Commentary on Numbers, Book · Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIV.
Chapter XXIV Ver. 1. AND when Balaam ſaw that it pleaſed the Verſe 1 LORD to bleſs Iſrael.] Of which he had given him a double proof, XXII. 5, &c. 16, &c.
He went not out, as at other times.] See XXIII. 3, 15.
To ſeek for Enchantments.] This implies that he had hitherto, in the proceſs of this buſineſs, uſed ſome wicked Arts to effect his ends, or deſired to be directed to them. But being not able to obtain any thing, but Commands croſs to all his Deſigns, he gave himſelf up wholly to the conduct of God's Holy Spirit, and did not ſo much as offer to ſeek for Enchantments. In the Hebrew the words are, to meet with Enchantments; unto which he hoped to be directed, that he might be able to Curſe Iſrael. For though he addreſſed himſelf to the true God, (whom he calls the LORD, XXIII. 26.) yet it was in a Superſtitious way; with ſuch Rites and Ceremonies of Worſhip, as were not of God's appointment: but either deviſed by evil Spirits, or very grateful to them; whereby he hoped to be ſhown by what means he might diſable Iſrael, and deliver them into the hand of Balak. For the ancient Magick derived from Zoroaſter, was nothing elſe, as Plato pretends (in Alcibiade I.) but the Knowledge of Divine Things, and the right way of worſhipping God: And Apuleius ſaith the ſame of it, that it was Diis immortalibus accepta, colendi eos ac venerandi pergnara, &c. a Science acceptable to the Immortal Gods, very skilful how to worſhip and honour them; being pious, and knowing in Divine Things. Which ſufficiently bewrays this Divine Knowledge (as they called it) to be impious; for Zoroaſter inſtructed his Diſciples in the Worſhip of the Fire, as an Emblem, at the beſt, of the Sun; which they lookt upon as a viſible Image of this inviſible God, and upon that account worſhipped it. And after his time, it is manifeſt, this heavenly knowledge, as they eſteemed it, degenerated into more uncouth Rites, and wicked Arts, whereby they pretended to be able to make the Gods do what they pleaſed. Pliny mentions an Herb, Lib. XXIV. cap. 17. which he ſaith Magicians uſed, quùm Deos velint evocare, when they would call out the Gods, and draw them to their purpoſe. In which power they ſo gloried, that the Witch in Apuleius threatned the God's themſelves with the greateſt Miſchief; and boaſted ſhe could deprive the Stars of their Light; and by her Charms controul, not only the Moon, but the Sun himſelf, and the Gods of all ſorts. And as for Mankind, nothing is more known than thoſe Magical words, devovere, defigere, obligare; which are proper to that Black Art, as Salmaſius obſerves (upon Solinus p. 1091.) which by Incantations, Deprecations, direful Execrations, Herbs, Faſcinations, ſo confounded the Mind of him who was thus devoted, (as they term it) that he could remember nothing of what he was about, nor diſcharge any Function of Nature. The ſeveral Species of it are mentioned by Maimonides, who ſaith the Zabij pretended to exerciſe this power, not only over particular Perſons, but over whole Provinces, by certain Words, and Actions, and Things, which no Body can underſtand to have any Vertue in them, More Nevochim, P. III. cap. 37.
But he ſet his face toward the Wilderneſs.] He ſtirred not from the place where the Sacrifice was offered, as he had been wont to do, but only lookt toward the Wilderneſs, where the Iſraelites lay encamped, XXII. 1.
Ver. 2. And Balaam lift up his eyes.] To look Verſe 2 round about him.
And he ſaw Iſrael abiding in his Tents, &c.] In the order God had appointed in the ſecond Chapter of this Book, v. 52. where he commands them to pitch their Tents, every Man by his own Camp, and by his own Standard, throughout their Hoſts.
And the Spirit of God came upon him.] From whence Maimonides concludes, he was a Prophet of the ſecond rank, who ſpake by the Holy Ghost, More Nevoch. P. II. cap. 45.
Ver. 3. And he took up his Parable, and ſaid.] He Verſe 3 pronounced what follows with a loud voice, that all might hear. For ſo the Hebrew words may be interpreted, he lifted up his Parable. See XXIII. 7.
