Verse 27. Verse 23. Verse 29. I. Part. Alas for thee, O Moab! Thou hast perished, O people of Chemosh! And his daughters into captivity, Verse 30. But on them have WE lifted destruction, We have destroyed even to Nophah, See Kennicott's Remarks. Verse 35. So they smote him (Og) and all his sons] There is a curious note of Dr. Lightfoot here, of which I should think it wrong to deprive the reader. "Sihon and Og conquered, A. M. 2553. Of the life of Moses 120, from the Exodus 40. It is now six and twenty generations from the creation; or from Adam to Moses; and accordingly doth Psalm cxxxvi. rehearse the durableness of God's mercy six and twenty times over, beginning the story with the creation: and ending it in the conquest of Sihon and Og. The numerals of the name Jehovah, amount to the sum of six and twenty." ON some difficulties in this chapter, Dr. Kennicott makes the following observations: "This one chapter has several very considerable difficulties, and some verses as now translated, are remarkably unintelligible. A true state of this chapter is not, however, to be despaired of; and it has in it some circumstances which merit more than common attention. It contains the history of the last part of the travels of the Israelites in their way to the promised land: beginning with them at mount Hor, the thirty-fourth encampment, and concluding with them, as in their forty-second and last encampment, near Jordan, in the country which they had acquired by conquest over Sihon, king of the Amorites. "It begins with saying-that king Arad the Canaanite, who dwelt in the South, (in the land of Canaan, Numb. xxxiii. 40.) attacked Israel, and was defeated, and that Israel destroyed their cities, and that, after destroying these Canaanite cities, and consequently after being in a part of Canaan, a part of the very country they were going to, on the west of the Dead sea, they returned toward the Red sea, and near the eastern tongue or gulf of the Red sea, on the south of Edom, marched round Edom to the east of the Dead sea, in order to enter Canaan from the east side of Jordan! "This surprising representation of so vast and dangerous a march, quite unnecessarily performed, is owing to two circumstances. The first is, (xxi. 1.) the Canaanites heard that Israel was coming by the way of the spiesmeaning, by the way the spies went from Kadesh-barnea into Canaan. But this being impossible, because Israel had now marched from Meribah-Kadesh to mount Hor, beyond Ezion-geber, and were turning round Edom to the southeast; it is happy that the word rendered spies, in our version, is in the Greek a proper name (Atharim) which removes that difficulty. And the other difficulty, (verses 2, 3.) is removed by the Greek version likewise; according to which the vow made, with the fact subsequent, does not signify destroying the Canaanite cities, but devoting them to destruction at some future time.See Wall's Crit. Notes. fiery serpents after which they marched to Oboth, and thence to Ije-abarim, in the wilderness east of Moab. The encampments of the Israelites amounting to forty-two, are recorded all together, in historical succession, in chap. xxxiii. where Ije-abarim is the 38th-Dibongad, 39Almon-Diblathaim, 40-mountains of Abarim, 41-and the plains of Moab by Jordan, 42. This regular detail in chap. xxxiii. has occasioned great perplexity, as to chap. xxi. where, after the stations at Oboth and Ije-abarim, in verses 10 and 11, we have, in verses 19 and 20, the words Mattanah, Nahaliel, and Bamoth; which are usually considered as the proper names of three places, but widely different from the three proper names after Ije-abarim, in the catalogue at chap. xxxiii. "But there is, in reality, no inconsistency here. In the plain and historical catalogue (chap. xxxiii.) the words are strictly the proper names of the three places; but here the words Mattanah, Nahaliel, and Bamoth, follow some lines of poetry, and seem to form a continuation of the song. They evidently express figurative and poetical ideas. The verbs journeyed from, and pitched in, are not found here, though necessary to prose narration; see verses 10 and 11 here, and chap. xxxiii. Lastly, verse the 20th, (in this 21st chapter) usually supposed to express the last encampment, does not. Pisgah signifies a hill; and the Israelites could not encamp on the top of any single hill, such as this is described. Balak took Balr to the top of Peor, which looketh toward Jeshimon, (xxiii. 28.) which Peor undoubtedly was in Moab. He took him to another hill in Moab; when he took him (xxiii. 