The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 79
SECT. LXXIX.
BAlaam now appoints Balak to cauſe ſeven Altars there to be built, and to prepare him ſeven Oxen and ſeven Rams to Sacrifice to Jehovah, that he might obtain leave to Curſe his people. Seven was a number ſanctified by God for many mſteries, [ſee Levit. 4.6.] and particularly in Sacrifices (ſee Job 42.8. 1 Chron. 15.26. 2 Chron. 29.21.) wherefore the Aramites, and Moabites, and other Nations having learned from their Anceſtors the manner of ſacrificing unto the true God retained it to Moſes's time, and long after, though they corrupted it with their own Superſtitions, and abuſed it to much Impiety. Seven Altars therefore being prepared, they offered on every Altar a Bullock and a Ram. Balaam bids Balak ſtand by the Burnt-Offerings, and there to pray for good ſucceſs, whilſt he himſelf would betake himſelf to ſome ſolitary place in the top of that hill to exerciſe his feats of Divination and Inchantments, [ſee Ch. 24.1.] and to obſerve Signs if any appeared. And the Lord was pleaſed there to meet Balaam, not for the ſake of his Inchantments, but voluntarily for the manifeſtation of his own Glory, and the good of his people. God not regarding his Sacrifices (which he ſeemed ſo much to depend upon) told him what he ſhould ſay, and forc'd him to bleſs the Iſraelites inſtead of curſing them. And Balaam lifted up his Parable, (r)Parabolum, h. e. Sermonem propheticum quod frequentes ſint parabolae in Prophetis. By a Parable is uſually meant a grave Speech containing excellent matter of Inſtruction, eſpecially when delivered in an high ſtrain of Language, figurative expreſſions, and a certain ſplendor of words more than uſual, which carry a kind of majeſty in them, yet withall they are uſually dark and obſcure, ſee Ezek. 20.49.that is, declared his Prophetick Viſion, and the Anſwer which he had received from the Lord, pronouncing it with an high and audible Voice, ſaying, Balak ſent for me from Meſopotamia to come hither to Curſe this people; But how can I Curſe thoſe whom God will not have curſed? I have ſeen this people from the top of the Rocks, and indeed the very ſight of them is full of majeſty and terrour. This I muſt Propheſie of them, That God will caſt out the Inhabitants of Canaan, and place them in their ſtead, and ſo they ſhall dwell alone, in a Land of their own, under the Government of their own Laws and Princes; and no Nation ſhall be worthy to be compared with them, and that chiefly becauſe they ſhall be Gods peculiar people (ſee Ezod. 19.5.) and ſeparated from other people of the World by their Religion, Laws and Manners. And who can look upon the vaſt and miraculous increaſe of this people without admiration? an expreſs ſign of Gods great bleſſing upon them. They are even like the duſt of the earth for multitude, [ſee Gen. 13.10.] who can number one Squadron, or fourth part of them as they are now encamped. I am ſo far from endeavouring to bring any unfortunate death or ruine upon this people, who are Gods choſen Ones, and directed by his Laws to walk in ways of holineſs and righteouſneſs, that I, for my part, deſire to die the death of the righteous among them, and that my laſt end may be like unto theirs. (s)Here Balaam teſtifies his belief of the Souls immortality, and the different future ſtate of good and bad. Othe…wiſe what were the death of the righteous better than that of the wicked?Balak hearing this, angrily replies, I ſent for thee to Curſe mine Enemies, and behold thou haſt bleſſed them altogether. Balaam anſwered, He muſt ſpeak what God had put into his mouth. Balak then deſir'd him to remove to another place, hoping poſſibly that that might prove a more lucky and ſucceſsful place than the firſt had been. For Idolaters uſed in their conceits to attribute much to the luckineſs of times and places. Balak had carried him before where he ſaw the whole Army of the Iſraelites, and poſſibly he thought that the ſight of their vaſt multitudes did ſomething diſmay and damp his ſpirit, that he durſt not curſe them. He reſolves therefore to carry him where he ſhould only ſee the outermoſt part of them, and ſhould not ſee them all. And accordingly carries him to the field of the Spies or Scout-watches, ſo call'd (as it ſeems) becauſe there they kept the watch of the Country. Here alſo they build ſeven Altars, and offer Sacrifices, and Balak