e² n 1. Aggression of Arad. o 2. Vow made. o 3-. Vow heard. n -3. Destruction of Arad.
1452 B.C.
2: And Israel made a solemn vow to the Lord (Yehovah), and said, “If You will indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.”
3: And the Lord (Yehovah) listened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites into Israel's hand;
and they utterly destroyed them and their cities (these destroyed after Israel came into the land; cp. Josh.12:14. Judg.1:16,17): and he called the name of the place Hormah (=utter destruction).
4: And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom:
and the soul of the People was much discouraged
(=grieved or impatient) because of the way.
5: And the People spoke against God (Elohim) (they had lost sight of the covenant God, Yehovah), and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul (=we, selves) loaths this light bread.”
e³ p 6. Fiery serpents. q 7. Prayer made. p 8. The bronze serpent. q 9. Prayer answered.
6: And the Lord (Yehovah) sent fiery serpents among the People, and they bit the People (=burning. Heb. nachesîn saråphîm. Fig. Metonymy [of Effect], because the effect of the bite was a burning sensation. Heb. saråph = to burn down. The Seraphim so called in Isa.6:2, because they were burning ones: hence the name for these serpents.In the same way nåchåsh, shining one, is also used for serpents, because they are shinig ones in appearance. See Gen.3:1.); and much people of Israel died.
7: Therefore the People came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord (Yehovah), and against you; pray to the Lord (Yehovah), that He take away the serpents from us.” And Moses prayed for the People.
8: And the Lord (Yehovah) said to Moses, “Make you a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looks upon it, shall live.”
9: And Moses made a serpent of bronze (=Heb. nåchåsh, a shining thing of brass, as in Deut.8:15. 2 Kings 18:4,&c: so that nåchåsh [shining] is synonymous with saråph [burning], and both words are used of serpents ), and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of bronze, he lived (cp. John 3:14,15).
10: And the sons of Israel set forward, and encamped in
Oboth (=bottles, water-skins).
11: And they journeyed from Oboth, and encamped at
Ije-abarim (=fountain of gardens, ruins of regions beyond), in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrising.
12: From that place they removed, and pitched in the
valley of Zared (=exuberant in growth).
13: From that place they removed, and encamped on the
other side of Arnon (=roaring), which is in the
wilderness that comes out of the coasts of the Amorites:
for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the
Amorites.
14: Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord
(Yehovah) (this may commence the quotation thus:-"the wars of Yehovah werewith Eth-Våhêb by the Red Sea [or with a whirlwind. Heb. Supha. Cp. Amos 1:14. Isa.66:15. Nah.1:3. Jer.4:13] and by the brooks of Arnon" Eth-Våhêb may be the proper name of the king of the Amorites, who took Heshbon, as in v.26. A city situated as described here, and as in Deut.1:1. Cp. 1 Kings 9:26), What He did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon (=the outpouring
of torrents),
15: And at the stream of the brooks that goes down to the
dwelling of Ar (= a city), and lies upon the border of Moab." (=of his father)
16: And from that place toward Beer (= a well. No mention of Beer in the list of journeys in chapter 33):
that is the well whereof Yehovah spoke to Moses, Gather the People together, and I will give them water.”
17: Then Israel sang this song (a song of Moses, not "the song of Moses". See Ex.15:1), “Spring up, O well;
sing you all to it:
18: The princes digged the well, the nobles of the People
digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their
staves.” And from the wilderness toward Mattanah (=gift of Yehovah. No mention is made of any of these places in the itinerary in ch. 33. Why not supply "the waters or streams went" into all these places? See v.16. The structure shows the scope of this member to be an "event"; "journeys" are the subject of the preceeding member. Cp. note on Ex.15:27. Note the Alternation which gives the interpretation:
The pincess digged the well;
The nobles of the People digged it,
With the lawgiver
they digged it with their staves.
):
19: And from Mattanah to Nahaliel (=torrents of God): and from Nahaliel to Bamoth (=heights of Baal):
20: And from Bamoth in the valley, that is in the field of Moab, to the top of Pisgah (=a cleft), which looks toward Jeshimon (=a desolation).
e4 r 21,22. Israel's demnd. s 23. Sihon's denial. r 24. Sihon. Defeat. s 25-31. Israel. Dwelling.
21: And Israel sent messengers to Sihon
(=tempestuous) king of the Amorites, saying,
22: “Let us pass through your land: we will not turn into
the fields, or into the vineyards; we will not drink of the waters of the well: but we will go along by the king's high way, until we be past your borders.”
23: And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass
through his border (Fig. Tapienosis, much more meant, even armed opposition): but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness: and he came to Jahaz (=to stamp, troden down, i.e. treshingfloor), and fought against
Israel.