14.) to the top of Pisgah, in the field of Zophim. And if the Pisgah, or hill, in xxi. 20. was in the country of Balak, it could not point out the last encampment, which was not in Balak's country, but north of Arnon. "The word Mattanah probably alludes to a place distinguished by some gift or blessing from God. Fagius says-Nomen loci, ab eventu aquarum quas Dominus ibi dedit, sic uppellati, no nam significat donum-'The name of the place was so called, from the circumstance of the waters which the Lord gave there: for Mattanah, signifies a gift. bbm Nahaliel, is torrentes Dei: i. e. great streams, particularly seasonable or salutary. And Bamoth, (ver. 28.) may point out any high places, of signal benefit, in the country of Moab: or it may answer to the last station but one, which was the mountains of Abarim. If, therefore, these words were meant to express poetically some eminent blessing, what blessing was so likely to be then celebrated as copious streams of water? And after they had wandered near forty years through many a barren desert, and after (compare Deut. viii. 15.) having passed through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents and drought, where there was no water: it is no wonder they should shout for joy at finding water in plenty, and finding it almost on the banks of Arnon, the last river they were to pass in the way to their last station east of Jordan. wonder they should sing, in poetic rapture-that after the wilderness was (Mattanah) the GIFT of GOD; meaning the great well in Moab, dug by public authority-and no wonder, that, after such a gift, there were (Nahaliel) blessed streams, by which they passed, till they came to (Bamoth) the high places, from which, perhaps, these streams descended. And the thanksgiving ends, where the blessing was no longer wanted, on their coming down into the val ley, along the banks of Arnon, which was then the north boundary of Moab. No "The Israelites had spent no less than thirty-eight years in coming from Kadesh-barnea to their encampment north of Zared. Here, at this fortieth station, they were com"It proceeds with saying-that after defeating the Ca-manded to pass through Moab, by y Ar, the chief city; naanites at mount Hor, they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea (in the road from Ammon, Midian, &c. to the eastern gulf of the Red sea) to compass the land of Edom-that on their murmuring for want both of bread and of water, they were punished by but were not to stop till they came to the valley on the south of Arnon. At this last station but one, they probably continued no longer than was necessary for sending messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, at Heshbon, and receiving his answer. They then crossed the Arnon: and CHAPTER XXII. The Israelites pitch in the plains of Moab, 1. Balak, king of Moab, is greatly terrielders of Moab take a reward, and carry it to Balaam, 7 He inquires of the Lord, elders of Moab, 13. They return to Balak with this information, 14. He sends fied, 2-4. And sends to Balaam, a diviner, to come and curse them, 5, 6. The and is positively ordered not to go with them, 8-12 He communicates this to the some of his princes to Balaam with promises of great honour, 15-17. He consults God, and is permitted to go on certain conditions, 18-20. Balaam sets off-is opass to reprove him, 21-30. Balaam sees the angel, and is reproved by him, 31-33. conditions as before, 35. The king of Moab goes out to meet hin, 36. His address to him, 37. Balaam's firm answer, 38. Balak sacrifices, and takes Balaam to the high places of Baal, that he may see the whole of the Israelitish camp, 39-41. An Exod. Isr. 40. posed by an angel of the Lord, and the Lord miraculously opens the month of his He humbles himself, and offers to go back, 34, but is ordered to proceed on the sune AND the children of Israel set for ward, and pitched in the plains of Moab, on this side Jordan, by Jericho. m 2 And Balak, the son of Zippor, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 1 Ch. 33. 48mn Judg. 11. 25-n Exod. 15. 15-0 Ch. 31. 8. Josh. 13. 21.-p Deut. 23. 4. Josh. 13. 22 & 21. 9. Neh. 13. 1, 2. Mic. 6. 5. 2 Pet. 2. 15. Jude 11. Rev. 2. 14. having vanquished Sihon and Og, took possession of the forty-second, and last encampment. 4 And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak, the son of Zippor, was king of the Moabites at that time. 5 P He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam, the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt; behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me: 6 Come now, therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed. q See Ch. 23. 