Balaam the Son of Beor hath ſaid.] Though the Spirit of God came upon him, which ſuggeſted the words mentioned v. 5, 6, 7, &c. yet it did not alter the Temper and Diſpoſition of his Mind; which was no leſs vain and ambitious, than it was covetous and, poſſeſſed with an hatred of the Iſraelites; as appears by the counſel which he gave at laſt, how to ruine them: This Vanity ſeems to be expreſſed in theſe, and in the following words, wherein he magnifies himſelf more than the Spirit of God.
And the Man whoſe eyes were open hath ſaid.] Who when he was awake, received Revelations from God, which was an extraordinary favour; for commonly he appeared to Men in a Dream. Others tranſlate it, whoſe Eyes were ſhut, i. e. who was in a Trance or Ecſtaſie, ſo that he ſaw nothing with his bodily Eyes, but only with his Mind. The Hieruſalem Targum thus paraphraſes theſe words, (which ſhows he lookt upon them as a boaſting of himſelf) The Man ſaid, who was honoured above his Brethren; to whom that was revealed, which was hidden from all the Prophets.
Verſe 4 Ver. 4. He hath ſaid, who heard the words of God.] Mark what he ſaith, who delivers the words which he received from God.
Which ſaw the Viſion of the Almighty.] With whom he was ſo familiar, that he himſelf, at laſt, appeared to him in a Viſion, XXIII. 16. as, at firſt, he appeared to him by an Angel, XXII. 35.
Falling into a Trance.] There being in the Hebrew only the word Nophel, which ſignifies falling, we ſupply the ſence by adding into a Trance; leſt any one ſhould think he fell to the ground, or fell aſleep; which ſeems not to be the meaning; but that he was in a rapture, perceiving nothing by his outward Senſes. Yet the forementioned Targum takes it as if he had faln ſlat upon his face; and the LXX. tranſlate it, He ſaw the viſion of God in ſleep: according to that XV Gen. 12. A deep ſleep fell upon Abraham; where the word Naphela is thought by ſome to give a good Explication of Nophel in this place.
But having his Eyes open.] His Mind being then poſſeſſed with a clear apprehenſion of things, which God revealed to him, when his Senſes were all lockt up, and could diſcern nothing.
Ver. 5. How goodly are thy Tents, O Jacob, and thy Tabernacles, O Iſrael.] The ſame thing expreſſed in different words: which was an uſual Elegancy in thoſe Countries. Wherein he declares his admiration Verſe 5 of the beautiful Order, in which he ſaw them pitched in the Plains of Moab.
Ver. 6. As the Valleys are they ſpread forth.] This Verſe 6 refers either to their Tabernacles, which extended themſelves on each ſide of a wide ſpace, which, like a Valley, lay between; or rather, to the Iſraelites themſelves, whom he compares to thoſe fruitful Valleys which abound with Water: For the Hebrew word ſignifies either Valleys or Brooks.
As Gardens by the River ſide.] Which were far more green and flouriſhing, cool and pleaſant, than thoſe that lay in dry places.
As the Trees of Lign-Aloes.] Growing in thoſe Gardens, or by the River ſide; which perfumed the Air by their ſweet Odors. For there are two ſorts of Aloes obſerved by the Ancients: the one a Tree which was very odoriferous, called foreign, and foreign, growing in India and Arabia; and the other a Plant or Herb, out of which was preſſed a purging Juice. The former is often joyned with Myrrh in the Holy Scripture, and was burnt as a Perfume, and called by the Ancients foreign, (as Salmaſius obſerves in his Exerc. Plin. upon Solinus, p. 1053, 1054. &c.) which is the Lign or Wood-aloes here ſpoken of. And Plutarch in his Sympoſiacs, Lib. VI. cap. 7. ſaith, ſome were wont to colour their Wine, foreign, either with Aloes, or with Cinamoms, (which is meant of this Wood-Aloes) which gave the Wine a pleaſant taſte.
Which the LORD hath planted.] Which grew naturally of themſelves (Solo Dei Natu, as Bochartus gloſſes) without any Labour, Care, or Art of Man uſed about them.
