became Davids servants, 2 Sam. 8. 2. Againe in Ier. 48. there is a large prophesie of Moabs destruction, with a promise of the returning of their captivitie in the latter dayes.
Vers. 15. tooke up his parable] that is, prophesied, but darkly and in parables: see vers. 3. whose eye is open] in Greeke, the true man: See the notes on vers. 3.
Vers. 16. the knowledge of the Most high] in Chaldee, knowledge from before the Most high, that is, made knowne to him of God. This sentence is here added more than in vers. 4. Baal-hatturim here noteth, that he saith this, because hee would reveale the dayes of Christ. falling] into a trance; the Greeke translateth it, in a sleepe: see this opened on vers. 4.
Vers. 17. I shall see him] or, shall see it; meaning the person or thing that now hee is to speake of; namely David, and his kingdome, the accomplishment whereof should be in Christ and his Church. Sol. Iarchi explaineth it thus; I see the praise of Iacob, and their greatnesse: but it is not now, but after a time. Chazkuni here saith, Hee prophesieth of David. but not nigh] that is, as the Chaldee explaineth it, his comming is not nigh. This may be understood of Christ, for of him hee after prophesieth; whom Balaam saith, he shall behold, (for every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him, Rev. 1. 17.) but he had not Iobs faith, to behold him his Redeemer, Iob 19. 25. 27. shall proceed a star] or, a star hath proceeded, speaking after the manner of prophesie of a thing to come, as already done. The Greeke translateth, a star shall arise: which the Chaldee expoundeth, A king shall arise out of the house Iacob. This is to be understood in part of David, and chiefly of Christ our Lord, who thus rectifieth of himselfe, I am the root and the off-spring of David, the bright and morning starre. Thus also the Hebrewes understood it of old; for the … Christ that arose unto the Iewes in the day… of Traj…n the Emperour, was called (in allu sion … is prophesie) Bar Chochab, that is, the s…e of the starre: but being after slaine in battell, the Iewes seeing themselves deceived, called him Bar Coziba, that is, the sonne of falshood. Of him there is mention in Talmud Bab. in Sanhedrin, cap. Chelek▪ and Maimony in Treat. of Kings, cap. 11. sect. …. saith of R. Akiba, who was the armour-bea… of Ben Coziba the King, that he said of him, hee was the King Christ. And he and all the wise men of his age thought that he was the King Christ untill he was killed for uniquity: when he was killed, they knew he was not. a scopter] or, a rod, a staffe, a signe of kingdome and government: See the notes on Gen. 49. 10. The Greeke translateth it, a man shall rise out of Israel; the Chaldee saith, Messias (or Christ) shall be anointed of the house of Israel. As David and other Kings had scepters, so Christ is said to have a rod on scepter, as, The scepter of thy kingdome is a scepter of righteousnesse, Psal. 45. 7. Hebr. 1. 8. and, Thou shalt rule them with a rod (or scepter) of iron, Psal. 2. 9. the corners] or, the sides, (the quarters) of Moab; meaning a co…quest of the whole countrie, in every quarter and corner of it. The Greeke Interpreters understood it figuratively, the Dukes, of Moab; likewise the Chaldee …phrast, saying, hee shall kill the Princes of Moab. This was literally fulfilled by David, who … Moab, and cast them downe to the ground, &c. 2. Su… ▪ 8. 2. spiritually by Christ, destroying idolaters and antichristians, in religion like Moabites. shall unwall] shall cast downe the walls, that is, conquer and subdue; which the Greek expoundeth shall captive (or make a prey;) the Chaldee, shall ride, … dominion. the sons of Seth] who was the son of Adam, set in Abels roome, whom Kain killed, Ge…. 4. … and all Kains …ce being drowned in the …, onelyonly Seths posterity in Noah remained: so … all the world now are the sons of Seth, as of A… …erefore the Chaldee explaineth it, he shall … …ion over all the sonnes of men. So it is a prophesie of Christ, whom all Kings should wor…, …ions should serve, Psal. 72. 11. and the … of the earth should be his possession, Psal. 2. 8. … the name of Iesus every knee should bow, Phil. …. 10. And this conquest is gotten by the preaching of the Gospell, as it is written, The weapons of our …fore are not carnall, but mighty through God, to the p…ing downe of strong holds, casting downe imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God, and bringing into cap… …ry thought to the obedience of Christ, and having in a readinesse to revenge all disobedience, 2 …er. 10. 4, 5, 6. Some take Seth here to be meant not of a…ans name, but to signifie the hinder part, and to meane the peoples then behinde Balaam, as the Ammonites, Midianites, and the like: but besides the Chaldee fore-mentioned, the Greeke also …eth it, all the sons of Seth: and the Hebrewes doe most so expound it; as Sol. Iarchi saith, all the sonnes of Seth, i. all peoples, which doe all come of Seth the sonne of Adam the first. Maimony in Misn. tom. 4. Treat. of Kings, cap. 11. sect. 1. explaineth Balaams prophesie thus; I shall see him, but not now; this is David: I shall behold him, but not nigh; this is the King Christ. There shall proceed a starre out of Iakob; this is David: and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; this is the King Christ: and shall smite thorow the corners of Moab; this is David, as it is written (in 2 Sam. 8. 2.) And he smete Moab, &c. And he shall unwall all the sonnes of Seth; this is the King Christ, of whom it is written (in Psal. 72. 8.) He shall have dominion from sea to sea. And Edom shall be a possession to David, as it is said, And all they of Edom became Davids servants. 2 Sam. 8. 14. And Seir shall be a possesston; this is unto the King Christ: as it is said, And Saviours shall come up on mount Sion, to judge the mount of Esan, and the kingdome shall be the Lords, Hobad. vers. 21.
