A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Numbers · Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII.
Verſ. 1. ANd the children of Iſrael ſet f…rward, and pitched in the plains of Moab, on this ſide Jordan, by Jericho.]
In the third chapter verſ. 48. it is ſaid that they d…parted from the mountains of Abarim, and pitched in the plains of Moab, by Jordan, near Jericho, and that is the laſt removall of the camp of Iſrael there mentioned. Now they came to the mountains of Abarim at their firſt paſſing over the river Arnon, as is noted before upon verſ. 13. And therefore it ſeems, that all thoſe things related from the 13. verſe of the former chapter to the end of the chapter, as concerning their going to Beer, verſ. 16. where a well ſprung up ſo miraculouſly, and concerning the conqueſts of Sihon and Og, were done, the camp and the tabernacle ſtill abiding at the mountains of Abarim; and then after that the camp of Iſrael ſet forward from thence, and pitched in the plains of Moab, ſo called, becauſe they had been ſometime Moabs, and did border upon the land of Moab, though they were afterwards the Amorites, and now the Iſraelites by conqueſt. Theſe plains reached unto Jordan right over againſt Jericho. And here the Iſraelites remained till after Moſes death they paſſed over Jordan into the land of Canaan: in which time many notable things fell out, even all recorded from this place to the end of Deuteronomy and in the beginning of Joſhua, till their entrance into Canaan.
Verſ. 3. And Moab was ſore afraid of the people, becauſe they were many, &c.]
The Moabites had no cauſe at all to be afraid of the Iſraelites, though they were many; for the Iſraelites had made known to them their reſolution not to meddle with them, and accordingly had peaceably paſſed by their countrey, yea they had, to their own trouble, fetched a great compaſſe about, purpoſely that they might not annoy them by paſſing through their land; and beſides, in deſtroying the Amorites they had done them a pleaſure, having thereby freed them from ill neighbours who had lately by the ſword taken away a great part of their countrey from them, chap. 21. 26. But yet, being ſtricken with terrours from God, all this could not qui…t their minds: They ſaw they were a numerous mighty people, and that they had now already vanquiſhed two great kings, and that they were ſtill upon the borders of their countrey, and hereupon they were ready to conclude, that as the Amorites had lately taken away part of their countrey, ſo this people, that had now deſtroyed the Amorites, would take away the reſt, and ſo were mightily perplexed and diſtreſſed. The Lord herein making good his promiſe to his people, Exod. 15. 15. The mighty men of Moab trembling ſhall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan ſhall melt away; and again Deut. 2. 25. This day will I begin to put the dread of thee, and the fear of thee upon the nations that are under the whole heaven, who ſhall hear report of thee, and ſhall tremble and be in anguiſh becauſe of thee.
Verſ. 4. And Moab ſaid unto the Elders of Midian, &c.]
That is, the Moabites being in this diſtreſſe, and conſidering that the onelyonly way to ſecure themſelves againſt the evil fea…ed was ſo ſtrengthen themſelves againſt the Iſraelites, and that hereby alſo they might happely regain what the Amorites had formerly taken from them, they ſent to the elders of Midian to deſire them to joyn with them againſt the Iſraelites, and that becauſe the Midianites were ſubject to the ſame king▪ or at leaſt were neighbours confederate wi…h them: and ſo it is evident they did, though they had no cauſe for it: for firſt, they were in a manner allyed to the Iſraelites, being the poſterity of Midian, who was the ſonne of Abraham by his wife Keturah, Gen. 25. 1, 2. and ſecondly, the Iſraelites had not meddled with them; and thirdly, the Iſraelites conqueſt of the Amorites was an advantage to the Midianites, who were by this means freed from Sihons tyrannous yoke: for that they were before in bondage to him appears, becauſe the five kings of Midian that combined with Moab, and periſhed for the ſame, chap. 31. 8. are called the Dukes of Sihon, Joſh. 13. 21. Some conceive that the Ammonites did alſo joyn with the Moabites and Midianites at this time, which they ground upon that place, Deut. 23. 3, 4. An Ammonite or a Moabite…ſhall not▪ enter into the congregation of the Lord; Becauſe they met you not with bread and with water, in the way when you came forth out of Egypt, a…d becauſe they hired againſt thee Balaam the ſonne of Beor, of Pethor, of Meſopotamia, to curſe thee. But that laſt clauſe happely is meant onelyonly of the Moabites; which indeed we may the rather think, becauſe there is not in this ſtory the leaſt mention of the Ammonites.
Now ſhall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the graſſe of the field.]
