And therefore he took a :ight though wicked courſe afterwards, to tempt them to fin, and thereby to expoſe them to ruine, Numb. 25. And Balaam had now hoped that God was incenſed againſt I/rae! for their ſins, and therefore would be prevailed with to give them up to the curſe and ſpoil. Bur, faith he, I was miſtaken, I ſee God hath a ſingular favour to this people, and though he ſees and pu- nitheth tin in other perſons and people wirh utrer deſtruction, as he hath now done in$S:hon and Og and the 4morites,yet he will.not do ſo with 1{rae!; He winks at their ſins, forgers and forgives them, and will not puniſh them as their iniquities deſerve» In this ſenſe God is ſaid not to ſce fin, as elſe where he is ſaid to forget them, 1/a. 43- 25. Jer. 31. 34. and, to cover them, Pſal. 32. 1. which keeps them out of ſight, and 1o out of mind, and to b/or them our, P/al. 51. 1,9. and to caſt them behind his back Iſa. 38. 7, cr intorhe depth of the ſea, Mic. 7. :9. In which caſes they cannot be ſeen nor read. And men are oft ſaid 207 :o know or ſee thoſe lins in their children or others, which they do not take notice of to as to puniſh them. And this ſenſe beſt ag-ees with the context, God taath wecreed and promiſed to bleſs this people, and he hath bleſſed them, ana I canuer reverſe it, verſe 20. and he will not reverſe it, though provoked to do ſo by their fins, which he will take no notice of- Orhers thus He hath not beheld, as hithe-to he hath nor, ſo for the future he wil not behc1d, z. e. {: as to approve it, as that word 1s oft uſed, as Gen. 7. 1. 1ſa. 66. 2. Hab. 1. 13. or ſoas to ſuffer it, injury againſt jacob, &c. For aver here rendred iniquity, is oft uſed in that ſenſe, as Job 5. 6, 7. Prov. 12. 21.and 22. 8. and the other word amal rcndred perve;ſe- neſs oft notes vexation and trouble, as Job 5. 6, 7. Bſal. 25. 17. and 3. 4. and the pa:ticle bcth rendred in is oft uſed for againſt, as Exod. 4. 25. ant 20. 16. Numb. 12. 1. So the ſenſe is, God will not fee rhem wronged, or ruined by any of their adverſaries, wicreof the follo+ - ing words may be a good reaſon, for God is with hem. &c. 3 (1.e.)He hath a favour for this peopl=, and will defend and fave them. So the phraſe 0; God's being with a perſon or people ſignihes, as Juag. 6. 13. Pſal. 46. 7. Iſa. 8. 10. o (7.e.) Such joyful and triumphant ſhouts
4
as thoſe wherewith a people congratu'ate the approach and preſence |
of their King when he appears among them ujon tome ſolemn oc- caſion, -r +h-n he returns from bartel with vigo.'y and ſpoils. The exp-efſion implic God's being th..ir King and Ruler and their abundant ſecurity and juſt confidence in him as ſuch. And here 1; an alluſion to the 'ilver trumpe's which were made by God's com- mand, and uſed upon great ſolemniries, in which God their King was preſent in a ſpecial manner, Numb. 10. 9. Joj. 6. 16, 20. 1 Sam. 4. 5. 2 Chron. 13. 12. | 22 * Gud brought them out of Egyprtp 2: he q hathas it were the firength of an unicorn »- | p To ” it, by a ſtrong hand, and in ſpight of all their enemies,
and therefore 1t is in vain to ſeek or hope to overcome them. 9q Ei-
*chap. 24+ 8.
B E MES Chap: XXi1\ [ not thee, ſaying, all that the LORD ſpeaketh, that I muſt do? = | 27 And Balakſaid unto Balaam, Come, TI pray thee, | [ will bring thee unto another place: peradventure it will | pleaſe God,that thou mayeſt curſe me them from thence. 28 And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor z, that looketh toward Jeibimon. z An high place called Pet/5-Peor, Deut. 3. 29. i.e. the houſe or temple of Pcor, becauſe there they worſhipped Bazal-Peor. 29 And Balaam ſaid untoBalak, Buiid me here ſeven altars,and prepare me here ſeven bullocks and ſeven rams, 30 And Palak did as Balaam had ſaid, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar. HR A P; XXIV.
Balnam lay: aſide his ſorceries, and the Spirit of God comes upon lim : hi; Eyec are open; Hears the words of God; and ſees the Viſion of the Almizhty, I— 4. Propheſtes of Ijrnels proſperity, 5F— 9. Balak is Angry; come man's him to fiy; tis anſwer, 10 - 14. He propheſics of the Meſſias the King, and of the deſtruction of the Nations, 15 =—24, He returns to
his place, and Balak goes bis way, 25. NDP when Balaam faw that it pleaſed the LORD | to bleſs Iſrael, he went notas * atother times, + *chap. 2}
:o ſeek for inchantments # ; but ſet his face toward the 315- wilderneſs 6. TH
eb. zo
a (i.e.) To uſe enchantments, which he 1s faid ro have done,either theme | becauſe when he conſulted and facrificed ro God, he did alſo uſe en- ,.,.. | chantments and conſuir with the devil, that if one would nor, the : otaer might help him; or,becaule he conſulted God ina magical and ſuperſtitious way, by uſing ſuch poſtures or inſtruments or forms of + ords as inchanrters uſed. b Where Iſrael4ay encamped, either with intent to curſe J/rae! without Gods leave : Or rather, expetting what God of his own accord would ſuggeſt to him concerning this matter.
2 ind Balaam lift upbiseyes, and he ſaw Iſrael abid- ing 5» his tents, according to their tribes c: aud the ſpirit of God came upon him d.
c In the order appointed, Numb. 2. d (5, e.) Inſpired him to ſpeak the following words, and ſq, conſtrained him again to bleſs theſe xhom he delired to curſe. .
* nd he took up his parable, and 1aid, Balaam *chap. 2: che ſon of Beor hath ſaid, and the man + whoſe eyes are 7, 8. | open e, hath faid ; tHeb wh
e Theeyes, either 1. of his body, as in the following verſe: Or 2. #24 hirey of his mind, which God had opened in a peculiar and propherical ſut, but manner, whence Prophets are called Seers, 1 Sam.9g. 9g. He implies 20Wopel that before he was blind an ſtupid, having eyes, but nor ſeeing nor. | anverſtan.ing. Some render the words, having his eyes ſhut, as the Hebrew verb Satham ſignifies, the letters Schin ani Samech being fre- quently exchanged; And ſo the meaning is, that he received this ;evelation either in a dream, when mens eyes are ſimply ſhut; Or in an extaſie or trance, when mens eyes, though open, are in a manner ſhut, to wit, as to the uſe and exerciſe of them.
4 He hath ſaid, which heard the words of God, which {aw the viton f of the Almighty, falling into # trance g, but having his eyes open + |