And as Cedar-trees beſide the Waters.] The Cedar was one of the moſt goodly Trees in thoſe Countries, upon many accounts; particularly for its fragrancy; the Greeks being wont to burn the Wood of it upon their Altars, as the ſame Salmaſius there obſerves, p. 951, 952. By all theſe Metaphors, Balaam ſets forth the preſent and future Proſperity of the Iſraelites, and their fame, which ſpread it ſelf into all Nations round about; and ſeems to be repreſented by the ſweet Odors here mentioned.
Verſe 7 Ver. 7. He ſhall pour the Water out of his Buckets.] I take this to be meant of God's pouring down Rain abundantly, out of the Clouds, upon the Valleys, Gardens, and Trees, unto which the Iſraelites are compared: ſignifying that they ſhould be exceedingly bleſſed by him; for they ſtood in need of nothing more than Rain in thoſe Countries.
And his Seed ſhall be in many Waters.] Or, by many Waters: i. e. be ſown in a Ground well watered, and conſequently bring forth a plentiful Crop, XXXII Iſa. 20. There are thoſe who refer both theſe to their numerous Poſterity; Procreation of Children being ſometimes expreſſed in Scripture by the Metaphors of Waters, and Fountains, and Ciſterns, as every one knows. And both the LXX. and Onkelos interpret this of one particular Perſon that ſhould ariſe of their Seed. For thus the former of them renders this part of the verſe; There ſhall come a Man out of his Seed, who ſhall rule over many Nations. And the latter of them paraphraſes in this manner; There ſhall be a great King, who ſhall be anointed of his Children, and ſhall have Dominion over many People: which the Hieruſalem Targum ſaith expreſly is Chriſt. For thus this verſe begins in that Paraphraſe; A King ſhall ariſe out of his Sons, and their Redeemer from among them, &c. and thus concludes it, and the Kingdom of the King Meſſias ſhall be magnificently exalted.
And his King ſhall be higher than Agag.] This ſeems to have been the Name of all the Kings of the Amalekites, (for we read of one called Agag long after this time, 1 Sam. XV. 8, 9.) as Abimelech was the Name of the Philiſtine Kings, and Pharaoh of the Egyptian. And at this time, no Nation thereabouts was in greater Reputation than the Amalekites, (v. 20.) who thought themſelves able to obſtruct the Iſraelites paſſage into Canaan; and gave a very early proof of the high opinion of their own Power and Proweſs, by attacking the Iſraelites as ſoon as they came out of Egypt. Balaam therefore foretels the King of Iſrael ſhould be the greateſt of all other, (for he was acquainted with none higher than Agag) which ſome think hath a peculiar reſpect to their firſt King Saul, who ſubdued the Amalekites, and took Agag captive. But his Succeſſor was far greater than he; and the Jews themſelves think this hath its full completion in the LORD Chriſt.
And his Kingdom ſhall be exalted.] They ſhall increaſe and multiply, till their Kingdom be greatly enlarged; as it was in the days of David and Solomon: who were but Shadows of the great King MESSIAH.
Ver. 8. God brought him out of Egypt, he hath as it Verſe 8 were the ſtrength of an Ʋnicorn.] All the power of Egypt could not detain them in ſlavery; but they came out from thence with a ſtrong and high hand, (XIII Exod. 9. XIV. 8.) and are grown a mighty People. See the foregoing Chapter, v. 22. where this hath been explained.
He ſhall eat up the Nations, his Enemies.] Utterly deſtroy the ſeven Nations of Canaan.
And ſhall break their bones.] So that they ſhall never recover their Strength.
And pierce them through with his Arrows.] Having given them their deadly wound. Or, as ſome tranſlate the Hebrew words, break their Arrows in pieces; i. e. quite diſarm them.
Verſe 9 Ver. 9. He couched, he lay down.] He propheſies that the Iſraelites, having conquered the Canaanites, ſhould ſettle in their Land, and take their reſt, and live ſecurely. Which he ſpeaks of with ſuch confidence, as if it were already done.
As a Lion, and as a great Lion.] See XXIII. 24. the ſignification of Ari and Labi.