7. Deut. 23. 4.-r Hebr. eye.--8 Ch. 23. 7. See Dr. KENNICOTT's Remarks upon Select Passages in the Old Testament. NOTES ON CHAPTER XXII. Verse 1. They pitched in the plains of Moab] They had taken no part of the country that at present appertained to the Moabites-they had taken only that part which had formerly belonged to this people, but had been taken from them by Sihon, king of the Amorites. On this side Jordan] On the east side. By JerichoThat is, over against it. "This one chapter has three pieces of poetry, either fragments or complete: and poetry, seldom found in an historical narrative, may be here accounted for-from the exuberance of joy which must have affected these wearied travellers, when arriving thus happily near their journey's end. What occurs first, is in verse 14; and has often been called the fragment of an old Amorite song. But it may have been Amorite or Moabite, or either or neither, for the subject matter of it, as it is generally understood, Verse 5. To Pethor, which is by the river of the land if indeed it can be said to be understood at all. The words of the children of his people] Dr. Kennicott justly reSAN, usually supposed to contain marks, that "the description now given of Balaam's resithis fragment, do not signify, as in our English version-dence, instead of being particular, agrees with any place, What he did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon. Without enumerating the many interpretations given by others, I shall offer a new one, which seems to make good sense, and a sense very pertinent. "Observe first, that there must have been a place called Suph, near the conflux of the Arnon and Jordan: because Moses whilst in that last station, begins Deuteronomy with saying he was on this side, (i. e. east) of Jordan, over against Suph. By this word is not here meant the Red sea; partly, because that has every where else the word for sea before it, and partly, because of the great distance of the Red sea now from Moses. The single word, therefore, signifies here some place, in itself obscure, because nowhere mentioned but in these two passages. And yet we cannot wonder that Moses should mention it twice, as the word Suph, introduced in speaking of the two last encampments, recalled to mind the Sea of Suph, so glorious to Israel, near the beginning of their march towards Canaan. "Moses had now led Israel from the Red sea to the river Arnon, through many dreadful dangers, partly from hostile nations, partly from themselves; such dangers as no other people ever experienced, and such as no people could have surmounted, without the signal favour of the Almighty. And here, just before the battles with Sihon and Og, he reminds them of Pharoah, &c. and he asserts, that in the history of the wars it shall be recorded, that JEHOVAH, who had triumphantly brought Israel through the sea of Suph, near Egypt at first, had now conducted him to Suph, near Arnon; that Jehovah went with him to Suph, And he came to the streams of Arnon. "This version removes the difficulties urged by Hobbes, page 266. fol. 1750; by Spinoza, page 109. 4to. 1670; and retailed in a deistical pamphlet called The Doubts of the Infidels, page 4. 8vo. 1781. The general meaning of the next piece of poetry seems to be this: that at some distance from the city of Ar, by which the Israelites were to pass (Deut. ii. 18.) they came to A WELL, of uncommon size and magnificence, which seems to have been sought out, built up, and adorned, for the public, by the rulers of Moab. And it is no wonder, that on their arrival, at such a well, they should look upon it as a blessing from heaven, and speak of it as a new miracle in their favour." 17. Then Israel sang this song. in any country, where there is a river-for he lived by Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people. But was Pethor then, near the Nile in Egypt? Or in Canaan, near Jordan? Or in Mesopotamia, near the Euphrates, and belonging to the Ammonites? This last was in fact the case: and therefore it is well that twelve Hebrew MSS. (with two of De Rossi's) confirm the Samaritan text here, in reading, instead of my amo, his people, roy Ammon, with the Syriac and Vulgate Versions." Houbigant properly contends for this reading; and necessity urges the propriety of adopting it. It should therefore stand thus: by the river of the land of the children of Ammon; and thus it agrees with Deut. xxiii. 