24: And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and
possessed his land from Arnon to Jabbok, even to the
children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon
was strong.
s t 25. Dwelling. Particular. u 26. Doings. u 27-30. Sayings. t 31. Dwelling. General.
25: And Israel took all these cities: and Israel dwelt in
all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon
(=contrivance; by implication intelligence), and in all the villages thereof (Heb.=daughters. Fig.
Prosopopoeia).
26: For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the
Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab,
and taken all his land out of his hand, even to Arnon.
27: Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, “Come into
Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared:
28: For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from
the city of Sihon: it has consumed Ar of Moab, and the
lords (Heb. Baalim) of the high places of Arnon (cp. 22:41 and Jer.48:25).
29: Woe to you, Moab! you are undone, O people of
Chemosh (=to subdue, the powerful; Kemosh, the god of the Moabites): He has given his sons that escaped, And his daughters, into captivity to Sihon king of the Amorites.
30: We (Israel) have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even to Dibon (=pining, wasting), The women also even to Nophah (=a gust, only mention of this word mentioned in the Bible), And even the men to Medeba (=a water of quiet. V. 30 rendered according to the "extraordinary points" of the Sopherim).
31: Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites.
32: And Moses sent to spy out Jaazer (=Yehovah help), and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there.
33: And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan
(=fruitful): and Og (=round gyrate, long necked giant) the king of Bashan went out against them, he, and all his people, to the battle at Edrei (=mighty, stronghold).
34: And the Lord (Yehovah) said to Moses, “Fear him not: for I have
delivered him into your hand, and all his people, and his
land; and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of
the Amorites (cp. Ps.135:11), which dwelt at Heshbon.”
35: So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people,
until there was none left him alive: and they possessed his land.
e6 v¹ 22:5-20. Balak's messages to Balaam. w¹ 22:21-35. Balaam's journey. v² 22:36-40. Balak's reception of Balaam. w² 22:41-24:25. Balaam's 4 prophecies. v³ 25:1-18. Balak's teaching by Balaam. See 31:16.
Rev.2:14.
v¹ x 5,6. First message. y 7. Delivered. z 8-11. Recieved. a 12-14. Forbidden by God (absolutely). x 15. Second message. y 16,17. Delivered. z 18,19. Recieved. a 20. Permitted by God (conditionally).
5: He sent messengers therefore to Balaam (so written in Greek. In Heb. his name is
Bil‘am.Cp. Josh.13:22 and 24:9,10. 2 et.2:15,16. He was a
spiritist or medium. He is identified ny Sayce with Bela,
Gen.36:31,32, where Moses incoporates a list of Edomite
kings. According to the Tel-el-Amarna tablets he was a
Hittite chieftan, who established a kingdom for himself:
and he died fighting against Israel by the side of his
Midianite allies, 31:8. Josh.13:22) the son of
Beor (Heb. Be‘ôr=burning or
torch. In 1 Peter.2:15 called Bosor. The Heb. letter y
[ayin=‘ô], often pronounced "s" by Greeks) to
Pethor (=soothsayer. A city in Aram,
23:7, or Mesopatamia, Deut.23:4), which is by the river of the land of the children of the sons of Amon
(i.e. whom he had banded together and
led), to call him, saying, “Behold, there is a
People come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the
face of the earth (Heb. "eye".
Fig., "eye" put for what is seen by it), and they sit over against me(i.e. ready for war, havig subdued the Amorites, ch.21, cp. Job 38:40. Ps.10:8; 17:12):
6: Come now therefore, I pray you, curse me this
People (Heb. ‘årar, to wish or speak
evil agaist, as to effect rather than as to act); for they are too mighty for me: perhaps I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”
7: And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand (Fig., put for the money whch procures it); and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.
8: And he said to them, “Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the Lord (Yehovah) shall speak to me:” and
the princes of Moab abode with Balaam (Heb.=not of the People, ie. a
foreigner).
9: And God (Elohim) came to Balaam, and said (note the change to Elohim = Creator. Only 4
ties: in vv.9,12,20: in connection with Balaam. The #4
having to do with earthly or terrestial things), “What men are these with you?”
10: And Balaam said to God (Elohim), “Balak the son of Zippor,
king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,
11: ‘Behold, there is a People (Heb.=the People) come out of
Egypt, which covers the face of the earth: come now
therefore, curse for me them (Heb. kårab, to pierce with words. Note that
this word is only found in Balak's and Balaam's mouth's.
Here, first occ, and later in seven other places, see
23:8); perhaps I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.’ ”
12: And God (Elohim) said to Balaam, “You shall not go
with them (this is absolute. Cp. v.20, where permission is conditional); you shall not
curse the people: for they are blessed.”