Who ſhall ſtir him up?] Give them any diſturbance. It is obſerved of Lions, that they do not betake themſelves to remote or ſecret places, when they go to ſleep; but lye down any where, (as Oppianus deſcribes them, Lib. III.) as if they underſtood, that let them ſleep where they pleaſed, no Body durſt meddle with them. See Bochartus in his Hierozoicon, P. I. Lib. III. cap. 2. And therefore being applied to the Iſraelites, ſignifies ſuch an abſolute and ſecure poſſeſſion of the Land of Canaan, that none ſhould have the boldneſs to aſſault, or give them any diſquiet. Which came to paſs chiefly in the days of David and Solomon.
Bleſſed be he that bleſſeth thee, and curſed is he that curſeth thee.] Theſe are the very words wherewith Iſaac concluded his bleſſing of his Son Jocob, XXVII Gen. 29. Which God now confirmed from the Mouth of one of their Enemies, who ſpake, at this time, by his Spirit.
Ver. 10. And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam.] Verſe 10 He could no longer forbear to expreſs his Indignation, to be thus treated by Balaam, (whom he had ſent for a great way, and entertained for ſome time) and therefore ſtopt him from proceeding, for the preſent, any further in his Prophecy.
And ſmote his hands together.] A token of vehement Anger, XXI Ezek. 17.
And Balak ſaid unto Balaam.] It is likely he was ſo full of Wrath, that he could not ſpeak preſently, but expreſſed it only in his Looks and Actions.
I called thee to curſe mine Enemies, and thou hast altogether bleſſed them.] Thou haſt not ſaid one word to my purpoſe, but all quite contrary.
Theſe three times.] Though I have been at great expence, and built Altars, and offered many Sacrifices, in three ſeveral places. But at what diſtance of time, one from another, doth not appear.
Ver. 11. Therefore now flee thou unto thy place.] Get Verſe 11 thee home immediately, and ſtay not a Moment longer here: For that is imported in the word flee, which indicates that he could not indure the ſight of him, while he remained thus angry. And as he baniſhed him his Preſence, ſo he commanded him to make all poſſible haſte out of his Country.
I thought to promote thee to great honour.] And to beſtow as much Wealth upon him, as he deſired: which is included in the word honour, XXII. 17.
But lo the LORD.] Whom thou pretendeſt to obey.
Hath kept thee back from honour.] By not permitting thee to comply with my deſire. It is uncertain whether theſe words were ſpoken in anger and ſcorn, or ſeriouſly and in good earneſt; believing he was hindred by the LORD's will and pleaſure from curſing Iſrael. Which he had more reaſon to believe, than he had to hope he might obtain liberty to curſe them, (XXIII. 27.) and therefore was, without all reaſon, in this Paſſion againſt Balaam.
Verſe 12 Ver. 12. And Balaam ſpake unto Balak.] Prayed Balak to hear him patiently, a few words, before he departed.
Spake I not alſo to thy Meſſengers, which thou ſentest unto me, ſaying.] Did I not before I ſaw thee, tell thoſe that came to invite me to thee, the very ſame which I told thee afterwards.
Verſe 13 Ver. 13. If Balak would give me his Houſe full of Gold and Silver, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do more or leſs.] So he told his Meſſengers, XXII. 18.
Of my Mind.] According as I pleaſe.
But what the LORD ſaith, that will I ſpeak.] So he told Balak himſelf, XXII. 38. All which he recalls to his Mind, to ſhow him that there was no Cauſe for his Anger, he having performed as much as he undertook; which was to follow God's directions, as he had done ſtrictly. And it is likely, that by this juſt Repreſentation of what had paſſed between them, he brought Balak to a cooler temper, ſo that he ſuffered him to go on, to deliver what follows.
Verſe 14 Ver. 14. And now, behold, I go to my People.] And now I will obey thee, as well as God, and be gone to my own Country.
Come therefore, and I will advertiſe thee, &c.] But before I go, permit me to give thee ſome Advice. So the Hebrew word Jaatz conſtantly ſignifies, to give Counſel. And ſo the Vulgar here tranſlates it; but took it for the wicked Advice, which we read, in the next Chapter, was executed after Balaam's departure, and of which he was certainly the Author, XXXI. 16. and therefore thus tranſlates the next words, What thy People ſhall do unto this People. But the Hebrew Text and the LXX. are directly contrary unto this; being, as we tranſlate the words, What this People ſhall do to thy People. Therefore Onkelos, to take in the foregoing ſence, without altering the latter part of the verſe, puts in one word, and makes the whole run thus, I will give thee counſel what to do, and (will ſhow thee) what this People ſhall do to thy People in the latter days. And the Hieruſalem Targum more largely and plainly, I wll adviſe thee what thou ſhalt do to this People; make them to ſin. Otherwiſe thou ſhalt not have dominion over them, but this People ſhall domineer over thy People in the latter end of days.
