f So called cither ſtritly and properly, becauſe he was awake when this was revealed to him : Or largely and improperly,for any extraoruinacy diſcovery of Gods mind to him, whether ſleeping or . waking. g Or, extaſy, fainting and falling upon the ground, as the Prophets uſed to co. See » Sam. 9. 24. Exex. 1.28. an 3. 23. and 4i- 3- Dan.8. 17, :8. and :0. 6. Rev. 1. :7. Others, falling ſuddenly into a ſleep,as the Prophets ſometimes cid,as Ger. 15. 12. Dan. 8. 18.
5 tow goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy ta- bernacles, O Ifrael ?
6 Asthevalleys h are they 3 ſpread forth, as gardens
by the rivers ſide &, as the trees of Lign-aloes / which
f
{
if : :
'|
ther 1, :d, laſt mentioned. Burt ſo rhe compariſon is mean and unbecoming. Or rather, 2. J/rae/, whom God brought out 'of Egypt, ſuch change of num-ers being very common in the Hebrew
language.
invincible. » Whoſe great ſtrength and fiercenef is celebrated in Scripture, Nwmb. 24.8. Deut. 33. 17. Job 39. 9. Pſal. 22.21.and g2. 10. Bur whether ir be an Unicorn, er a Rhinoceros, or a ſtrong and fierce kind of wild goat, which is here called reem, it is not need- ful here to determine. :
22 Surely there s no inchantment || againſt Jacob s, neither 3s there any divination againſt lrae]: according tro this tims 7 it (ball be ſaid of Jacob, and of Iſrael, What
hath God wrought s?
5I find by experience and ſerious conſideration, that all mine and thine endeavours to enchant Iſrael are in vain, being fruſtrated by their omnip-»tent God. I can do there no ſervice by my art againi} them. #t Not only in ſucceeding times and age-, of »hich he ſpeaks, chap. 24. 17, &c. but even now, in this time and age, and fo fore- ward. u(:i.e.) How wonderful and glor:ous are theſe works which God js now about to do for 1rael, by drying up Jordan, by ſubduing the Canaanites, &fc. Thele things will be matter of diſcourſe and admiration to all ages.
24 Behold, the people ſhall rife up x as *a great lyon, and lifrup himfelf asa young lyon: he 'fball notlie down y, until he eat of the prey and drink of the bloud ofthe ſlain,
x As a lion rowzeth up himſelf to fight, or to go out to the prey, ſo ſhall 1/2! ſtir up themſelv-s ro warlike attempr: againſt all their enemies, as Occaſion ſhall offer it ſelf. y (3. e.) Not rett or ceaſe
from fighting and purſuing.
Fo
*Gen. 49.
The ſenſ” is, Iſrael is not now what he was in Egypt, a : po 1, weak, diſpirited, unarmed people, bt high and 9:ong, and |
the LORD hath planted »,, and as cedar-trees » beſide
; the waters o. _.
' +h Which oft-times from a ſmall beginning are ſpread forth far an. wide, Others, as the brooks, or rivers, as the word ſignifies, ' which ſtretch our and diſperie their waters into ſeveral channels, and ſomertim-s furth:r. 7 (7. e.) The Iſraelites laſt mentioned. k Plea- ſant and f uirful and ſ:cured by a fence. / An Arabian and Indian tree of a ſweet ſmell, yeilding good ſhade and ſhelter both to man an} beaſt: Such is rae, famous among the nations, and not on! ſafe themſelves, but yeilding ſhelter to all that joyn themſelves to them. »» Wh:ch are the b<ſ{t of the kind ; ſuch as not man but Go : might ſeem 60 have planted, as the beſt of all ſorts are aſcribed to Go-:, as the trees, hills, cities of God, &c. Compare Pſal: 104. +6. 2W hich are famous for growth and height and ſtrength and durable. | neſs, whence Solomons Temple was builr of this wood, 1 Kings 6. g, |
19, 0 Where trees thrive beſt. 4 7 He hall pour the waters out of his buckets p, and his «neye. g| ſeed ſhall bein mafiy ® waters q, and his King r (ball be ;. |
higher than Agag s, and his kingdom ſhall be exalteds ; p He (z.e.) God, will abundantly water the the valleys, gardens and trees, which repreſent the Iſraelites, wer.s6. 1. 7. e. hewill won- derfully bleſs this people, not only with outward bleflings,of x hich a chief one in thoie parts was plenty of water, but alſo with higher gifts an graces, with his word and ſpirit, which are oft-n fignitied by waters, Joh. 3.5. and 4. 10. and 7. 38, 39. and at laſt with eternal life, the contemplation whereof made Balaam deſire to Cie the death of the Righreous. Others thus, God ſhall make bis poſterity numerous: For the procreation of children is oft ſignified by wa- ters, fountains, ciſterns, &c. as Pſal. 68. 26. Prov. 5. 15, 18. andg. 17. 1a. 48. 1, Burt there is no neceſlity of flying to Metaphors here, and therefore the other being the literal and proper ſenſe, is
25 And Balak ſaid unto Balaam, Neither cupſe them at all, nor bleſs them art all. 26 But Balaam anſwered and faid unto Balak, Told |
by the laws of good interpretation to be preferred before it. 4 This alſo may be literally underſtood of their ſeed, which ſhall be ſown in waterifh ground, and tferefore bring forth a better encreaſe,
- #&9 Io.