6 As the valleys H5158 are they spread forth, H5186 as gardens H1593 by the river's side, H5104 as the trees of lign aloes H174 which the LORD H3068 hath planted, H5193 and as cedar trees H730 beside the waters. H4325
And the LORD H3068 God H430 planted H5193 a garden H1588 eastward H6924 in Eden; H5731 and there H8033 he put H7760 the man H120 whom H834 he had formed. H3335 And out H4480 of the ground H127 made H6779 the LORD H3068 God H430 to grow H6779 every tree H6086 that is pleasant H2530 to the sight, H4758 and good H2896 for food; H3978 the tree H6086 of life H2416 also in the midst H8432 of the garden, H1588 and the tree H6086 of knowledge H1847 of good H2896 and evil. H7451 And a river H5104 went out H3318 of Eden H5731 to water H8248 the garden; H1588 and from thence it was parted, H6504 and became into four H702 heads. H7218
The righteous H6662 shall flourish H6524 like the palm tree: H8558 he shall grow H7685 like a cedar H730 in Lebanon. H3844 Those that be planted H8362 in the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 shall flourish H6524 in the courts H2691 of our God. H430 They shall still bring forth fruit H5107 in old age; H7872 they shall be fat H1879 and flourishing; H7488
A garden H1588 inclosed H5274 is my sister, H269 my spouse; H3618 a spring H1530 shut up, H5274 a fountain H4599 sealed. H2856 Thy plants H7973 are an orchard H6508 of pomegranates, H7416 with pleasant H4022 fruits; H6529 camphire, H3724 with spikenard, H5373 Spikenard H5373 and saffron; H3750 calamus H7070 and cinnamon, H7076 with all trees H6086 of frankincense; H3828 myrrh H4753 and aloes, H174 with all the chief H7218 spices: H1314 A fountain H4599 of gardens, H1588 a well H875 of living H2416 waters, H4325 and streams H5140 from Lebanon. H3844
Behold, the Assyrian H804 was a cedar H730 in Lebanon H3844 with fair H3303 branches, H6057 and with a shadowing H6751 shroud, H2793 and of an high H1362 stature; H6967 and his top H6788 was among the thick boughs. H5688 The waters H4325 made him great, H1431 the deep H8415 set him up on high H7311 with her rivers H5104 running H1980 round about H5439 his plants, H4302 and sent out H7971 her little rivers H8585 unto all the trees H6086 of the field. H7704
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Numbers 24
Commentary on Numbers 24 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 24
Nu 24:1-25. Balaam Foretells Israel's Happiness.
1. to seek for—that is, to use enchantments. His experience on the two former occasions [Nu 23:3, 15] had taught him that these superstitious accompaniments of his worship were useless, and therefore he now simply looked towards the camp of Israel, either with a secret design to curse them, or to await the divine afflatus.
2. he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes—that is, in the orderly distribution of the camp (Nu 2:1-34).
the spirit of God came upon him—Before the regular ministry of the prophets was instituted, God made use of various persons as the instruments through whom He revealed His will, and Balaam was one of these (De 23:5).
3. the man whose eyes are open—that is, a seer (1Sa 9:9), a prophet, to whom the visioned future was disclosed—sometimes when falling into a sleep (Ge 15:12-15), frequently into "a trance."
5-7. How goodly are thy tents, … O Israel!—a fine burst of admiration, expressed in highly poetical strains. All travellers describe the beauty which the circular area of Bedouin tents impart to the desert. How impressive, then, must have been the view, as seen from the heights of Abarim, of the immense camp of Israel extended over the subjacent plains.
6. As the valleys—Hebrew, "brooks," the watercourses of the mountains.
lign aloes—an aromatic shrub on the banks of his native Euphrates, the conical form of which suggested an apt resemblance to a tent. The redundant imagery of these verses depicts the humble origin, rapid progress, and prosperity of Israel.
7. his king shall be higher than Agag—The Amalekites were then the most powerful of all the desert tribes, and "Agag" a title common to their kings.
10-14. Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together—The "smiting of the hands together" is, among Oriental people, an indication of the most violent rage (see Eze 21:17; 22:13) and ignominious dismissal.
15. he took his parable—or prophecy, uttered in a poetical style.
17. I shall see him—rather, "I do see" or "I have seen him"—a prophetic sight, like that of Abraham (Joh 8:56).
him—that is, Israel.
there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel—This imagery, in the hieroglyphic language of the East, denotes some eminent ruler—primarily David; but secondarily and pre-eminently, the Messiah (see on Ge 49:10).
corners—border, often used for a whole country (Ex 8:2; Ps 74:17).
children of Sheth—some prince of Moab; or, according to some, "the children of the East."
18. Edom shall be a possession—This prophecy was accomplished by David (2Sa 8:14).
Seir—seen in the south, and poetically used for Edom. The double conquest of Moab and Edom is alluded to (Ps 60:8; 108:9).
19. Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion—David, and particularly Christ.
that remaineth of the city—those who flee from the field to fortified places (Ps 60:9).
20. Amalek … his latter end shall be that he perish for ever—Their territory was seen at the remote extremity of the desert. (See on Ex 17:13; also 1Sa 15:1-35).
21. Kenites … nest in a rock—Though securely established among the clefts in the high rocks of En-gedi towards the west, they should be gradually reduced by a succession of enemies till the Assyrian invader carried them into captivity (Jud 1:16; 4:11, 16, 17; also 2Ki 15:29; 17:6).
23. who shall live when God doeth this!—Few shall escape the desolation that shall send a Nebuchadnezzar to scourge all those regions.
24. Chittim—the countries lying on the Mediterranean, particularly Greece and Italy (Da 11:29, 30). The Assyrians were themselves to be overthrown—first, by the Greeks under Alexander the Great and his successors; secondly, by the Romans.
Eber—the posterity of the Hebrews (Ge 10:24).
he also shall perish—that is, the conqueror of Asher and Eber, namely, the Greek and Roman empires.
25. Balaam rose up, and went … to his place—Mesopotamia, to which, however, he did not return. (See on Nu 31:8).