In the latter days.] In future Ages. This ſhows the foregoing words do not ſpeak of what Moab ſhould do to Iſrael by his Advice; for that was done as ſoon as he was gone.
Ver. 15. And he took up his Parable and ſaid, Balaam Verſe 15 the Son of Beor hath ſaid, &c.] This was the Preface to his foregoing Prophecy. See v. 3.
Ver. 16. He hath ſaid, who heard the words of God, Verſe 16 &c.] This verſe alſo is the ſame with the fourth, only a few words added, And knew the knowledge of the most High. Which he adds, to ſhow his intimate acquaintance with the Supreme LORD of the World. For he ſpeaks of God in the very ſame ſtile, which Moſes doth, calling him both El, and Schaddai, and Eljon, and Jehovah. Which demonſtrates that he was not a Stranger to the true God; though corrupted with bad Affections, and addicted alſo to foul Superſtitions.
Verſe 17 Ver. 17. I ſhall ſee him.] Or, I do ſee him, (for the Future Tenſe is often uſed for the Preſent) that is, he ſaw the Perſon of whom he was going to ſpeak, repreſented to him in a Viſion.
But not now.] He ſaw him not as in being, now at preſent; but to come in future times.
I ſhall behold him, but not nigh.] The ſame thing in other words; but more plainly telling them, they muſt not expect this Perſon in their time, nor in the next Generation, but in remoter Ages.
There ſhall come a Star out of Jacob.] A Star denotes a great Perſon: and being underſtood to be ſpoken of Christ, it denotes his Caeleſtial Original. And both Onkelos and Jonathan, and the Hieruſalem Targum, take the Meſſiah to be here meant, and ſo doth R. Moſes Haddarſan, and Bereſchith Rabbath; and a great many Chriſtian Interpreters (as Huetius obſerves in his Demonſtr. Evang. Propoſ. VII. ſect. 9.) particularly Euſebius and Cyril of Alexandria: Who, in his VIIIth Book againſt Julian, confutes his Expoſition of theſe words, which is this; foreign. That this belongs to David, and to his Succeſſors, is ſufficiently manifeſt. To which St. Cyril replies, That if Balaam had ſpoken of David, and the Kings of Iſrael, he would have ſaid, There ſhall ariſe Stars out of Jacob, &c. whereas he ſpeaks of one alone, foreign, as very illuſtrious among the Stars, which, it is evident, can be none but Chriſt. Unto which I ſhall add the words of a later Writer of the Jewiſh Nation, R. Iſaac in his Illumin. Fidei, ſet forth not long ago by the learned Wagenſeil: Where he argues this cannot be underſtood of David, or any other King of Iſrael, becauſe none of them ever reigned over all the Earth, (i. e. over all the Children of Seth, whom none of them deſtroyed) but it is meant, he concludes, of the MESSIAH; who is compared to a Star, becauſe of the perennity of his Kingdom, and the ſplendor of his Dominion, and his great Acts throughout the World, p. 72, and 80. Where he makes this a Prophecy of one Kingdom alone to be in the World, viz. that of the Iſraelites, who are called the People of the Saints of the most High, VII Dan. 27. Which is true enough, if he had underſtood the right meaning of Iſraelites; who are thoſe, not after the Fleſh, but after the Spirit.
It is not fit to conclude this without one Obſervation more, that ſo long ago as the time of the Emperour Adrian, this was underſtood by the generality of the Jews, to be a Prophecy of the Meſſiah. For they followed one whoſe Name was Chocab (i. e. a Star) to whom the famous R. Akiba (a Doctor, who, they ſay, had Four and twenty thouſand Scholars) applied theſe words of Balaam, and calling him Barchoceb, i. e. the Son of a Star, anointed him their King, and carried a Sword before him, crying, Behold the very King Meſſiah. This is reported by the Jews themſelves in Tzenach David, and ſeveral other Books. All which, I think, doth not hinder, but that King David may be hereby ſignified in the firſt ſence; though as a Type of the MESSIAH, the great Son of David, in whom it was compleated.