4. Verse 6. Come now, therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people] Balaam, once a prophet of the true God, appears to have been one of the Meshelim, see chap. xxi. 27. who had added to his poetic gift, that of sorcery or divination. It was supposed that prophets and sorcerers had a power to curse persons and places, so as to confound all their designs, frustrate their counsels, enervate their strength, and fill them with fear, terror, and dismay. See Gen. ix. 25. Psal. cix. 6, 20. Josh. vi. 26. Jer. xvii. 5, 6. Macrobius has a whole chapter, De carmine, quo evocari solebant dii tutelares, et aut urbes, aut exercitus devoveri. "Of the incantations which were used to induce the tutelary gods to forsake the cities, &c. over which they presided, and to devote cities and whole armies to destruction." See Saturnal. lib. iii. cap. ix. He gives us two of the ancient forms, used in reference to the destruction of Carthage; the first to call over the protecting deities, was pronounced by the dictator or general, and none other, when they began the siege. It is as follows, literatim et punctatim: Si. Deus. si. Dea. est. cui. popolus. civitas. que. Carthaginiensis. est. in. tutela. ie. "que. maxime. ille, qui. urbis. hujus. popoli. que. tutelam. recepisti. precor. vene ror. que. veniam. que. a. vobis. peto, ut. vos. popolum. civitatem. que. Carthaginiensem. deseratis. loca. templa. sacra. urbem. que. corum. relinquàtis. Absque. his. abeatis. ei. que. popolo. civitati. que. metum, formidinem. oblivionem. injiciatis. proditi. que. Romam. ad. me. meos. que. veniatis. nostra. que. vobis. loca. templa. sacra. urbs. acceptior. probatior, que, sit. mihi. que. popolo. que. Romano. militibus. que. meis. præpositi sitis. ut. sciamus. intelligamus. que. Si. ata. feceritis. vodeo. vobis. templa. ludos. que. facturum. "Whether it be god or goddess, under whose protection the people and city of Carthage are placed: and thee, especially, who hast undertaken to defend this city and people, I pray, beseech, and earnestly entreat that you would forsake the people and city of Carthage, and leave their places, temples, sacred things, and city, and depart 9 And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee? 10 And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying, Il Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth come now, curse me them; peradventure w I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out. 15 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they. 16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: 17 For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. a 18 And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his 12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt house full of silver and gold, I cannot go benot go with them; thou shalt not curse the peo-yond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or ple: for they are blessed. 13 And Balaam rose up in the morning and t 1 Sam. 9. 7, 8-a Ver. 19-v Gen. M. 3. Ver. 2-w Heb. I shall prevail in fighting against him. from them; and that you would inspire this people and city with fear, terror, and forgetfulness: and that coming out from them, you would pass over to Rome, to me, and to mine; and that our places, temples, sacred things, and city, may be more agreeable and more acceptable to you: and that you would preside over me, the Roman people, and my soldiers; that we may know and perceive it. If ye will do this, I promise to consecrate to your honour both temple and games." The second, to devote the city to destruction, which it was supposed the tutelary gods had abandoned, is the following: Dis. Pater. Vejovis. Manes, sive. vos. quo. alio. nomine. fas. est. nominare, ut. omnes. illam. urbem. Carthaginem. exeroitum. que. quem. ego. me. sentio. dicere. fuga. formidine. terrore. que. compleatis, qui, que, adversum. legiones, exercitum. que, nostrum. arma, tela. que. ferent. Uti. vos. eum. exercitum. cos, hostes. cos. que, homines, urbes, agros. que. eorum. et. qui. in. his. locis. regionibus. que. agris. urbibus. ve. habitant. abducatis. lumine. supero. privetis, exercitum. que. hostium. urbes. agros. que. eorum. quos. me. sentio. dicere. uti. vos. eas. urbes. agros. que, cupita. ætates. que. eorum. devotas, consecratas. que. habeatis. illis. legibus. quibus. quando. que. sunt. maximè, hostes. devoti. eos. que, ego. vicarios. pro. me. fide, magistratu. que. meo. pro. popolo. Romano. exercitibus. legionibus. que. nostris. do. devoveo. ut. me. meam. que. fidem. imperium. que. legiones, exercitum. que. nostrum. qui. in. his. rebus. gerundis. sunt. bene. salvos. siritis. esse. Si. hæc. ita. faxitis. ut. ego. sciam. sentiam. intelligam. que. tunc. quis. quis. hoc. rotum. farit. ubi. ubi. faxit. rectè. factum. esto. ovibus. atris. tribus. Tellus. mater. te. que. Juppiter. obtestor. "Dis, Pater, Vejovis, Manes, or