ſtood by the Burnt-Offerings, and Balaam betook himſelf to a ſolitary place again to practice his Inchantments as before. God meets Balaam and appoints him what return he ſhall make, And coming to Balak, He utters again his Parable or Prophetick Viſion, ſaying, Hearken, O Balak, to the Meſſage that I have brought thee from the Lord. The word of God is not like the Speeches of the Sons of men; They oftentimes promiſe, but do not or cannot perform. But all ſuch falſehood and variableneſs is far from God. The Strength of Iſrael will not lye, nor repent; *See 1 Sam. 15.29.He hath commanded me to bleſs this people, and I ſhall not turn away the bleſſing from them. There is no hope that God will ever be induc'd to give way that they ſhould be curſed. For He hath not, (t)V. 21. Deus non videt] h. e. non probat, non fert non tolerat, &c. Aliqui verba ſic reddunt non aſpexit injuriam adversùs Jacobum, nec vidit vexationem adversùs Iſraelem, h. e. non vidit ixjurias illis allatas quin vindicavit ut in Pharaone, &c. vel per futurum non videbit quin aut ſuos proteget, aut inimicos puniet vel in tempore praeſenti, ſed modo potentiali non ferre poteſt videre vexationem Iſraeli illatam, &c. vel haec omnia ſimul conjungi poſſunt, non vidit, non videbit, non ferre poteſt, &c. foreign & foreign non ſolum peccatum ſed afflictionem, injuriam, & vexationem ſignificant. Et … non ſubjectivè ſed objectivë ſumitur, ſcil. adversùs Jacobum, adversùs Iſraelem.nor will He at any time ſee wicked injuriouſneſs practic'd againſt Jacob, or perverſe Counſels and vexation againſt Iſrael, ſo as to approve of it, but will ſhew himſelf in their defence by oppoſing thoſe that do oppoſe and oppreſs them. The truth is, the Lord their God is preſent with them, and reigneth as King among them, and the joyful ſhout of a King and his people encouraging one another to battel is found among them. God, that brought them out of Egypt is an Almighty God, He hath the ſtrength of an Ʋnicorn, his Power is irreſiſtible, [ſee Job 39.10, 11. and Numb. 24.8.] ſurely there is no Inchantment (that will prevail) againſt Jacob, nor no Divination againſt Iſrael that will hurt Him. And as at this time, (u)V. 23. Sicut hoc tempore ita & in poſterum.ſo hereafter it ſhall be publiſh'd and declar'd what great things God hath done for this people, and what things He ſhall hereafter do. For theſe Iſraelites will be wonderfully Victorious, Behold this people ſhall riſe up as a great Lion, and lift up himſelf as a young Lion, he ſhall not lie down until he eat of the prey and drink of the blood of the ſlain; that is, till he have gotten a full Victory over his Enemies.
Balak was extream angry to hear theſe words, and told him, If he would not curſe this people (for which end he ſent for him) he ſhould not however have bleſſed them. Balaam replies, He muſt do as God commanded him. Balak hearing this, reſolves however to try a third time what could be done againſt Iſrael, and therefore now carries Balaam to the top of Mount Peor, where the Moabites uſed to ſacrifice to their Idol call'd Baal-Peor, [Ch. 25.3.] having there an Houſe or Temple built for him, call'd Beth-Peor, Deut. 3.29. Here they build Altars, and offer Sacrifices as before. Formerly when Balaam left Balak ſtanding by his Altars, and went himſelf aſide to ſee what God would ſay to him, he uſed by Inchantments (that is, ſome of thoſe magical Arts and diabolical ways which Sorcerers uſe) to ſeek liberty and beg leave of God to curſe the Iſraelites, but having found that it pleaſed the Lord ſtill to bleſs them, and that there was no hope by his Inchantments to get leave to curſe them, he reſolved now to give over that courſe, and ſuddenly to curſe them before he had any charge from God to the contrary. And accordingly he turn'd his eyes towards the Wilderneſs where the Children of Iſrael were encamped, intending now to do it; but the glorious and goodly ſight of their multitude, and order appall'd and aſtoniſh'd him, and ſuddenly the Spirit of God came upon him, caſting him into a trance, *See Gen. 15.12. Dan. 8.18. Revelations by Viſions were when their eyes were open, and they were awake, ſee Ch. 24.16. Revelations by Dreams, when their eyes were ſhut, and they aſleep.and by his mighty over-ruling Power conſtrain'd him to bleſs thoſe whom he reſolv'd to curſe. Balaam therefore declaring how God had in a ſupernatural manner opened his