A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Numbers · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
Verſ. 1. ANd Balaam ſaid unto Balak, Build me here ſeven altars, &c.]
In this they prepared to ſacrifice to Jehovah (though they were in Baals high places) that they might obtain leave of him to curſe his people; and therefore verſ. 3. Balaam goes to ſee what anſwer the Lord, that is, Jehovah, would upon theſe ſacrifices return him, & verſ. 4. when God met him, he told him what he h…d don…. Nor need this ſeem ſtrange: for thus idolaters, in hope to obtain their purpoſes, have been uſually drawn to communicate with all religions, true or falſe, and to make a ſinnefull mixture of them, 2. Kings 17. 28, 29. Then one of the pri…ſts, whom they had carri…d away from Samaria, came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they ſhould fear the Lord. Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houſes of the high places, which the Samaritans had made. Acts 17. 23. As I paſſed by and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inſcription, To the unknown God. As for the number of their altars and ſacrifices, idolaters and ſorcer…rs have ſtill attributed much to odde numbers, Numer…d…us impare ga…det, eſpecially to this number, ſeven; but yet I make no queſtion, but as the choice of theſe clean beaſts, bullocks and rammes, was a remainder of the worſhip of God, which even from their anceſtours, who were true worſhippers of the true God, was derived to them (viz. Lot, Abraham, &c.) and ſo ſtill continued amongſt theſe idolaters; ſo alſo the appointing of ſeven altars and twice ſeven ſacrifices might ſpring at firſt from ſome tradition received from their fathers, that God was much delighted with this number, which they might inferre from ſuch directions as was that of the Sabbath; and indeed we ſee this number was ſanctified of God for many myſteries, yea particularly in ſacrifices; Job 42. 8. Take unto you ſeven bullocks, and ſeven rammes, and go to my ſervant Job, and offer up for your ſ…lves a burnt-offering. 1. Chron. 15. 26. And it came to paſſe when God helped the Levites, that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that they offered ſeven bullocks and ſeven rammes. 2. Chron. 29. 21. And they brought ſeven bullocks and ſeven rammes and ſeven he-goats for a ſinne-offering; yet herein they became vain in their imaginations, Rom. 1. 21. for holy men uſed ſtill but one altar, Gen. 8. 20. And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and multiplying altars is a ſinne, Hoſ. 8. 11. Becauſe Ephraim hath made many altars to ſinne, altars ſhall be unto him to ſinne.
Verſ. 3. And Balaam ſaid unto Balak, Stand by the burnt-offering.]
This Balaam enjoyned Balak, not ſo much that th… birds ſhould not come at the ſacrifices, as that ſtanding ſo he might preſent himſelf before God, in hope and expectation that by the virtue of that ſacrifice God would accept of him, and perform his deſire againſt his enemies; and under this …appely was implyed alſo, that ſtanding ſo he ſhould pray for good ſucceſſe.
And I will go, &c.]
That is, into ſome ſolitary place in the top of that hill, there to ſeek for enchantments and ſignes of good luck, chap. 24. 1. (as ſorcerers are wont to chooſe ſolitary places, wherein to excerciſe their feats of divination and witchcraft) and to ſee if the Lord would appear to him, as knowing that God did uſually appear to men when they are alone.
Verſ. 4. And God met Balaam.]
Not by the force of his enchantments, but voluntarily, for the hardening of Balaam and the good of his people.
And he ſaid unto him, I have prepared ſeven altars, &c.]
He boaſts of his ſacrifices, that God might be pleaſed upon this ſervice done him to hearken to Balak.
Verſ. 5. And the Lord put a word in Balaams mouth, &c.]
That is, he appointed him what he ſhould ſay: not regarding his ſacrifices, the Lord forced him to bleſſe the Iſraelites, and yet all this while his heart was the ſame that it was before, he could not ſay as David did, Pſal. 116. 10. I believed, therefore have I spoken: he did not eat Gods words, as Jeremy did, Jer. 15. 16. Thy words were found and I did eat them, and thy word was unto me th… joy and rejoycing of mine heart; onelyonly there was a word put into his mouth.
Verſ. 7. And he took up his parable, &c.]