by whatsoever name you wish to be invoked, I pray you to fill this city of Carthage with fear and terror, and to put that army to flight which I mention, and which bears arms or darts against our legions and armies. And that ye may take away this army, those enemies, those men, their cities, and their country, and all who dwell in those places, regions, countries, or cities, and deprive them of the light above. And let all their armies, cities, country, chiefs, and people, be held by you consecrated and devoted, according to those laws by which, and at what time, enemies can be most effectually devoted. I also give, and devote them as vicarious sacrifices for myself and my magistraey; for the Roman people, and for all our armies and legions and for the whole empire, and that all the armies and legions which are employed in these countries, may be preserved in safety. If, therefore, ye will do these things, as I know, conceive, and intend, then he who makes this vow, wheresoever and whensoever he shall make it, I engage shall sacrifice three black sheep to thee, O mother earth, and to thee, O Jupiter."-" When the execrator mentions the earth, he stoops down and places both his hands on it: and when he names Jupiter, he lifts up both his hands to heaven: and when he mentions his vow, he places his hands upon his breast." Among the ancient records, Macrobius says, he found many cities and people devoted in this way. The Romans held, that no city could be taken till its tutelary god had forsaken it, or if it could be taken, it would be unlawful, as it would be sacrilegious to have the gods in captivity. They, therefore, more. 19 Now therefore, I pray you tarry ye also x Ch. 23. 20. Rom. 11. 29-y Heb. Be not thou letted from, &c.- Ver. 6.-a Ch. 21. 13.-b 1 Kings 22 14. 2 Chron. 18 13.- Ver. & endeavoured to persuade the gods of their enemies to come over to their party. Virgil intimates, that Troy was destroyed only because the tutelary gods had forsaken it. Excessere omnes Adytis, arisque relictis Dii, quibus imperium hoc steterat.-- En 1. f. v. 351. "All the gods, by whose assistance the empire had hitherto been preserved, forsook their altars and their temples." And it was on this account that the Greeks employed all their artifice to steal away the Palladium, on which they believed the safety of Troy depended. Tacitus observes, that when Suetonius Paulinus had prepared his army to cross over into Mona (Anglesea) where the Britons and Druids made their last stand: the priestesses, with dishevelled hair, white vestments, and torches in their hands, ran about like furies, devoting their enemies to destruction; and he farther adds, that the sight, the attitude, and horrible imprecations of these priestesses, had such effect on the Roman soldiers, that for a while they stood still, and suffered themselves to be pierced with the darts of the Britons, without making any resistance. Tacit. Ann. 1. xiv. c. 29. The Jews also had a most horrible form of execration, as may be seen in Buxtorf's Talmudical Lexicon, under the word. These observations and authorities, drawn out in so much detail, are necessary to cast light on the strange and curious history related in this and the two following chapters. Verse 7. The rewards of divination] Who ever went to consult a prophet, took with him a present-as it was on such gratuitous offerings the prophets lived--but here, more than a mere present is intended; perhaps every thing necessary to provide materials for the incantation. The drugs, &c. used on such occasions, were often very expensive. It appears that Balaam was very covetous, and that he loved this wages of unrighteousness, and probably lived by it; see 2 Pet. ii. 15. Verse S. I will bring you word again, as the Lord shall speak] So it appears, he knew the true God, and had been in the habit of consulting him, and receiving oracles from his mouth. Verse 12. Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people] i. e. Thou shalt not go with them to curse the people--With them he might go, as we find he afterward did, by God's own command; but not to curse the people; this was wholly forbidden. Probably the command, Thou shalt not go, refers here to that time, viz. the first invitation and in this sense it was most punctually obeyed by Balaam; see ver. 13. Verse 14. Balaam refuseth to come with us.] "Ob serve," says Mr. Ainsworth, "Satan's practice against God's word, seeking to lessen the same, and that from hand to hand, till he bring it to nought. Balaam told the princes less than God told him, and they relate to Balak less than Balaam told them so that when the answer came to the king of Moah, it was not the word of God, but the word of man: it was simply, Balaam refuseth to come, without ever intimating that God had forbidden him." But in this Balaam is not to blame, he told the messengers in the most positive manner, Jehovah refuseth to give me leave to go with you, ver. 13. and more explicit he could not be, Verse 18. I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God] Balaam knew God too well to suppose he could here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more. 20 d'And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do. 21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. 22 And God's anger was kindled because he went: f and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. 23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. 24 But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. 25 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again. 26 And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. 27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. h 28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? 29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, i for now would I kill thee. 30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden m ever d Ver. 9-e Ver. 35. Ch. 23. 12, 26. & 24. 13.- Exod. 4. 21-g See 2 Kings 6. 17. Dan. 10. 7. Acts 22 9. 2 Pet. 2. 16. Jude 1-h 2 Pet. 2. 16.-i Prov. 12 10.- 2 Pet. 2. 16.-1 Heb. tho hast ridden upon me -m Or, ever since thou wast, &c-n See Gen. 21. 18. 2 Kings 6. 17. Luke 24. 16, 31.-o Exod. 34. 8-p Or, bowed himself. reverse any of his purposes; and he respected him too much to attempt to do any thing without his permission. Though he was covetous, yet he dared not, even when strongly tempted both by riches and honours, to go contrary to the command of his God. Many make all the professions of Balaam, without justifying them by their conduct. "They pretend," says one, "they would not do any thing against the word of God for a house full of gold, and yet will do it for a handful!!" Verse 19. What the Lord will say unto me more.] He did not know but God might make a farther discovery of his will to him, and therefore he might very innocently seek farther information. Verse 20. If the men come-go with them] This is a confirmation of what was observed on the twelfth verse. Though we find that his going was marked with the divine displeasure, because he wished, for the sake of the honours and rewards, to fulfil, as far as possible, the will of the king of Moab. How many are restrained from sinning, merely through the fear of God!-they would gladly do the evil-but it is forbidden, on awful penalties,-they wish the thing were not prohibited, for they have a strong desire to do it. Verse 23. And the ass saw the angel] When God granted visions, those alone, who were particularly interested, saw them; while others in the same company saw nothing. Dan. x. 7. Acts ix. 7. Verse 26. And the angel-stood in a narrow place] In this carriage of the angel, says Mr. Ainsworth, the Lord shows us the proceedings of his judgments against sinners: First, He mildly shakes his rod at them, but lets them go untouched. Secondly, He comes nearer, and touches them with an easy correction, as it were wringing their foot against the wall. Thirdly, When all this is ineffectual, he brings them into such straits, that they can neither turn to the right hand, nor to the left, but must fall before his judgments, if they do not fully turn to him. Verse 28. The Lord opened the mouth of the ass] And since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay. 31 Then the LORD" opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand : and he bowed down his head, and P fell flat on his face. 32 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: 33 And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive. 34 And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again. 35 And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: " but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. 36 And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast. 37 And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour? 38 And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak. 39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjath-huzoth. 40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him. 41 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people. a g Heb. to be an adversary unto thee.-r 2 Pet. 2. 14, 15.-s 1 Sam 15. 24, 30. & M. 21. 