And a Scepter ſhall riſe out of Iſrael.] This ſome think may firſt have a reſpect to David, and then to the MESSIAH, the King of Iſrael. But the Chaldee paraphraſt refers the whole to Christ, whoſe words are theſe, A King ſhall ariſe out of the Houſe of Jacob, and the Meſſiah ſhall be anointed of the Houſe of Iſrael. Nor is it any wonder that Balaam ſhould propheſie of him, ſo many years before he was born, and ſo plainly, that Moſes himſelf doth not ſpeak in plainer terms: but it is to be lookt upon as the effect of God's infinite Goodneſs, who would not have thoſe, that were not of the Seed of Abraham, to be wholly ignorant of what he intended to do for all Mankind. And this was neceſſary to be plainly told them, becauſe otherwiſe they would not have underſtood it.
And ſhall ſmite the Corners of Moab.] The latter part of this Prophecy, Huetius thinks, belongs to David, as the former part to Christ. Which was the opinion of Maimonides, who divided the Prophecy between them. And this was indeed literally fulfilled in David, who ſubdued the Moabites intirely, as we read 2 Sam. VIII. 8. LX Pſal. 8. CVIII. 9. Some tranſlate theſe words, He ſhall ſmite through the Princes of Moab. So the LXX. foreign: which doth not alter the ſence. And it is no unuſual thing with the Prophets, when they intend to ſpeak of ſomething nearer to them, to be tranſported by the Spirit of God, to ſpeak of things a great deal more remote. As Balaam here foretelling a great Ruler ſhould come out of Jacob, firſt ſpeaks of the greateſt of all, above Fourteen hundred years after his time; and then of David, who reigned about Four hundred years after this.
And deſtroy all the Children of Sheth.] They who interpret this of David, take Sheth to have been ſome great Perſon in that Country, or ſome Place of great note, the Inhabitants of which are here threatned to be deſtroyed. But theſe are mere conjectures, which have no foundation in Hiſtory: whereas, if we underſtand it of Christ, and tranſlate the firſt word, not he ſhall deſtroy, but (as Caſtalio and others do) he ſhall rule over, the ſence is very remarkable. It being a Prophecy, that in the times of the MESSIAH, there ſhall be no longer ſuch a diſtinction, as God now made between the Iſraelites and other Nations, (by the peculiar Laws he gave them at their entrance into Canaan) but all Mankind, who are equally deſcended from Seth, ſhall be united under his Government. And thus not only Lyranus and Abulenſis and others interpret it, but Onkelos alſo, whoſe words are, He ſhall have dominion over all the Sons of Men. For he thought it reaſonable by the Children of Seth to underſtand all Mankind, who were propagated from him, who ſucceeded in the place of Abel that was killed; all the Seed of Cain periſhing in the Flood.
Ver. 18. And Edom ſhall be a poſſeſſion.] So it was Verſe 18 in the days of David, 2 Sam VIII. 14.
And Seir ſhall be a poſſeſſion.] This was a famous Mount in the Country of Edom, XXXVI Gen. 8. and being the ſtrongeſt part of the Country, may ſignifie here, that no place ſhould be able to hold out, though never ſo ſtrongly fortified by Nature or Art. And ſo we read they all became David's Servants, 2 Sam. VIII. 14. 1 Chron. XVIII. 13.
For his Enemies.] i. e. For the Iſraelites.
And Iſrael ſhall do valiantly.] For they ſubdued in thoſe days many other Countries; as we read in the forenamed Chapters, 2 Sam. VIII. I Chron. XVIII.
Verſe 19 Ver. 19. Out of Jacob ſhall come he that ſhall have dominion.] This may relate to Christ, as well as to David, in whom it was literally fulfilled. And ſo Baal-Hatturim obſerves, that v. 16. it is ſaid of Balaam, that he knew the Mind of the most High, for he propheſied of the Meſſiah, when he ſaid, Out of Jacob ſhall one come that ſhall have dominion. The word jerd, as the Maſora notes, is uſed only here, and in LXXII Pſal. 8. where the Pſalmist deſcribes the Univerſal Kingdom of Chriſt in theſe words, He ſhall have dominion from Sea to Sea, and from the Rivers unto the end of the Earth.