This is the argument whereby the Moabites ſought to perſwade the Midianites to joyn with them againſt the Iſraelites, namely, becauſe if they were let alone, they would doubtleſſe devour both them and all the neighbo…ring nations. It is all one as if they had ſaid, By what this people have already done in the two kingdomes of Sihon and Og, you may ſee that they do not content themſelves to ſubdue a people, and make them tributaries, but where they conquer they …tterly deſtroy all the inhabitants; and this therefore they will do to us, becauſe of their multitudes, if we joyn not our forces together, as eaſily as a company of oxen will lick up the graſſe of a field they are put into, leaving the ground bare where they go, ſo that it is high time for us to look about us, and to bandy our ſelves to fight with them. And indeed however their fear were cauſeleſſe now, becauſe the Lord had charged the Iſraelites not to meddle with the Moabites, as is before noted, yet in future times even this people of Moab were ſubdued by the Iſraelites, though not utterly deſtroy…d, to wit, in the dayes of David, 1. Chron. 18. 2.
Verſ. 5. He ſent meſſengers therefore unto Balaam the ſ…nne of Beor, &c.]
This Balaam was a Southſayer, famous for his inchantments and divinations in thoſe times, as is evident, Joſh 1…. 22. Balaam alſo the ſonne of Beor, the Southſar…r, and Numb. 24. 1. And when Balaam ſaw that it pleaſed the Lord to bleſſe Iſrael, he went not, as at other times▪ to ſeek for inchantm…nts; he is called a prop…et, 2. Pet. 2. 16. The dumb a…ſ… speaking with mans voice forbad the madneſſe of the prophet, not onelyonly becauſe he uſed by his divinations to foretell things to come, but alſo becauſe God did at preſent in the paſſage of this ſtory guide him to prophecy of things that were long after to come to paſſe; and we know the gift of prophecy is a common gift, which may be conferred upon a wicked man: and it is like Balack ſent to him, as to a prophet, that had from God this gift of divining, and that by his curſes and inchantments the Iſraelites might be weakened, and the more eaſily overcome. He is here deſcribed by his parentage, that he was the ſonne of Beor, who is alſo called Boſor, 2. Pet. 2. 15. Following the way of Balaam the ſonne of Boſor; ſecondly, by his countrey, whither Balak ſent to him, to wit, Pethor, which was a city in Meſopotamia or Aram, Deut 23. 4. Becauſe they hired againſt thee Balaam the ſonne of Beor, of Pethor of Meſopotamia, to curſe thee; in the Eaſt countrey, Numb. 23. 7. Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the Eaſt (and the Eaſtern land was infamous for divinations and ſuch like arts, Eſa. 2. 6. Therefore thou haſt forſaken thy people, the houſe of Jacob: becauſe they be repleniſhed from the Eaſt, and are ſouthſayers like the Philiſtines) and was ſeated nigh to the river of that land, which was Euphrates▪ for that was the great river of Meſopotamia.
Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt.]
That is, injuriouſly invading countreys they have no right; unto this he ſeeks to perſwade Balaam, by ſhewing him the juſtneſſe of his cauſe.
Behold, they cover the face of the earth, they abide over againſt me.]
That is, in a countrey bordering upon mine.
Verſ. 6. Come now therefore, I pray thee, curſe me this people, &c.]
This he ſpeaks, as ſuppoſing his preſence neceſſary for the accompliſhment of that great work for which he ſent to him: whence is that alſo. ver. 41. Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might ſee the utmoſt part of the people. Amongſt other grounds of this conceit, one might be, that beholding the Iſraelites, his ſpeech might have more vehemency of ſpirit and better effect, as he ſuppoſed; and indeed it is ſaid concerning Eliſha, when he curſed the children that mocked him, 2. Kings 2. 24. that he turned back and looked on them, and curſed them in the name of the Lord: how effectuall curſes duly pronounced by the Prophets of God were, we may ſee in that, 2. Kings 2. 24. And he turned back and looked on them, and curſed them in the name of the Lord: and there came forth two ſhe-bears out of the wood and tare fourtie and two children of them. Balak had the like conceit of this famous falſe prophet, and therefore deſires that he would curſe Iſrael, that is, that he would firſt by his inchantments procure them to be accurſed of God, and then pronounce this curſe againſt them.
Verſ. 8. Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again as the Lord ſhall ſpeak unto me.]