2 Sam. 12. 13. Job 34. 31,32-t Heb. be evil in thine eyes-u Ver. 20. Gen. 14 17.-w Ch. 21. 13-x Ver. 17. Ch. 24. 11.-y Ch. 23. 26. & 24. 13 1 Kings 22 14 2 Chron. 18. 13.-2 Or, a city of streets.-a Ch. 23. 2, 14, 30. Deut. 12 2 where is the wonder of all this? If the ass had opened her own mouth, and reproved the rash prophet, we might well be astonished! but when God opens the mouth, an ass can speak as well as a man. It is worthy of remark here, that Balaam testifies no surprise at this miracle, because he saw it was the Lord's doings. Of animate and inanimate things receiving, for a short time, the gift of speech, the heathen mythology furnishes many fictitious examples, with which I do not deem it proper to occupy the reader's time. Verse 33. Surely now also I had slain thee] How often are the meanest animals, and the most trivial occurrences, instruments of the preservation of our lives, and of the salvation of our souls! The messenger of justice would have killed Balaam, had not the mercy of God prevented the ass from proceeding. Verse 34. If it displease thee, I will get me back again.} Here is a proof, that though he loved the wages of unrighteousness, yet he still feared God; and he is now willing to drop the enterprise, if God be displeased with his proceeding. The piety of many called Christians, does not extend thus far-they see that the thing displeases God, and yet they proceed.-Reader, is this thy case? Verse 38. The word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak] Here was a noble resolution-and he was certainly faithful to it: though he wished to please the king, and get wealth and honour, yet he would not displease God to realize even these bright prospects. Many who slander this poor semi-antinomian prophet, have not half his piety. Verse 40. And Balak offered oxen, &c.] This was to gain the favour of his gods, and perhaps to propitiate Jehovah, that the end for which he had sent for Balaam might be accomplished. Verse 41. That he might see the utmost part of the people.] As he thought Balaam must have them all in his eye, when he pronounced his curse, lest it might not extend to those who were not in sight. On this account, he took him up into the high places of Baal. See on chap. xxiii. 41. A. M. 2553. B. C. 1451. CHAP. XXIII. CHAPTER XXIII. Being arrived at the high places of Baal, (Ch. xxii. 41.) Balaam orders Balak to build seven altars, and prepare oxen and rams for sacrifice, 1, 2 Balaam inquires of the Lord, receives an answer, with which he returns to Balak, 3-10. Balak finding that this was a prediction of the prosperity of the Israelites, is greatly trou bled, 11. Balaam excuses himself, 12. He brings him to another place, where he might see only a part of Israel, and repeats his sacrifices, 13, 14. Balaam again consults the Lord, 15-17. Returns with his answer, and again predicts the glory of Israel, 18-21. Balak is angry, 25, and Balaam again excuses himself. Balak proposes another trial, takes him to another place, and repeats the same sacrifices, 26-30. die the death of the righteous, and let my last 11 And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast 12 And he answered and said, Must I not AND Balaam said unto Balak, take heed to speak that which the LORD hath Build me here seven altars, put in my mouth? and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams. 2 And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram. 3 And Balaam said unto Balak, a Stand by thy burnt-offering, and I will go, peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he showeth me I will tell thee. And he went to a high place. 4 And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and 1 have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram. 5 And the LORD h put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak. 6 And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt-sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab. 7 And he took up his parable, and said, Balak, the king of Moab, hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, *Come, curse me Jacob, and come, 1 defy Israel. 8 How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy whom the LORD hath not defied? 9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo," the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. 10 P Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let 9 me b Ver. 29- Ver. 14. 30.- Ver. 15-e Ch. 24. 1.-f Or, he went solitary. Ver. 16-h Ver. 16. Ch. 22. 35 Deut. 18. 18. Jer. 1. 9.- Ver. 18. Ch. 24. 3, 15, 23. Job 27. 1. & 29. L. P. 78. 2. Ezek. 17. 2 Mic. 2 4. Hab. 2. 6.-k Ch. 22. 6, 11, 17-11 Sam. 17. 