Vers. 18. Edom] the Edomites the posterity of Esau; these became a possession to David, 1 Chron. 18. 13. after that unto Christ; as it is written, Who is this that commeth from Edom, &c. Esay 63. 1.—6. Seir] the mountaine where Esau dwelt, Gen. 36. 7, 8. wherefore the Greeke in stead of Seir, nameth Esau. shall doe valiantnesse] or, doe valiantly, valiant acts: which phrase is sometime understood of warres and victories, as in 1 Sam. 14. 48. sometime of getting wealth and riches, as in Ezek. 28. 4. Both may be here meant, and the Chaldee expoundeth it of the latter. And as this was answerable to the name of Israel, which signified his power and prevailing with God and with men, Gen. 32. 28. so David, after he had vanquished the Edomites, celebrated the truth of this promise, saying, Through God wee shall doe valiantnesse, and hee will tread downe our enemies, Psal. 60. 14.
Vers. 19. And he shall have dominion] he, that is, one of the house of Iakob, as the Chaldee expresseth it. So Targum Ionathan saith, And a ruler shall rise up out of the house of Iakob. And it may be understood of David first, then and chiefly of Christ. Sol. Iarchi openeth it thus, And yet there shall be another ruler out of Iakob, and hee shall destroy him that remaineth out of the citie. Of the King Christ he speaketh thus, of whom it is said (in Psal. 72.) he shall have dominion from sea to sea. out of the citie] that is, of every citie, to wit, of the Edomites, as vers. 18. or more generally, of all cities; as the Chaldee expoundeth it, the citie of the peoples. Chazkuni referreth it to Ioab, Davids captaine, of whom it is said, Six moneths did Ioab remaine there with all Israel, untill he had cut off every male in Edom, 1 King. 11. 15, 16. But it hath reference also to further victories, as is said, The house of Jakob shall be a fire, and the house of Ioseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devoure them, and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau, for the Lord hath spoken it, Hobad. vers. 18. The Targum called Ionathans, nameth it Constantinople: by which it is evident, that the Authour of that worke was not Ionathan ben Vzziel, who paraphrased on the Prophets, and was of the Apostles age, but some later Iew, who put forth his worke in that Ionathans name.
Vers. 20. he looked on Amalek] on the countrie or people of the Amalekites, the posterity of Esau, Gen. 36. 12. As the sight of Israel occasioned Balaam to blesse them, vers. 2, &c. so the beholding of the wicked, occasioned the utterance of their judgement and curse. the first] or the beginning of the nations; meaning either the chiefest of them, or, as the Chaldee expoundeth it, the first of them that warred against Israel; for which God threatned their ruine before, in Exod. 17. as now he fore-telleth it againe by Balaam. As Israel was the Lords first-fruits, Ier. 2. 3. and therfore by him preserved: so Amalek being the first-fruits of the wicked nations, is devoted to destruction, fulfilled in part by Saul, 1 Sam. 15. and after in Mordecaies time, Ester 7. but spiritually accomplished by Christ. Thus Iericho the first-fruits of the Cananean cities, was also devoted and destroyed, Ios. 6. his later end] or, his posteritie; as the Greeke translateth, his seed: See Psal. 37. 38. that he perish for ever] or, unto perdition, which the Greeke translateth, shall perish; the Chaldee, shall perish for ever: So in vers. 24.