eyes to ſee things to come, he utters another Parable or prophetick Viſion concerning Iſrael, ſaying, How goodly are thy Tents, O Jacob, and thy Tabernacles, O Iſrael! what a goodly ſight do they yield, being ranked in ſuch admirable Order, under their ſeveral Enſigns and Standards? This people may be compar'd to large and fruitful Vallies and Gardens encloſed, ſet with pleaſant and wholeſome Plants, and kept always freſh and fruitful by the watering of Rivers; yea they may be compar'd to the Trees of Lign-aloes which the Lord hath planted, which proſper above the ordinary courſe of nature, and above that which by meer skill and induſtry of men they are wont to do. And as this Tree is of a ſweet Odour, ſo ſhall a ſweet fame and report be ſpread of this people; yea laſtly, they may be compar'd to Cedar-Trees planted by the water ſide, which are great, tall, and very durable; ſo great ſhall the growth of this people be, and ſo ſtable and flouriſhing the glory of their Kingdom. He ſhall pour water out of his Buckets; that is, he ſhall ſo water them, that Iſrael ſhall have a numerous Off-Spring, *Ita benedicit ipſi Deus ut copioſam ſobolem habeat & in poſteritatem magnam excreſcat. Gloſſ. Hebraiſmus eſt, erit foecundus, multos procreabit liberos, i. e. proles ejus vehementer creſcet, ut arbores in humida terra ſicut ſitula plena copioſam dat aquam ita proſapia Iſraelis erit foecunda, propagatio liberorum ſaepe per aquas ſignificatur ut Pſal. 68.26.and his Poſterity ſhall wonderfully grow up, and increaſe as ſeed in moiſt grounds, and among many waters.
His King ſhall be more Potent than Agag, the King of the Amalekites, whoſe Kingdom was then the moſt potent and flouriſhing. This was fulfilled in Saul, [1 Sam. 15.7, 8.] and in the glory of Iſraels Kingdom in David and in Solomons days, but eſpecially in Chriſt, Pſal. 89.23. He goes on, God that brought them out of Egypt is an Almighty God; His Power is irreſiſtible, He hath as it were the ſtrength of an Ʋnicorn, [ſee Ch. 23.22.] He further ſhews, That Iſrael ſhall eat up the Nations his Enemies, (that is, the ſeven Nations of Canaan,) and break their bones; And like as a Lion (the King of Beaſts) returning from his Prey coucheth down, and lieth at reſt, and none dare diſquiet him, ſo ſafe and ſecure ſhall the peace of this people be; bleſſed is he that bleſſeth them, and curſed is he that curſeth them.
Balak hearing this, was exceedingly enraged againſt Balaam, and ſmiting his hands together, told him, He had ſent for him to Curſe this people, but behold he had bleſſed them, and that three ſeveral times; He bids him therefore be gone; He had thought to have preferred him, but his God had deprived him of that honour and preferment he intended for him. Balaam replies, That He had no cauſe to blame him, for this was that which he told his Meſſengers at the firſt, viz. That if he would give him his houſe full of Silver and Gold, he could not go beyond the Commandment of the Lord. However, ſays he, I will counſel thee what thou ſhalt now do; and will ſhew thee alſo what this people ſhall do to thy people in the latter days. I counſel thee therefore for the preſent to intice them to Idolatry, and to joyn with you in your Idol-Feaſts, and let the Daughters of Moab and Midian intice them to commit Fornication with them, [ſee Ch. 31.16. Rev. 2.14.] and this is the only way to provoke God to leave them, and to be againſt them. And for the preſent thou needeſt not fear them; for God has commanded them not to ſet upon you, [ſee Deut. 2.9.] but hereafter, viz. many years hence there ſhall ariſe a Prince out of them that ſhall ſubdue thy people, [ſee 2 Sam. 8.2.] And I Balaam being one whoſe eyes God hath in a ſupernatural manner opened to ſee things to come, do now utter another Parable or prophetick Viſion unto thee, which is this; I ſhall ſee him, *All the branches of this Propheſie are in the firſt ſenſe to be meant of David, though in the ſublimer ſenſe of Chriſt, of whom David was a Type. V. 17. Videbo cum; non modo, & non prope] Hebrai exponunt ide Davide, quia ſubjugatio Moabitarum, & Idumaorum ei convenit, ut patet, 2 Reg. 8. ſed unanimiter Chriſtiani de Chriſto accipiunt; illum enim directe ſpectant cum quadam alluſione ad Typum ejus Davidem & ad geſta e'us, ſicut a Prophetis fieri ſolet. Balaam ergo vidit eum, non oculis ſuis ſed poſterorum, & ſucceſſorum ſuorum. Janſ.but not now, I ſhall behold him but not nigh. There ſhall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter ſhall ariſe out of Iſrael; that is, a King of the Seed and Poſterity of Jacob, who ſhall ſhine as a Star in the Firmament in regard of the glory of his Perſon and Government; and this King was David, in whoſe days the Kingdom of Iſrael was raiſed to an exceeding Splendor and height, and this King did vanquiſh the Moabites, 2 Sam. 8.2. and was a Type of Chriſt, who was diſcovered to the wiſe men by a Star, Matth. 