10.-m Isai. 47. 12, 13.-n Deut. 33. 28.-o Exod. 33. 16. Ezra 9.2 Eph. 2 14-p Gen. 13. 16. & 22. 17.- Heb. my soul, or, my life. NOTES ON CHAPTER XXIII. Verse 1. Build me here seven altars, &c.] The oren and the rams were such as the Mosaic law had ordered to be offered to God in sacrifice-the building of seven altars was not commanded. Some think that these seven altars were built to the seven planets-this is most gratuitously said-of it there is no proof whatever-it is mere trifling, even with conjecture. As seven was a number of perfection, Balaam chose it on this occasion, because he intended to offer a grand sacrifice, and to offer a bullock and a ram upon each of the altars; the whole to be made a burntoffering at the same time. And as he intended to offer seven bullocks and seven rams at the same time, it could not be conveniently done on one altar, therefore he ordered seven to be built; and we need go no farther to find out his Verse 3. Stand by thy burnt-offering] We have already seen that blessing and cursing in this way were considered as religious rites, and therefore must be always preceded by sacrifice. See this exemplified in the case of Isaac before he blessed Jacob and Esau, Gen. xxvii. and the notes there. The venison that was brought to Isaac, of which he did eat, was properly the preparatory sacrifice. Verse 7. And he took up his parable] Meshalo, see on chap. xxi. 27. All these oracular speeches of Balaam are in hemistich metre in the original. They are highly dignified, and may be considered as immediate poetic productions of the Spirit of God; for it is expressly said, ver. 5. that God put the word in Balaam's mouth, and that the Spirit of God came upon him, xxiv. 2. Verse 8. How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed?] It was granted on all hands, that no incantations, nor imprecations could avail, unless God concurred and ratified them. From God's communication to Balaam, he saw, that God was determined to bless and defend Israel; and therefore all endeavours to injure them must be in vain. Verse 9. From the top of the rocks I see him] That is, from the high places of Baal, where he went, chap. xxii. 41. that he might the more advantageously see the whole camp of Israel. The people shall dwell alone] They shall ever be preserved as a distinct nation. This prophecy has been lit erally fulfilled, through a period of 3,300 years, to the present day! This is truly astonishing! Verse 10. Let me die the death of the righteous] Probably Balaam had some presentiment that he should be taken off by a premature death; and therefore he lodges this petition against it. The death of the righteous in those times, implied being gathered to one's fathers in a good old age-having seen his children and children's children: and to this, probably, the latter part of this petition applies, And let my last end be like his, utehi achariti cemohu, And let my POSTERITY be like his. It has been generally supposed, that Balaam is here praying for a happy death, such as true Christians die, who die in the Lord; and in this way his words are generally applied: but I am satisfied this is not their meaning. The prayer, however, understood in the common way, is a good one, and may be offered to God profitably. A righteous man, is one who is saved from his sins-who is justified and sanctified through the blood of the covenant; and who lives, not only an innocent, but also a holy and useful life. He who would die well should live well: for a bad death must be the issue of a bad life. Verse 13. Thou shalt see but the utmost part of them] Balak thought that the sight of such an immense camp had intimidated Balaam; and this he might gather from what he said in the 10th verse, Who can count the dust of Jacob, &c. he thought therefore that he might get Balaam to curse them in detached parties: till the whole camp should be devoted to destruction by successive execrations. Verse 17. What hath the Lord spoken] Balak himself now understood, that Balaam was wholly under the influence of Jehovah; and would say nothing but what God commanded him; but not knowing Jehovah as Balaam did, he hoped that he might be induced to change his mind, and curse a people whom he had hitherto determined to blegs. Verse 19. God is not a man, that he should lie] This seems to be spoken to correct the foregoing supposition of Balak, that God could change his mind. Verse 21. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel] This is a difficult passage; for if we take the words as spoken of the people Israel, as their iniquity and their perverseness were almost |