y Iſa: 32. 40. Others thus, His ſeed ſhall be ſo numerous, that it ſa.ull branch forth into many people, the ſeveral tribes being reck- oned and ſometimes called ſeveral people, Or, his ſeed ſhall rule 0- ver many people or nations, which are ſometimes ſignified by ma- ny waters, as Pſal 144+ 7. 1a: 57. 29. Jer: 47. 2. Rev: 17. 15. But here alſo the literal ſenſe ſeems beſt. » (7. e-) The King of Iſrael, cither God, who was in a peculiar manner their King, or Ruler, Numb: 23. 21. Jedg: 6. 13. 18Sam:8.7, Iſa: 33. 22. or their chief Governour or Governours, whether King ort others: For Moſes is called their kin, Deut: 33. 5. and the Judges were in a manner Kings. s (i.e. Than the King of the Amalekites, which King and people were famous and potent in that age, ver: 20. as may be gueiſed by their bold attempt upon ſo numerous a people as Iſrael was. Andit is probably rhought by the Jewiſh and other Interpre- ters, that 4zag was the common name of the Amalekitiſh Kings, as Abimelech was of the Philiſtines, and Pharaoh of the Egyptians, and Ceſar of the Romans. Bur though this King only be inſtanced in, yet other Kings, to wit, ſuch as did- or ſhould border upon the Iſ- raclites, are doubtleſs to be underſtood, above whom the Kings and people of 1ſr2el ſometimes were advanced, and oftner ſhould have | been, if they had not been their own hindrance by their fins. Some make this a prophecy of Saul's conquering 4zag and his people, x Sam; 15.7, 8. But the words ſeem to be more general, and to 0 ſignifie a greater honour and advantage to Iſrael than that was. [chap: 23, 8 * God brought him forth our of Egypt, he hath as Wh, itwere the ftrength of an unicorn : he (hall eat up the | nations his enemies, and ſhall break s. their bones, and
pierce them through with his arrows. 5 Or, unbone, or, taken out, i. e. ſhall eat the fleſh to the very bones, and then break them alſo.
* He couched, he lay down #, as alion, andasa great lions who ſhall ſtir him up«? * Bleſſed is he that bleflech thee, and ciirſed is he that curſeth thee.
t Having conquered. his enemies the Canaanites, and their land, he ſhall quietly and ſecurely reſt and ſettle himſelf there. u (7. e:)
Awake or provoke him. 10 And Balaks anger was kindled againſt Balaam,
and he ſmote his hands together x: and Balak faid unto Balaam, I called thee to curſe mine enemies, and be- hold, thou haſt altogether bleſſed zhems theſe three times.
x A ſign of great anger, Ezek: 21. 17. and 22+ 13+
11 Therefore now,flee thou to thy place y : I thought to promote thee unto great honour, but lo, the LORD z hath kept thee back from honour.
y Whence I ſent for thee, Numb: 22.5. » Whoſe commands thou haſt preferred before my defires and intereſt ; And therefore ſeek thy recompence from him, and not from me.
f 12 And Balaam ſaid unto Balak, Spake I not alſo to i thy meſſengers which thou ſenteſt unto me, ſaying,
'12 * If Balak would give me his houſe full of jilver | 8. and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of | +Gr:ofmy the LORD, to do either good or bad | of mine own | ſelf- chap: mind ; bt what the LORD faith that will I ſpeak.
y 16. 28. 4 14 And now behold, Igo unto my people: come therefore, and * I will advertiſe thee 4 what this people ſhall do to thy people in the latter days 5.
' Or, inform thee, to wit, concerning future things, as it here follows, for this word ſeems inſeparably joyned with the followi:g. Others, give thee counſel, and tell rhee what this people, &©'c: So it | 5$a ſhort and defeftive ſpeech, ſuch as we have, Exod: 4. 5. and : 3+
8. And, by counſel they underſtand that which is related, Numb: 25.
1, 2. which was done by Balaam's counſel, Numb: 31. 16. Revel: 2
14. But the former ſenſe is more unforced and agreeable to the
following words, as they ly. b Not in thy time, therefore thou
haſt no reaſon to fear, but in ſucceeding ages, as 2 Sam: 8. 2. &c.
15 And he took up his parable, and ſaid, Balaam the ſon of Beor hath ſaid,, and the man whole eyes were open bath faid : | |
16 He hath ſaid, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the moſt High, bich ſaw the viſion of the Almighty, falling into # zrance, but ha- ving his eyes open :
17 I ſhall c ſee him d but not nowe: I (all behold him, ' #Mar:>.2, but not nigh: there ſhall come a * ſtar four of Jacob,and " *Pſa. 110. & ſcepter £ ſhall rife out of Iſrael, and (hall || ſmite the
Y- '
# Gen.49.9 ZGen.' 12”
| i.5 .& 27.
| *chap?227
| +Mic. 6.5.
2 corners þ of Moab, and deſtroy all the children of Or, ſmite Sheth ;, y thrmughthe |. Or, 1 have ſeen, or, do ſee, for the future is oft put for other
princes of
pag" times or tenſes: He ſpeaks ofa propherical fight, like that of 4bra-
ham's, who ſaw Chriſt's day, Joh: 8. 56. @ To wit, the #ar, and ſeepter as it here follows, 7: e: a great and eminent Prince, which was to come out of Jſrae!'s loyns, either 1: David, who firitdid the things here ſpcken of, 2 Sam: 8: 2: Pſal: Go: 8. and 108: 9g: and ſome of the Kings of Judah and Jſrae! afrer him, for it is not neceſſarily underſtood of one particular perſon : Or, 2. The Meſſias, as both Jewiſh - and Chriſtian Interpreters expound it, who moſt eminently and ful- ly performed what is here ſaid, in deſtroying the enemies of 1/-ae! or of God's Church, who-are here deſcribed under the names of the neareſt and fierceſt enemies of 72el: Which he doth partly by him- ſelf, by his word and ſpicit, and ſpiritual plagues3 And partly by his miniſters, thoſe Princes whom he makes nurſing Fathers to his Church, and ſcourges to his enemies: .And to him alone agrees the foregoing verb properly, T ball ſee him, to wit, in my own perſon or with the eyes of my own body. as every eye ſhall ſee him, Rev: 1:7: when he comes to Judgement. Nor can it ſeem ſtrange that Balaam ſhould ſpeak of ſuch high and remote things, ſeing he ſoreſaw and forerold theſe things by the revelation of the ſpirit of God, by which alfo he forcſaw the great felygitry of good men, and the mi- ſerable ſtate of bad men after death and judgement, Numb: 23: 10: e Not yet, but after many ages» 7} A title oft given to Princes and
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