C H A P. XXIIL Balak and Balaaw ſacrifice : God meets him,and he bl:ſſes Iſrael, y------ ro,
Balak is troubled : they go to another place to curſe them: they ſacrifice
again : Balaam conſults God, who meets him, and he again bleſſes Iſrael,
1 1I=---=-24, They go to a third place and ſacrifice again, 27----= 30.
ND Balaam ſaid unto Balak, /Build me here 1even altars «, and prepare me here ſeven oxen, and
ſeven rams 6.
a Either 1. To Baa!, in whoſe high places this was done, and to whom alone Balak uſed to ſacrifice. Or rather 2. To the true God, otherwiſe he would not have mentioned it to God as an argument why he ſhould grant his requeſts, as he doth wv. 4. And though Ba- lak was averſe from God and his worſhip, yet he would be eaſily o- ver-ruled by Balaam, who doubtleſs told him that it was in vain to make an larefs ro any other than the God of 1rae!, who alone was able cither to bleſs or curſe them,as he pleaſed. And therefore when Balaam loſt his deſign this way,he tried it another way with greater ſucceſs,but Kill uſed the ſame method, in provoking their own God to deſtroy the Iſraelites, Numb. 25. But though he dire his ſacrifices to a right obje&, he chooſeth a wrong place, and, ro comply with Balak's deſire, makes uſe of the high places of Baal for this end, and mingles his own ſuperſtitions with the Worſhip of God, in erett- ing divers Altars, according tothe manner of Heathens and Idola- ters, 2 Kings 18. 22. Iſa. 17.8. Jer: 11. 13. Hoſ. 8.11. and 10. 1. and and 12. 11. whereas God appointed and holy men uſed but one Altar, though many ſacrifices were to be offered upon it, Gen. 8. 20, Exod. 17. 15. and 24. 4. 6 This being the folemn and utual number in ſ:crifices, 1 Chron 15. 26. 2 Chron 29. 21. Job 42.
8. 2 And Balak did as Balaam had ſpoken,and Balak and
Balaam «c offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.
c Balak by procuring them, and Balaam by offcring them ; though in antient times Kings were Prieſts alſo, and ſo might perform a prieftly work, as this was.
3 And Balaam faid unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt- offering d, and I will go e: peradvencure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatſoever he ſheweth mef,
T will tell thee. And || be went to an high place g.
d As in God's preſence, as one that offers thy ſelf as well as thy ſacrifices to obtain his favour. e To ſome ſolitary and convenient place, where I may by my inchantments prevail with God to ap- pear to me, and to anſwer thy and my defires in curſing this people. f (i. e.) Reveals to me, either by word or ſign. g Or, into the plain as that word properly ſignifies, for he was now in an high place, Num: 22. 4!.- But this is not material, it was doubtleſs ſome ſo- litary place, where he might uſe ſome geſtures and ceremonies, which he would not have others ſee, and where he might more rea- ſonably expe& to meet with God ; for both good and evil ſpirits moſt commonly appeared to perſons in ſuch places.
4 And God mer Balaam b; and he faid unto him, I have prepared ſeven altars, and I have offered upon e-
wvery altar a bullock and a ram z.
þ Not to comply with Balaam's charms, nor to gratifie, but to oppoſe his wicked deſires, and to force him againſt his own incli- nation and intereſt toutrer the following words. # Which I pray thee accept, and give me leave to curſe thy people, as their abun- dant wickedneſs deſerves.
5 And the LORD put a word ia Balaams mouth &, and ſaid, Return unto Balak,and thus thou ſhalc ſpeak.
k He ſuggeſted what he ſhould ſay, even.thoſe words, v. 8, 9, 10.
6 And he returned unto him, and lo, he ſtood by bis burnt ſacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.
7 And he took up / his parable ws, and faid, Balak the King of Moab hath brought me from Aram »,out of the mountains of the eaſt o, ſaying, Come curſe me Jacob p, and come, defie Iſrael.
I To wit into his mputh, he expreſſed or ſpoke. m (7. e.) His oracular and prophetical ſpeech, which he calls a parable, becauſe of the weightineſs ofthe matter, and the majeſty and ſunartnels of
Il Or, he
went ſoli-
rary.
_—
9 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came :
kons, non of which have place in God,
Y © & -0.
the expreſſions which 1s uſual in parables. » From Aram,Naharain; or Meſopotamia, Deut. 23. 4, See Gen. 10. 22. 0 In which quarter Aram lay. The Eaſt was infamous for charmers or ſoothiayers Iſa. 2, 6. p The poſterity of Jacob, 7. e. Iſrael, as it here follows. :
8 How ſhall 1 curſe bom God hath not + curſed q ? ich: or how ſhall I defie hom the LORD hath not defied? © =:
q God hath not curſed but bleſſed 1ael, and therefore it is a vain and ridiculous attempt for me to curſe them in ſpight of God.
9 For from the top of the rocks r 1fſce him 5s, and from the hills I behold him : lo * the people ſhall dwell «1
alone,and ſha}l not be reckoned among the nations z.
r Upon which I now ſtand. - I ſee the people,according to thy de- fire, chap. 22, 41. but cannot improve that ſightto the end for which thou didſt deiign it, to wit, to curſe them. # This peop'e arc ot a diſtin& kind from others, Ged's peculiar people, feparated from | all other nations, as in Religion and Laws, fo alſo in divine Pro- ; tection; And therefore my inchantments cannot have that power againſt them, which they have againſt other perſons and pcople. See Exod. 19. 5. Levit. 20. 24, 26.
to Who can count the duſt of Jacob «, and the num- ber of the fourth part of Iſrael x: Letf me dye * the +Heb> »
death of the righteous, and let my laſt end z be like his. ſou! or my u (7. e.) The numberleſs people of Jacob or Iſrael, who according fe. to God's promiſe, Ger. 13: 16. and 28. 14. are now become as the *Pfal.116.
eur.z5* 29.
fg | duſt of the earth. x (7. e.) Of one of the camps of 1ſ-ael; For they 15.