By a parable is uſually meant a grave ſpeech, containing excellent matter of doctrine and inſtruction, Job 27. 1. eſpecially when it is delivered in a high ſtrain of language, figurative expreſſions, and a certain ſplendour of words more then uſuall, which though they carry a kind of majeſtie in them, and make the hearers the more attentive, even as to the oracles of God, yet they are withall dark and obſcure, Ezek. 20. 49. Then ſaid I, Ah Lord God, they ſay of me, Doth he not ſpeak parables? John 16. 25. Theſe things have I spoken unto you in prov…rbs, or, Parables, &c.
Balak th… king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, &c.]
To wit, Aram Naharaiim, which was Meſopotamia, Deut. 23. 4. They hired againſt thee Balaam the ſonne of Beor, of Pethor of M…ſopotamia: and thus God by Balaams own mouth taxeth Balak for ſending twice ſo farre off for him, who now muſt bleſſe in ſtead of curſing.
Verſ. 8. How ſhall I curſe when God hath not curſed, &c.]
That is, I cannot curſe: for when God reſtrains not men, they may curſ… whom God hath not curſed.
Verſ. 9. For from the top of the rock… I ſee him, and from the hils I behold him.]
Which is all one as if he had ſaid, And indeed the very ſight of them is full of majeſty and terrour, as of a people bleſſed of God: for though I be farre off from them, which might make them ſeem little in mine eyes, yet the ſpirit of God hath lifted me up, that even hence I behold them, and oh how full of terrour and majeſty is the ſight of them! ſuch as makes it evident that God hath bleſſed them, and that it is in vain for man to think of curſing them.
Lo, the people ſhall dwell alone, and ſhall not be reckoned among the nations.]
This I conceive is a prediction, firſt, that God would caſt out the inhabitants of Can…an, and plant them in their ſtead, and ſo they ſhould dwell alone, and have the land to themſelves, not living now, as formerly in Egypt, as ſojourners and mixt with other nations, but as a nation and people of themſelves, living in a land of their own, under the government of their own laws and Princes; and ſecondly, that they ſhould live in plenty and ſafety, having neither need nor fear of other people: for ſo dwelling alone implyeth a ſecurity from evil, as in Jer. 49. 31. Ariſe, get you up unto the wealthy nation, that dwelleth without care, ſaith the Lord, which have ne…ther gates nor barres, which dwell alone; and thirdly, that no nation ſhould be worthy to be compared with them, and that chiefly becauſe they ſhould be Gods peculiar people, Exod. 19. 5. and ſeparated from other people, Levit. 20. 24. I am the Lord your God which have ſeparated you from other nations.
Verſ. 10. Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Iſrael?]
That is, it is not poſſible to count the number of this people, who are …s the duſt that covers the face of the earth, no not of one fourth part of them. Indeed this is meant principally of the uncountable number of Gods Iſra…l he…eaf…er, that ſpirituall ſeed of Abraham and Iſrael, that was to be gathered throughout the world by the preaching of the Goſpel, of whom that promiſe made to Abraham, whereto this prophecy ſeems to have reference, was chiefly intended, Gen. 13. 16. I will make thy ſeed as the duſt of the earth, ſo that if any man can number the dust of the earth, then ſhall thy ſeed alſo be numbred. But yet it is ſpoken too of the wonderfull number of this people at preſent: for in that expreſſion, and the number of the fourth part of Iſrael, there ſeems to be a manifeſt alluſion to the number of the Iſraelites pitching their tents, who lay about the tabernacle in foure camps or ſquadrons.
Let me die the death of the righteous, &c.]
Thus he prophecyeth their happineſſe alſo in the world to come.
Verſ. 13. And Balak ſaid unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, &c.]
