King James Version
The Book of Numbers
Chapter 23
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Commentary
Numbers 23
1 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.
2 And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.
3 And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place.
4 And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.
5 And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.
6 And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.
7 And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.
8 How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?
This should have been the logical conclusion from the very begining. However, Balak seemed to have thought differently, and Balaam probably did know this and maybe was interested in the payout should he play along with Balak.
How many times in our lives do we "go along for the ride" thinking that there is a payout somehow, and also knowing that the direction taken is unacceptable? This is common, and manifests in different ways. Perhaps it is a daily occurance in some peoples lives and they don't even see it for themselves.
This is a tragety. It ought to never be that one of us should follow after such sinful gain. We would do well exercising contentment with our current position, rather then seeking, by unGodly means, to increase. Our interests should be in helping other people increase (1 Corinthians 10:24).
9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!
11 And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.
12 And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?
13 And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.
14 And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.
15 And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.
16 And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.
17 And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken?
18 And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:
19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
20 Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.
This is another instance when both Balak and Balaam should have already known the answer. By no man's command will God curse the blessed. Jesus even said that a house divided shall not stand. God will not rule against His own judgement. It seems that Balaak is simply going along with this, perhaps to build up the payout.
21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.
Here it is clearly defined that God has no opposition with the people and will not initiate any. It's clear that God is showing Balaam exactly what is going on amoung the people, because Balaam repoorted to Balak that there is the shout of a king among them.
This seems trivial here, but it is not. God was not pleased to grant the People a king. He wanted to be the leader of the People and did not want a middle man. It is a story for later, but it is something that should be mentioned now because it could be a hint of discontentment begining to arise among the People.
22 God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.
23 Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!
24 Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.
25 And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.
It looks llike Balaam just got fired. Balak don't want Balaam to bless the People, so he said to just forget about it, "don't curse them OR bless them". Even the curses are blessings for people who are in line with God's will. What men mean for evil, God means for good. If God is for us, who can be against us?
26 But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?
Balak can't back out of it now. Balaam, in all fairness, did warn Balak that he would carry out all that the LORD will require of him.So, Balaak did get the point after all (no pun intended) when the Angel of the LORD stood in the path with his sword drawn.
27 And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.
Well, Balak sure seems to be a stubborn one now. If he can't discontinue this arraingment with Balaam, he supposes that another location would be more suitable to curse the People. I don't see how one position is any better than any other. I suppose that Balak is still a bit hopeful. Maybe from another angle they could see the People sin, or maybe Balaam will change his mind.
28 And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.
29 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.
30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.
(KJV)
Tuesday. December 15, 2009
