Westminster Annotations, Numbers · Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIIII.
Vers. 1. AS at other times] His manner was till now to seek after enchantments; and when he turned from them, to seeke the true God; his service it is like had a smack of his old superstition, in the number of Altars, and sacrifices, in their scite or posture towards the points of heaven, in his gestures and set formes of words.
toward the wildernesse] Where the Israelites were encamped.
V. 2. the Spirit of God] That is, an inspiration of prophecy, which is the operation and gift of Gods Spirit; for in such matters God may and doth many times reveale himselfe to wicked men, to whom any but saving graces may be imparted: See Annot. on Chap. 22. 9. Joh. 11. 51.
V. 4. vision] Revelations by visions are properly such as are when their eyes are open or awake, and revelations by dreames, when their eyes are shut or asleepe; and yet those dreames may be called visions of the soule when the eyes of the body are closed.
eyes open] Heb. who had his eyes shut, but now open. This may be meant literally of the eyes of his body, according to the former Note; or figuratively of the eyes of his minde, which, (though before this they were shut, seeing nothing at all of such future events) might be awake, albeit he was in a trance, as one asleepe, Gen. 15. 12. Dan. 8. 17, 18, &c.
V. 5. thy Tabernacles] By these two words Tents, and Tabernacles, are understood moveable hooses; but the latter in the Originall imports a vicinitie or necrenesse of abode.
V. 6. Lign-aloes] Or the Aloes trees; an odoriferous and sweet smelling wood, or tree, growing in Arabia, and India.
as Cedar trees] Commendable for their strength, and growth by the abundance of sap, in respect whereof they are called the trees of the Lord, and are said to be planted by him: for things eminent in their kinde (because he is most worthy of such) are ascribed to him: See Psal. 104. 16.
V. 7. powre the water] Plenty of water is here promised; and that is a great blessing on mans habitation, Ps. 1. 3. & 33. 2.
many waters] By waters may be understood people, as the word is expounded, Revel. 17. 15. and his seed may be said to be in many waters, to note the numerous increase of it; according to the spawne, which is the seed of fishes in the waters.
his King shall be higher] Or, taken away for Agag, and so it is understood of Saul, from whom the Kingdome was rent for sparing Agag, whom by the Lords command he should have killed, 1 Sam. 15. 9, 10, 11.
Agag] That was the ordinary name of the Kings of the Amalekites, as Pharaoh of the Egyptians; and their Kingdome then most flourished.
V. 9. who shall stirre] See Annot. on Gen. 49, 9.
V. 17. I shall see him, but not now] This prophecie is of Christ his coming in the flesh, whom Balaam foreseeth that he shall see him, but not now, saith he, not in this life, and not till Balaam rise againe, and Christ come downe againe. Or he prophecieth this in the person of posteritie, in respect unto the wise men (of his profession) of the East, who came to worship Christ, Matth. 2. 2.
not nigh] Neither of his comings are nigh, but afarre off.
a starre] Meaning Christ; at his first appearance he seemed little, like the starre, Matth. 2. 2. which brought the tidings of his coming though glorious, Revel. 22, 16. but afterward his glory increased to the brightnesse of the Sunne, Mal. 4. 2.
Scepter] See Annot. on Gen. 49. v. 10.
corners of Moab] That is, from one side to another, round about; as the house supplanted in the foure corners is utterly ruined, Job 1. 19. Some apply this to Davids subduing the Moabites and Idumeans, whereof afterward: but it reacheth farre beyond his time, to the prevailing of the Christian Religion over Pagan opinions and people.
of Seth] The word may be rendered those who are behinde; that is, when Balaam turned his face toward Israel, vers. 1. the Easterne people were behinde him, as the Ammonites, and Midianites, &c. but if we take Seth for a proper name, as Gen. 4. 25. viz. for the third sonne of Adam, Abel being slaine, the posteritie of Cain … owned; by Seth may be understood all the race of Adam, but then the word destroy, belonging to the wicked, must limit the word all, onelyonly to all the ungodly of the world, or to the world of the ungodly, especially of the Edomites, 1 King. 11. 15.
V. 18. Seir also] Edom and Seir were both names of Esau and his posteritie, and of his Countrey: and he was called Seir, because he was hairy, as the word Sehhir, or Segnir signifieth. In that the commination is made in both his names, it imports assurance of the thing: and if we take the words with any other but a verball distinction, it may be this; by Edom may be meant the whole Countrey of Esau, and by Seir, the place of his dwelling, his Court where he kept his residence; and so the Prophecie imports the totall conquest over the Edomites, since not so much as the Court or Palace of Edom, which was most strongly fortified, and carefully kept, should keepe out the power of Israel or Jacob; which was literally fulfilled by David, 1 Chron. 18. 13. but is chiefly to be understood in a spirituall sense, for a compleat victory of the Israel of God over all their enemies.
V. 19. of the citie] The City of Seir, or some other Citie, or Cities of note, which were adverse to the people of God; over whom Christs Kingdome shall universally and gloriously triumph.
V. 20. first of the nations] The Amalekites first made war against Israel, Exod. 17. 8. 1 Sam. 15. 1. Or Amalek was a principall Nation.
V. 21. the Kenites] Were a people mingled with the Amalekites, 1 Sam. 15. 6.
V. 22. the Kenite] Or Kain; which may either be the name of some famous progenitour, of whom the Kenites descended; or some Citie of note where they dwelt; some take it to be meant of the posteritie of Jathro, Judg. 4. 11.
Ashur] That is, the Assyrian shall carry the Kenites and other people captives as well as the Israelites; which came to passe when Salmanaser King of Assyria carried the ten Tribes away into his Countrey, in the dayes of Hoshea, 2 King. 17. 6. among whom the Kenites dwelt.
V. 23. who shall live when] The calamity shall be so great that a few shall survive it; or, who shall desire to live when such a desolation shall come upon so many?
V. 24. Chittim] Was the grand-child of Japhet; a people descended from him is here meant, viz. the posteritie of Chittim planted in Greece and Italy: for Alexander the Greeke Monarch, who is said to come out of the land of Chittim, 1 Mac. 1. 1. subdued the Assyrians and their successours the Medes and Persians; and the Romanes who are Italians often infested them, and finally overthrew them by the warres of Vespasian the Emperour, and Titus his sonne: whereof see Josephus of the warres of the Jewes, especially the seventh Booke.
Heber] The posteritie of Heber, that is, the Hebrews, against whom the Greeks warred, and for a time prevailed: see Joseph. Antiq. l. 11. cap. 8.
V. 24. he shall perish] Some expound it of the Jewes, some of the descendents or off-spring of Chittim, which is most like: for the Grecian Empire is overthrowne by the Romane, and the Romane which came from Chittim as the Grecian did, is much empaired by the Papacie, and that usurping state and power is in a great part ruined, and the ruine of it shall be further accomplished, 2 Thes. 2. 8.
V. 25. to his place] Homeward, but was killed in the way among the Midianites, Chap. 31. 8.