13: And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the
princes of Balak (notice what he
surpresses), “Get you into your land: for the Lord (Yehovah) refuses to give me leave to go with you.”
14: And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went to
Balak, and said (notice what they
surpress), “Balaam refuses to come with us.”
15: And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.
16: And they came to Balaam, and said to him, “Thus says
Balak the son of Zippor, ‘Let nothing, I pray you, hinder
you from coming to me:
17: For I will promote you to very great honour, and I
will do whatsoever you say to me: come therefore, I pray
you, curse for me this People.’ ”
18: And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold,
I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord (Yehovah) my God (Elohim), to do
less or more.
19: Now therefore, I pray you, tarry you all also here
this night, that I may know what the Lord (Yehovah) will say to me
more.”
20: And God (Elohim) came to Balaam at night, and said to him, “If the men come to call you (this was the condition with which Balaam did not comply, see v.21), rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say to you, that shall you do.”
w¹ b 21. Journey commenced. c 22-. Anger of God. d e¹ f¹ -22. The angel. g¹ 23-. The ass. h¹ -23. Balaam. e² f² 24. The angel. g² 25-. The ass. h² -25. Balaam. e³ f³ 26. The angel. g³ 27-. The ass. h³ -27. Balaam. c 28-35-. Rebuke of Yehovah. b -35. Journey completed.
21: And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his
ass, and went with the princes of Moab (=was really going, without waiting for the condition given by the Lord in v.20. Hence God's anger, see v.22).
22: And God's (Elohim's) anger was kindled because he was really going (emphasised to show that even this condition was not meant as a condition, but was to be taken rather as irony. It shows also Balaam's determination to go, whether or no)
: and the Angel of the Lord (Yehovah) stationed Himself 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 (Yehovah) standing in the way, and His sword drawn in His hand (as in 1 Chron.21:16. Balaam was going to have Israel killed with the sword) : 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 (Yehovah) stood in a narrow way of the vineyards (Heb. mish‘ôl), a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side (especially the wall of a vineyard).
25: And when the ass saw the Angel of the Lord (Yehovah), 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 (Yehovah) went further, and stood in a narrow place (Heb. zåzar, tight spot = trouble), 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 (Yehovah), she fell down under Balaam:
and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
c i 28-. By the ass. Ass's mouth opened. k l -28. The ass. m 29. Balaam. l 30-. The ass. m -30. Balaam. i 31. By the angel. Balaam's eyes opened. k n 32,33. The angel. o 34. Balaam. n 35-. The angel.
28: And the Lord (Yehovah) opened the mouth of the ass, and she said to Balaam ("opened" = Heb. påtah. Cp. v.31. This was Yehovah's work. But how could Satan open the mouth of the serpent which has no organs of speech? Majic? Illussion? since Satan cannot create. Only God can. See Gen.3:1),
“What have I done to you, that you have smitten me these three times?”
29: And Balaam said to the ass, “Because you have mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill you.”
30: And the ass said to Balaam, “Am not I your ass, upon which you have ridden ever since I was yours to this day? was I ever known to do so to you?”
And he said, “No.”
31: Then the Lord (Yehovah) uncovered the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the Angel of the Lord (Yehovah) standing in the way, and His sword drawn in His hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.
32: And the Angel of the Lord (Yehovah) said to him, “Why have you smitten your ass these three times? behold, I went out to be an adversary you, because your way is perverse
before Me (Heb. ‘avil, occ. only here and Job 16:11 [ungodly]):
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 you, and saved her alive (note the emphasis on these pronouns).
34: And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord (Yehovah), “I have
sinned; for I knew not that You stood in the way
against me: now therefore, if it displease You, I will get me back again.”
35: And the Angel of the Lord (Yehovah) said to Balaam, “Go with the men (Yehovah now overules the evil for Israel's good): but only the word that I shall speak to you (permission limitted),
that you shall speak.”
So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
v² p 36. Meeting (at frontier). q 37,38. Greetings. p 39. Accompanying (to Kirjth-huzoth). q 40. Offering.
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 border.
37: And Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not earnestly send to you to call you? (see Gen.26:28) why do you not come to me? am I not able indeed to promote you to honour?” (Vain boast!)
38: And Balaam said to Balak, “Lo, I am come to you:
have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God (Elohim) puts in my mouth (not Yehovah. Note this), that shall I speak.”
39: And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kirjath-huzoth (=city of streets. Only occ. of this word).