2.2. Now this David, he ſays, he ſhould ſee, though not now, viz. in his Poſterity He ſhould ſee Him after many Generations. And this King (he ſays) ſhall ſmite the Corners or Princes of this Country, who were the Corners or chief ſtrength of the Kingdom, as the corners of an houſe are the chief ſtrength of the building; and he ſhall deſtroy all the Children of Sheth; ſo the Moabites were called becauſe ſome one of their Progenitors (famous in his time) was called Sheth. And further he foretelleth that the Edomites that inhabit Mount Seir ſhall alſo be ſubdued by the Iſraelites, which was literally fulfilled in David, 1 Chron. 18.13. and thereupon he ſung that triumphant Song, Pſal. 60.8. Moab is my waſhpot, that is, I have ſo ſubdued them, that I uſe them in my meaneſt ſervices as a veſſel to waſh my feet in; over Edom will I caſt my ſhooe, that is, I will trample upon the Edomites as a vanquiſhed people. He ſays therefore, Out of the houſe of Jacob ſhall come one that ſhall have the Dominion, and ſhall deſtroy the Edomites, and not only thoſe that are found in Arms in the Field, but thoſe alſo that remain in the ſeveral Cities and fortified Places that ſhall oppoſe him. Then looking towards the Country of the Amalekites (the Poſterity of Eſau, Gen. 36.12.) He uttered this Parable or Prediction concerning them. Amalek was the firſt of the Nations that warred againſt Iſrael, [ſee Exod. 17.] but he is appointed to be deſtroyed, till he be rooted from the face of the earth. This was fulfilled in part by Saul, [1 Sam. 15.] and after in Mordecai's time, ſee Eſther 7. Then he looked towards the Country of the Midianites, (called here Kenites from one principal Family or People among them, which is put for the whole Nation,) and predicted this of them, Thy dwelling is ſtrong, thou buildeſt thy Neſt or Habitation like Eagles among the Rocks, yet thou ſhalt endure much at the hand of ſeveral Enemies, (which was in part accompliſhed when the Midianites were vanqiſhed by Gideon, Judg. 7.2.) and ſhalt at length be carried away Captive by the Aſſyrians, who, with the Jews, carried away all the Nations round about them, [compare Jer. 25.9. with 1 Chron. 2.55.] And he further added, Alas! who ſhall live; that is, who almoſt can eſcape, when God ſhall do this, intimating the greivous Calamity of that time, when the Aſſyrians ſhall make this havock. And Ships ſhall come from the Coaſt of Chittim, and ſhall afflict Aſhur, and ſhall afflict Eber, and he ſhall alſo periſh for ever; that is, the great Empire of Aſia firſt held by the Aſſyrians, afterwards by the Chaldeans, and laſt of all by the Perſians,) ſhall be deſtroyed by the Greeks and Macedonians (properly called Chittim, (u)Chittim was one of the Sons of Javan the Son of Japhet, who ſeated themſelves in Macedonia and the Greek Iſlands: Afterwards the Greeks paſſing over from thence into Italy, and planting themſelves there, even Italy was alſo called Chittim.Gen. 10.4. Iſa. 23.1.12.) under Alexander the Great, and afterwards by the Romans who came into Aſia out of the Harbours of Greece, Dan. 11.30. And the Jewiſh Nation and their Country ſhall be much infected and evil intreated by the Grecians of Syria and Egypt, [Dan. 8.11. & 11.31.] and much more by the Romans under Veſpaſian and Titus. The Greeks alſo at laſt ſhall be ruined by the Romans, and their Empire ſhall be overthrown by them. As for the Roman Empire it ſelf, it is now much fallen, and the uſurping State thereof under the Papacy God will at laſt conſume with the breath of his mouth, 2 Theſſ. 2.8. Thus Balaam as he began with the bleſſing of Iſrael, ſo he endeth with the deſtruction of their Enemies. Then he went away with a purpoſe to return home, but was ſtayed (as it ſeems) by the Midianites, and among them was afterward killed by the Sword of Iſrael, Numb. 31.8.
Numb. 23. whole Chapter. Numb. 24. whole Chapter.