And ſhall deſtroy him that remains in the City.] Not only rout them in the Field, but take their defenced Cities. And, it is likely, he particularly aims at ſome great City, and beſt fortified, which was the Metropolis, and the ſtrongeſt hold in the Kingdom. Such a one there was in Edom, as the Pſalmist ſuggeſts, LX. 9.
Verſe 20 Ver. 20. And when he looked on Amalek.] On the Country which the Amalekites inhabited.
He took up his Parable and ſaid.] See v. 3.
Amalek was the first of the Nations.] The moſt eminent among the neighbouring Nations; or one of the moſt noble, as Bochart renders it, Gens una è nobiliſſimis.
But his latter end ſhall be, that he periſh for ever.] This God commanded Saul to execute (1 Sam. XV. 3.) according to the doom paſſed upon them, after their fight with Iſrael, XVII Exod. 14, 16. and he loſt his Kingdom for doing his Work imperfectly. Which the Vulgar Latin takes to be the meaning of the ſeventh verſe of this Chapter. Onkelos paraphraſes the whole verſe in this manner, Amalek was the beginning of the Wars with Iſrael, therefore his end ſhall be to periſh for ever. The Targum Hieroſ. more plainly, The Amalekites were the first People that made War againſt Iſrael; and in the latter days they ſhall make War against them, &c.
Ver. 21. And he looked on the Kenites.] He ſtanding Verſe 21 now upon the top of Peor, which was, it is likely, the higheſt place of the Country, (for which reaſon Balak brought him thither, after he had tried other high places, XXIII. 28.) might ſee a great way, and poſſibly behold the very Rocks wherein the Kenites dwelt. But what People are meant by this name, is not clearly evident. For there were a People called Kenites, who were a part of the Nations that inhabited the Land of Canaan, XV Gen. 19. theſe cannot be here intended; for they were too far off from this place. And as for the Kenites mentioned in I Judges 16. IV. 11. who dwelt among the Iſraelites when they came into Canaan, they had as yet no fixed ſtate, but were with them in the Wilderneſs. Therefore, it is likely, they were ſome of the Kindred of Jethro (originally derived from the ſame Family that he was of) who remained in Midian; and adjoyned ſo cloſe to the Country of the Amalekites, that they are ſaid to dwell among them, 1 Sam. XV. 6. For it is plain, the word Keni in Hebrew is the Name of a People, not of a particular Perſon; and there might be a great many of them; ſome in Canaan, others in Midian; and of theſe latter, ſome went with the Iſraelites into Canaan when they conquered it, and others remained ſtill in their own Country. They ſeem all to have been deſcended from one Ken or Kain mentioned IV Judges 11. (as Scaliger conjectures in his Elenchus Trihaereſ. cap. 23.) Jethro's Poſterity being but one Family of this People.
Strong is thy dwelling-place.] They were but a ſmall People, who dwelt upon ſteep Mountains.
And puttest thy Nest in a Rock.] This is but a further deſcription of their Country, in other words. For Nest ſignifies their Habitation; only it ſeems to import that their dwelling was little, in craggy Mountains, where they lookt upon themſelves as very ſafe and ſecure, the acceſs to them being very difficult. And from hence, I ſuppoſe, they were called Shelamites, (as both the Hieruſ. Targum and Onkelos here term them, inſtead of Kenites) i. e. peaceable People; becauſe no body medled with them, nor they with any body.
Verſe 22 Ver. 22. And the Kenite ſhall be waſted.] By little and little diminiſhed.
Ʋntil Aſhur ſhall carry thee away captive.] Till at laſt they were all carried away by the Aſſyrians, when they over-ran Syria, 2 Kings XVI. 9.
Verſe 23 Ver. 23. And he took up his Parable, and ſaid.] Having reſted a while, he ſighed, and ſaid aloud. See v. 3.
Alas! who ſhall live when God doth this?] What miſerable times will thoſe be, when the Aſſyrians ſhall over-run a great part of the World? How few will eſcape their Devaſtations? Or, who would not deſire rather to die, than live in thoſe days?