Vers. 21. the Kenite] that is, the Kenites, or Kenaeans; these the Chaldee calleth Salmeans; so that he tooke them for those Kenites mentioned in Gen. 15. 19. But Targum Ionathan expoundeth it of Iethro, that became a Proselyte, Exod. 18. And so in Iudg. 1. 16. it is said, the children of the Kenite, Moses father in law, went up, &c. And these are mentioned here next Amalek, because they dwelt with them; as is written, And Saul said unto the Kenites; Goe, depart, get you downe from among the Amalekites, &c. 1 Sam. 15. 6. thou puttest thy nest] Hebr. to put thy nest, of which phrase see the Annotations on Gen. 6. 19. And here the Hebrew Ken, which is a nest, hath allusion to the Kenites name: by nest, meaning an habitation, as in Iob 29. 18. a similitude taken from Eagles, which build their nests on high rockes; see Obad. vers. 4. Habak. 2. 9. So hereby was signified the secure dwelling of the Kenites by Israel, without disturbance, till the Assyrian wasted all.
Vers. 22. Kain] that is, the Kenite, who came, as it seemeth, of a man named Kain, and so is by the Chaldee expounded as before, the Sal…aean. Some thinke it to be the name of the place where they dwelt. wasted] or, eaten up, to wit, by enemies. untill Asshur] or, whiles Assur; the Assyrians, and Babylonians, who carried away captive the ten tribes of Israel, 2 King. 17. 6. and the Iewes into Babylon, 2 King. 25. and so the Kenites with them, as appeareth by this prophesie; and after the returne of the people out of Babylon, there is mention of these Kenites also, in 1 Chron. 2. 55.
Vers. 23. Alas, who shall live] the Chaldee explaineth it, Woe to the sinners that shall live, &c. He signifieth hereby extraordinary and grievovs calamities. doth this] Hebr. putteth, or disposeth this, to wit, this that followeth. Targum Ionathan explaineth it, When the word of the Lord shall be revealed, to give a good reward unto the just, and to take vengeance on the wicked, &c.
Vers. 24. from the coast of Kitim] Hebr. from the hand of Kitim, which the Chaldee expoundeth from the Romanes; the old Latine version, from Italy; the Greeke keepeth the Hebrew phrase, from the hand of the Kitaeans. Kitim (or Chittim) was one of the sons of Iavan, the son of Iapher, the son of Noe, Gen. 10. 4. His posterity seated in Cilicia, Macedonia, Cyprus, and Italy also, as Iosephus observeth in Ant…q. lib. 4. cap. 22. Wherefore Kitim is taken sometime for the one, and sometime for the other. Here it may imply both the troubles that befell the Assyrians and Iewes, by the Greekes and Seleucidae in the troublous daies of Antiochus, according to that in Dan. 11. 30. For the ships of Kitim shall come against him: and after calamities that befell the Hebrewes, from the Romanes. shall afflict Assur] they, the ships, that is, the armies of Kitim shall afflict the Assyrians, which come of Assur, the sonne of Sem, the sonne of Noe, Gen. 10. 22. Heber] or Eber, that is, Hebers children, as the Greeke translateth it, the Hebrewes: of Heber, see Gen. 10. 22, 24. All Israel were his posteritie, afflicted by Greekes and Romans. Christ was the chiefest of Eber, Luke 3. 23, 35. he was killed by Pilate the Romane Deputie. Since that time, Rome by Antichrist there reigning, hath afflicted Christ in his members. he also] that is, Kitim shall perish for ever: or, shall goe unto perdition. Thus Balaam, as hee began with the blessing of Israel, endeth with the destruction of their enemies: God by his mouth confirming the promises made unto Abraham, and to his seed for ever; the accomplishment of all which, is in Christ.
Vers. 25. returned to his place] that is, went away with a purpose to returne home, but was stayed by the Midianites, and among them was killed by the sword of Israel, Numb. 31. 8. But this is here so signified, to shew how God disappointed their first plots and practises, that Balaam returned as hee came, and could not curse Israel, but denounced woes against their enemies. Things which mē purpose and endevour to doe, are said to be done by them, though perhaps not effected; as is noted on Exod. 8. 18. Numb. 14. 40. It might also be, that Balaam indeed returned to his place, and afterward came againe to the Midianites. So Chazkuni (on Numb. 31.) saith, After that he had returned to his place, to Mesopotamia, he came againe to Midian, to receive mony of the Elders of Midian, when he heard say of the plagne which had beene in Israel by his counsell.