It is evident that Balaam was a ſorcerer, as is noted from Joſh. 13. 22. and he was likewiſe an idolater, for we ſee afterwards, chap. 23. 12. that he offered ſacrifices upon Baals high places; and how then doth he ſpeak here of the Lord Jehovah, as it is in the text, I will bring you word again as the Lord, or Jehovah, ſhall ſpeak unto me? I anſwer firſt, that it is moſt probable that ſome ſmall remainders of the knowledge of the true God were ſtill left amongſt theſe idolatrous nations, that were the poſterity of Abraham and Lot, yea and that they did make profeſſion of worſhipping the true God, though withall they worſhipped other falſe gods too: and ſo I conceive it was with Balaam, and therefore, verſ. 18. he calls God the Lord his God, and ſo though he were an idolater and a ſouthſayer, yet he might pretend himſelf to be a Prophet of the Lord Jehovah too: and ſecondly, this amongſt other things was a part of the magick skill of their ſouthſayers in former times, that when they were by inchantments to ſeek the ruine of any people, they uſed to deal with that God who was the defender of that people, whom they called their t…telary God: for this is clear in profane Writers, that when the Romanes intended to beſiege any city, their prieſts were wont firſt to call out that God under whoſe tutelage or protection that city was, and to promiſe him more ample place and honour among them: and thus ſome conceive that Balaam undertook to enquire of the Lord Jehovah, whom he knew to be the God of the Hebrews, to ſee whether he might be taken off from defending them. But the firſt, I conceive, is the trueſt anſwer. However, the reaſon why he deſired theſe men to ſtay all night was, becauſe in the night he uſed to have his revelations and to practiſe his inchantments.
Verſ. 9. And God came unto Balaam, &c.]
Not by the force of Balaams inchantments, but of his own will doth God here come unto Balaam, as of old he hath often for his peoples ſake revealed his will to wicked men, as to Pharaoh, Gen. 41. 25. and to Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 2. 45.
Verſ. 13. Get you into your land: for the Lord refuſeth to give me leave to go with you.]
Thus he ſpeaks like a mercenary prophet, loth to diſpleaſe, and deſiring the proffered gain: he onelyonly makes known one part of Gods ſpeech, that he was forbidden to go with them (thereby intimating that the fault was not in him, and that if God would yield him liberty to gratifie the King, he ſhould be glad of it) whereas had he truly added the other part of Gods ſpeech, thou ſhalt not curſe the people, for they are bleſſed, this might have cut off all occaſions of farther ſending.
Verſ. 15. Balaam refuſeth to come with us.]
Balaam told the Elders leſſe then God ſpake to him, and now they tell Balak leſſe then Balaam told them: it was onelyonly Balaam refuſeth to come, as if God had not forbidden him; and thus occaſion is given for further miſchief.
Verſ. 18. I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do leſſ… or more.]
My God, that is, the God with whom I have to do in this buſineſſe, or rather the God whom I ſerve: for hereby it ſeems very probable that Balaam the Syrian (& ſo happely the people amongſt whom he lived) had ſome knowledge of the true God, & pretended he worſhipped him, though withall he worſhipped otheridol-gods. And indeed that other nations had ſome knowledge of Jehovah is manifeſt in Jobs hiſtory.
Verſ. 19. Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye alſo here this night, &c.]
This deſire of Balaam, that theſe meſſengers would ſtay alſo one night, to ſee what God would yet ſay unto him, when God had already before peremptorily charged him that he ſhould not go to Balak, diſcovered plainly that he ſtill lingered after Balaams gifts and preferments, and was ſorry that he was reſtrained from curſing Iſrael; and accordingly therefore God gave him an anſwer, as it follows, in the next verſe▪ giving him liberty to go, but intending it ſhould be to the confuſion and ruine both of him and the King that had ſent for him.
Verſ. 20. If the men come to call thee, ariſe up and go with them, &c.]
As if the Lord had ſaid, they importune thee, and thou me, ſince thou wilt needs go, …o: as God ſometimes in wrath gives wicked men their deſires▪ ſo the Lord now bad Balaam go (Pſal. 81. 11, 12. My people would not hearken to my voice, and Iſrael would none of me; So I gave them up unto their ow… hearts lust, and they walked in their own counſels) withall alſo intending to gloryfie himſelf by forcing him to bleſſe the Iſraelites.
Verſ. 22. And Gods anger was kindled becauſe he went, &c.]
For the Lords bidding him go in ſuch a manner, verſ. 20. was not an approbation of his journey: beſides, he went no doubt with a purpoſe to curſe them, wherewith he muſt needs provoke God. See Deut. 23. 5. The Lord thy God would not h…arken unto Balaam, but the Lord thy God turned the curſe into a bleſſing unto thee.
Now he was riding upon his aſſe, and his two ſervants with him.]
The reſt of the company going before, his two ſervants attended upon him: and this, I conceive, is added, as an amplification of the following miracl…, that the aſſe ſaw the Angel, when neither Balaam nor his ſervants perceived any thing.
Verſ. 23. And the aſſe ſaw the Angel of the Lord ſtanding in the way, &c.]