The reaſon why Balak deſired Balaam to remove to another place was, firſt, becauſe he conceited that another place might prove more lucky and ſucceſſefull then the firſt had done, where they had offered their ſacrifices: for idolat…rs were alwayes wont to aſcribe much to the luckineſſe of times and places, and we ſee that therefore when he could not prevail there neither, for the curſing of the Iſraelites, he removed yet to a third place, verſ. 27. and ſecondly, becauſe he hoped to place him more conveniently in regard of his ſeeing the Iſraelites, as it is evident in the following words, thou ſhalt ſee but the utmost part of them, and ſhalt not ſe… them all: for either Balak ſuſpected, that when before he ſaw all the army of Iſrael, there might be ſome amongſt them that might not be curſed, and therefore now reſolved to carry him where he ſhould onelyonly ſee a part of them; or elſe he might think that the ſight of their multitudes might ſo diſmay and damp his ſpirit that he was not able to curſe them, which happely thoſe former words of Balaam, verſ. 10. did occaſion him to think, Who can count the duſt of Jacob, &c. and therefore, whereas before he was carefull to place him where he might ſee them all, even to the utmoſt part of the people, chap. 22. 41. now he carried him where he might ſee them, as ſtill judging that neceſſary for the work in hand, but yet where he might ſee but the utmoſt part onelyonly and not ſee them all.
Verſ. 14. And he brought him into the fi…ld of Zophim.]
That is, the field of the ſpies or ſcoutwatches, a place it ſeems ſo called, becauſe there they kept the watch of the countrey.
And built ſeven altars, &c.]
So proſecuting their wickedneſſe ſtill under colour of religion. See the note upon verſ. 1.
Verſ. 15. Stand here by thy burnt-offering, &c
See the note upon verſ. 3.
Verſ. 16. And the Lord met Balaam and put a word in his mouth.]
See the note upon verſ. 4.
Verſ. 18. Riſe up, Balak, and hear, &c.]
Hearken with reverence to the meſſage brought thee from God, as Judg. 3. 20. when Ehud told Eg…on that he brought him a meſſage from God, it is ſaid that he aroſe out of his ſeat.
Verſ. 21. He hath not beheld iniqurry in Jacob, neither hath he ſeen perverſeneſſe in Iſrael.]
This is added as a reaſon why there was no hope that God ſhould be brought to give way that the Iſraelites ſhould be curſed, to wit, becauſe the Lord imputeth not iniquity to them, but covereth and pardoneth their ſinnes, ſo that they are ſtill lovely and amiable in his ſight.
The Lord his God is with him, and the ſhout of a King is among them.]
That is, God reigneth as a king amongſt them. Hereby alſo I conceive is meant the faith, joy, boldneſſe and confidence of Gods people in him their king and governour, as when a king comes amongſt the armies of his people, he is received with joyfull ſhoutings and acclamations, and when he goes forth to battel with them, he goes accompanied with the ſound of trumpets and ſhouts of the people, fignes of their joy and courage; ſo it fared with the Iſraelites, becauſe of Gods preſence amongſt them to protect and defend them, 1. Sam. 4. 5. And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Iſrael ſhouted with a great ſhout, ſo that the earth rang again. 2. Chron. 13. 12. And b…hold, God himſelf is with us for our Captain, and his priests with ſounding trumpets to cry alarm against you, O children of Iſrael; and indeed the expreſſion here uſed may alſo have reference to their ſilver trumpets, chap. 10. 9.
Verſ. 22. God brought them out of Egypt.]
He tells Balak this in anſwer to that complaint of his, chap. 22. 5. Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt, to wit, that they came not out of Egypt themſelves, but God brought them up; and withall implyes from that former deliverance both Gods conſtant purpoſe of doing good to them, and how unable their ſtrongeſt enemies ſhould be to reſiſt them.
He hath as it were the ſtrength of an unicorn.]
That is, his ſtrength is unreſiſtable, as is that of the unicorn, Job 39. 9, 10, 12. Beſides, it may have reference to that ſpeciall virtue in the uni…orns horn againſt poyſon, becauſe even ſo the virtue of Gods grace in Iſrael was a preſervation againſt all enchantments and divinations, verſ. 23. Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination againſt Iſrael.
Verſ. 23. According to this time it ſhall be ſaid of Jacob, &c.]
That is, from this time forward.
Verſ. 24. B…hold, the people ſhall riſe up as a great lyon, &c.]
This muſt be underſtood of their vanquiſhing both temporall and ſpirituall enemies. See the note upon Gen. 49. 9.
Verſ. 28. And Balak brought Balaam to the top of Peor, &c.]
One of the high places of Baal the god of Moab, called Baal-Peor, chap. 25. 3. where he had a place called Beth-Peor, Deut. 3. 29.