This chapter finishes up the history of Balak and Balaam against Israel.
1 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not resort to divination as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness. 2 When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him 3 and he spoke his message:
“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
4
the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,[a]
who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
5
“How beautiful are your tents, Jacob,
your dwelling places, Israel!
6
“Like valleys they spread out,
like gardens beside a river,
like aloes planted by the Lord,
like cedars beside the waters.
7
Water will flow from their buckets;
their seed will have abundant water.
“Their king will be greater than Agag;
their kingdom will be exalted.
8
“God brought them out of Egypt;
they have the strength of a wild ox.
They devour hostile nations
and break their bones in pieces;
with their arrows they pierce them.
9
Like a lion they crouch and lie down,
like a lioness—who dares to rouse them?
“May those who bless you be blessed
and those who curse you be cursed!”
The prophesy is pretty much the same as the previous ones God gave Balaam, but the opening to the chapter is different. This time Balaam is seeing very clearly that God was definitely for Israel and against Balak. This time he did not fall into his ways of divination, he sought God directly. At this point he has realized that there will be no denying God. If God is for Israel, he cannot stand with those who are against them or he will most certainly be destroyed. God intends to bless his people, and any curses that come against them will turn into blessings. He’d finally realized that the power of God was better than the magical arts and so humbles himself before the Lord. As a result, God sends his spirit to Balaam and gives him a prophesy to speak. His first words reveal all of this “the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly, the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate and whose eyes are opened”. His ambition and greed have fallen away and been replaced with true reverence for God.
He starts with the beauty of their tents as he sees them through God’s eyes. He speaks of their increase, their honor, and their power and victory. He can see how they have courage and security in God and knows that those who stand against Israel will be cursed, but those who stand with Israel will be blessed.
10 Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times. 11 Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”
Balak becomes very angry, feeling that Balaam has cheated him. He tries to get Balaam to blame God that he will not be rewarded by Balak. He tells him to go home, indicating that he at least was too afraid to kill the prophet.
12 Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me, 13 ‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord—and I must say only what the Lord says’? 14 Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”
Balaam reminds Balak that he did warn him that no matter what the reward, he wasn’t able to do anything that wasn’t the will of God. The problem was that Balak didn’t believe him, reasoning that Balaam had always spun things in his favor in the past, so why wouldn’t he do that now? Balaam leaves him with one last word. A warning from God of things to come in the future for Balak’s people.
Balaam’s Fourth Message
15 Then he spoke his message:
“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
16
the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,
who has knowledge from the Most High,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
17
“I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob;
a scepter will rise out of Israel.
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,
the skulls[b] of[c] all the people of Sheth.[d]
18
Edom will be conquered;
Seir, his enemy, will be conquered,
but Israel will grow strong.
19
A ruler will come out of Jacob
and destroy the survivors of the city.”
This prophesy concerns David who smote Moab and the Moabites became his servants. (2 Samuel 8:2) At the same time Edom is also brought into obedience to Israel. It is also thought by scholars that this prophesy referred to Jesus coming as savior of the world.
Balaam’s Fifth Message
20 Then Balaam saw Amalek and spoke his message:
“Amalek was first among the nations,
but their end will be utter destruction.”
Balaam’s fifth message confirms the doom of Amalek that Moses had spoken of in Exodus 15:14 to Exodus 16.
Balaam’s Sixth Message
21 Then he saw the Kenites and spoke his message:
“Your dwelling place is secure,
your nest is set in a rock;
22
yet you Kenites will be destroyed
when Ashur takes you captive.”
The Kenites were the most secure nation, they were securely fortified and they thought themselves to be safe. Balaam tells them it is all temporary and there is no absolute safety.
Balaam’s Seventh Message
23 Then he spoke his message:
“Alas! Who can live when God does this?[e]
24
Ships will come from the shores of Cyprus;
they will subdue Ashur and Eber,
but they too will come to ruin.”
This prophesy looks far ahead in time to the Greeks and Romans, telling of their invasion and victory over Ashur and Eber. But ultimately God will destroy them as well – as all those who will stand against God eventually are destroyed.
25 Then Balaam got up and returned home, and Balak went his own way.
Footnotes
- Numbers 24:4 Hebrew Shaddai; also in verse 16
- Numbers 24:17 Samaritan Pentateuch (see also Jer. 48:45); the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
- Numbers 24:17 Or possibly Moab, / batter
- Numbers 24:17 Or all the noisy boasters
- Numbers 24:23 Masoretic Text; with a different word division of the Hebrew The people from the islands will gather from the north.
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