40: And Balak offered a slain sacrifice of oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
w² t¹ 22:41-23:26. With enchantments. T² 23:27-24:25. Without enchantments.
t¹ u 22:41. First station: high places. v 23:1,2. Altars and offerings. w 3. Balaam goes to meet Yehovah. x 4,5. Word put in Balaam's mouth. y 6. Return and station. z 7-10. His First parable. a 11. Balak's expostulation. b 12. Balaam's answer. u 13,14-. Second staion: Zophim. v -14. Altars and offerings. w 15. Balaam goes to meet Yehovah. x 16. Word put in Balaam's mouth. y 17. Return and station. z 18-24. His Second parable. a 25. Balak's expostulation. b 26. Balaam's answer.
41: And it came to pass on the next day, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal (=a master, a husband, a lord), that from that place he might see the extremity of the camp of the People.
3: And Balaam said to Balak, “Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go: perhaps the Lord (Yehovah) will come to meet me (in a neutral sense, Heb. kår‘å): and whatsoever He shows me I will tell you.” And he went alone to an high place.
4: And God (Elohim) met Balaam (in a hostile sense, Heb. kårah): and he (Balaam) said to him, “I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.”
5: And the Lord (Yehovah) put a word in Balaam's mouth (this is inspiration), and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.”
6: And he (Balaam) returned to him (Balak), and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.
z c 7. Balak's wish. d 8. Israel immune from man's cursing. d 9,10-. Israel excluded from man's reckoning. c -10. Balaam's wish.
7: And he took up his parable, and said, “Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram, Out of the mountains of the east, saying, ‘Come, curse for me Jacob (Heb. ‘årar, see 22:6 & 11), and come, defy Israel.’
8: How shall I revile, whom El has not cursed? (to pierce with words) Or how shall I be enraged with, whom the Lord (Yehovah) has not been enraged with?
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 (therefore cannot be in judgement of Matt. 25, or confused wth "the Gentiles, or with the church of God" 1 Cor.10:32).
10: Who can count the dust of Jacob, And the number of the fourth part of Israel?
Let me die the death of the righteous (to die the death of the righteous one must have righteousness of the righteous), And let my latter end be like his! (i.e. issue or reward.)
11: And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to pierce with words my enemies, and, behold, you have blessed them altogether.”
12: And he answered and said, “Must I not take heed to speak that which Yehovah has put in my mouth?”
13: And Balak said to him, “Come, I pray you, with me to another place, from which place you may see them: you shall see but the utmost part of them, and shall not see them all: and pierce them with words for me them from that place.”
14: And he brought him into the field of Zophim (=duskyplace), to the top of Pisgah (=a cleft), and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.
15: And he said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering, while I meet the Lord (Yehovah) yonder.” (in a neutral sense)
16: And the Lord (Yehovah) met Balaam (in a hostile sense), and put a word in his mouth, and said, “Go again to Balak, and say thus.”
17: And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord (Yehovah) spoken?”
z e¹ 18-20. God's immutable purpose. e² 21-24. Israel's immutable priviledges.
e¹ f¹ 18,19. God's nature unchangeable. f² 20. God's Word irreversible.
18: And he took up his parable, and said, “Rise up, Balak, and hear; Listen to me, you son of Zippor:
19: GOD (El) (Eng.=God Almighty)
is not a man, that He should lie; Neither the son of man, that He should repent: Has He said, and shall He not do it? or has He spoken, and shall He not make it good?
20: Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and He has blessed (Sept. reads, "I will bless"); And I cannot reverse it.
e² g i 21-. Negative. Absence of iniquity. k -21,22-. Positive. Presence of God. h -22. Strength (Simile: Buffalo). g i 23-. Negative. Powerlessness of enemies. k -23. Positive. Power of God. h 4. Victor (Simile: Lion.)
21: He has not beheld trespass in Jacob, Neither has He seen trouble in Israel (Heb. ’åmål, also labor, toil. Sin viewed in light of the trouble it causes; and of its burden; and its grievousness. Often rendered perverseness, also mischief):
the Lord (Yehovah) his God (Elohim) is with him, And the shout of a king is among them.
22: GOD (El) brought them out of Egypt;
He hath as it were the strength (=heights or heaps of. Heb.tô‘åpôth. Only here, Job 22:25 [plenty], and Ps.95:4 [=heights]) of a rhinocerous (the Heb. is revêm, could also be the buffalo or antelope: always endered "unicorn" in A.V.).
23: Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, Neither is there any divination against Israel:
According to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What has GOD (El) wrought!
24: Behold, the People shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: He shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, And drink the blood of the slain.”
25: And Balak said to Balaam, “Neither pierce them with words at all, nor bless them at all.”
26: But Balaam answered and said to Balak, “Did I not tell you, saying, ‘All that the Lord (Yehovah) speaks, that I must do?’ ”