But ſome, I obſerve, refer this, not to what goes before, but to what follows; which relates to the Deſolations made by the following Empires, eſpecially the Roman.
Ver. 24. And Ships ſhall come▪ from the Coast of Chittim.] Whether this Prophecy hath reſpect (in the word Chittim) to the Greeks or to the Romans, or to both, it was plainly fulfilled, as the learned Huetius Verſe 24 obſerves. But it muſt be noted, that not only St. Hierom, but Onkelos, and Jonathan, and the Hieruſalem Interpreter, and the Arabick, underſtand by Chittim the Country of Italy, or ſome part thereof. And Bochartus proves, by many Arguments, that the People of that Country did deſcend from Chittim. See X Gen. 4. Yet it is not likely that Chittim, being the Son of Javan who peopled Greece, went ſo far at firſt from the reſt of his Brethren; but his Children peopled ſome part thereabouts. From whence, in after times, when they were increaſed, they ſent Colonies into Italy. Particularly Macedonia is called by the Name of Chittim, in the Book of Maccabees, 1▪ Macc. I. 1. VIII. 5. And therefore I take the Greeks under Alexander to be here intended in the firſt place, and then the Romans in the next; each of them fulfilling the ſeveral parts of this Prophecy.
And ſhall afflict Aſſur.] This was done by Alexander, who over-threw the Perſian Empire, which ruled over the Chaldaeans and Aſſyrians. So Theodoret underſtands the word Chittim, to ſignifie Alexander and his Macedonians, whoſe Country was anciently called foreign, as Heſychius tells us, they being a mixture (as Mr. Mede probably conjectures in his XLVIII Diſcourſe, p. 377.) of the Sons of Madai and Chittim. The Romans indeed afterwards overthrew the Greek Empire, but we do not read that they made War againſt the Aſſyrians till the time of Trajan; who ſubdued them, and reduced them into a Province, as Dio relates, Lib. LXVIII.
And ſhall afflict Eber.] This was done by the Romans, not by the Grecians. For we are to underſtand by Eber the Hebrew Nation, called the Children of Eber, X Gen. 21. So the LXX. tranſlate it, foreign: the Name of Hebrews being as plainly derived from Eber, as that of Jews from Judah. Now they were not afflicted by Alexander in his Conqueſts, but rather kindly treated by him. And therefore this cannot be meant of the Greeks; unleſs we will think it fulfilled in the time of Antiochus, who deſcended indeed from the Macedonians, but did not come from that Country; nor did he afflict them long; much leſs make them deſolate, as the Romans under Veſpaſian and Titus did, which ſeems to be here intended.
And they alſo ſhall periſh for ever.] This doth not refer to Eber, but to the Nation that afflicted him, viz. the Roman Empire; which he propheſies ſhall not always afflict others▪ but at laſt be utterly deſtroyed it ſelf. Aben-Ezra indeed refers it to the Kingdom of the Seleucidae, or the Greek Empire: but R. Iſaac before-mentioned, thinks the deſtruction of the Romans is intended in this Prophecy; only he fancies it is to be accompliſhed by a Chriſt not yet come.
Verſe 25 Ver. 25. And Balaam roſe up and went.] As Balak had commanded him, v. 11.
And returned to his place.] Unto his Country, viz. Meſopotamia. But he was detained by the Midianites in his paſſage thither; among whom he was ſlain, as we read in the XXXIth Chapter. For Men are ſaid to do that, which they deſign and endeavour to do, VIII Exod. 18. XIV Numb. 40. If this be not the meaning, then after he came to his own Country, he returned to the Midianites, at their intreaty, or by his own inclination; and (either as he was going home, or when he came back) gave that impious Counſel, which was executed not long after this, as we find in the next Chapter. For that he was the Author of it, we are aſſured by three Divine Writers. See 2 Pet. II. 15. Jude v. 11. II Revel. 14.
It is a ſtrange Expoſition which Baal-hatturim gives of his going to his place: that is, ſaith he, he went down into Hell. But it may ſerve to confirm the common Interpretation of that which is ſaid of Judas, I Acts 25.
And Balak alſo went his way.] To Kiriah-Huzoth, I ſuppoſe, mentioned XXII. 39.