The Angel no doubt appeared in a viſible ſhape, and the dull aſſes eyes were opened to ſee him, and his ſword drawn in his hand, a ſigne of Gods wrath againſt Balaam, and the vengeance that at laſt befell him: and thus this wizzard, who was accuſtomed to viſions and revelations, yet ſaw not now what the aſſe ſaw (God reſtraining his eyes and the eyes of thoſe that were with him, as we reade the like, Dan. 10. 7. I Daniel alone ſaw the viſion: for the men that were with me ſaw not th… viſion) and ſo was confounded in his wiſdome by a baſe and contemptible creature, according to that of the Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 1. 19. I will destroy the wiſdome of the wiſe, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
And the aſſe turned aſide out of the way, and went into the field.]
By this and the following paſſages the Lord by this dumb beaſt reproved the fooliſhneſſe or madneſſe of the Prophet, 2. Pet. 2. 16.
Verſ. 24. But the Angel of the Lord ſtood in a path of the vineyards, &c.]
Thus God proceeding by degrees makes the ſottiſhneſſe of the Prophet the more evident and inexcuſable.
Verſ. 28. And the Lord opened the mouth of the aſſe, &c.]
That is, by his almighty and ſupernaturall power God cauſed the dumb and unreaſonable beaſt to ſpeak underſtandingly: the devil, when he would tempt to ſinne, choſe the ſerpent for his inſtrument, the moſt ſubtle beaſt of the field; but God to rebuke the wizzard uſeth the aſſe, the moſt ſilly of all beaſts: Gods infinite power is beſt magnified by weak inſtruments, 1. Cor. 1. 27. But God hath choſen the fooliſh things of the world to confound the wiſe.
Verſ. 29. And Balaam ſaid unto the aſſe, Becauſe thou haſt mocked me, &c.]
The wroth and fury of Balaam, the blindneſſe, ſottiſhneſſe, and hardneſſe of heart, whereto he was given over of God, may be thought probably the cauſe that Balaam was not terrified with this mon…rous accident, but replies to the aſſe as to a reaſonable creature. But withall I conceive his being inured (as ſorcerers and witches are) to hear evil ſpirits ſpeak in ſ…ch bruit beaſts was a great reaſon that he was not aſtoniſhed with it, as other me… would have been, and as happely his ſervants were, though it be not here expreſſed.
Verſ. 32. Behold, I went out to withſtand thee becauſe thy way is perv…rſe before me.]
That is, in deſiring ſo earneſtly to go to Balak, notwithſtanding I did ſo abſolutely charge thee to the contrary, and in going now with a purpoſe of curſing my people, though I have told thee again and again that thou ſhouldſt not …urſe them.
Verſ. 34. And Balaam ſaid unto the angel of the Lord, I have ſinned, &c.]
That is, in ſmiting of the aſſe, as the following words ſeem to imply, I have ſinned; for I knew not that thou ſtoodest in the way against me. But his covetouſneſſe and deſire to earn the wages of unrighteouſneſſe by curſing Gods Iſrael he ſtill cheriſheth in his heart, as his faint proffering to turn back doth evidently ſhew. He could not but know that what he went about was evil and diſpleaſing to God, wherefore elſe did the Angel of God oppoſe him in the way with a drawn ſword? yet how faintly he ſpeaks? If it pleaſe thee, I will get me back again, that is, fain he would go, but if neceſſity conſtrain him he will turn back.
Verſ. 35. And the Angel of the Lord ſaid unto Balaam, Go with the m…n.]
That is, ſince nothing will reſtrain thee, go. See the note upon verſ. 20.
Verſ. 36. And when Balak heard tha… Balaam was come, he went out to me…t him.]
This going forth to welcome him and entertain him with honour, as likewiſe his feaſting of him, ver. 40. proceeded, firſt, from joy, becauſe he made full account now that he ſhould vanquiſh the Iſraelites; ſ…condly, from his reſpect of Balaam, as falſe prophets are ſtill reſpected of wicked rulers, becauſe they ſerve their luſts; thirdly, from a deſire hereby to engage Balaam to him that he might not refuſe to gratifie him in that about which he was ſent for.
Verſ. 38. And Balaam ſaid unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to ſay any thing, &c.]
This he ſayes to excuſe himſelf, and prevent the Kings diſpleaſure, if it ſhould fall out otherwiſe the… he d…ſired.
Verſ. 40. And Balak offered oxen and ſheep, and ſent to Balaam.]
For thus in thoſe times they uſed to feaſt with part of their ſacrifices.
Verſ. 41. And brought him up into the high pl…ces of Baal.]
As no doubt hoping in this place, conſecrated to the worſhip of Baal, they ſhould find their God the more propitious to them; as alſo becauſe the height of the place gave advantage for the ſeeing of the Iſraelites, being it ſeems a good way off from them in the plains of Moab, yet not ſo farre but that from this high mountain they might be diſcerned, yea for the ſeeing of them all, even to the utmoſt part of the people; whereby it appears that the ſight of them was judged neceſſary that his curſe might be the more powerfull and effectuall. See the note above upon verſ. 6.