30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, 'upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.

31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.

32 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out 10to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:

33 And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.

34 And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it "displease thee, I will get me back again.

35 And the angel of the LORD said unto

7 Heb. who hast ridden upon me.

|

8 Or, ever since thou wast, &c.
11 Heb. be evil in thine eyes.

Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

36 And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.

37 And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto the to call thee? wherefore camest thou not un me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?

38 And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.

39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjath-huzoth.

12

40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.

41 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.

9 Or, bowed himself. 10 Heb. to be an adversary unto thee. 12 Or, a city of streets.

Verse 5. "The river of the land of the children of his people."-What river? This precise explanation rather confuses than elucidates the indication. We have therefore little hesitation in accepting the reading given in a considerable number of ancient Hebrew manuscripts and versions, which, instead of (beni-ammo), “children of his people," read (beni-ammon), “ children of Ammon." The river of the children of Ammon was the Euphrates; and Pethor was a town on that river-as we learn from chap. xxiii. 7, and Deut. xxiii. 4, that Balaam came from AramNaharaim, or Mesopotamia.

Verse 6. "Curse me this people."-It has been an opinion very extensively prevalent in different countries and different ages of the world, and which still exists, that there were individuals who had power, through the performance of certain rites, or by an exertion of an occult influence with the hidden powers, to devote others to inevitable destruction. It was even thought among most ancient nations, and even at present in the barbarous and semi-barbarous nations of Asia and Africa, that there were such persons whose power brought a curse upon entire armies. This was done sometimes by words of imprecation, and sometimes was preceded by or connected with certain solemn rites and sacrifices, as in this instance of Balaam. Several examples of such curses or banns occur in classical history, both on individuals and collective bodies, and in the Scripture history itself instances of something very similar are found. The recent case, in which Hormah was devoted to entire destruction, is in principle not wholly unlike this and several parallel examples. Thus also Goliah cursed David by his gods, devoting him to utter destruction. In similar cases we frequently read of the Romans devoting a person to the infernal deities. This people had proper officers, whose business it was to perform the ceremonies which were connected with such an act, when a public measure. Some of these ceremonies are noticed by Plutarch, who, in his life of Crassus, relates that the tribune Atticus made a fire at the gate out of which the general was to march against the Parthians, into which he threw certain ingredients to make a fume, and offered sacrifice to the most angry gods, with horrid imprecations. These imprecations, he adds, according to ancient traditions, had such an extraordinary power, that no man who was loaded with them could avoid being undone. At the present day the Indian nations, not to mention other instances, have always their magicians with them in their wars, to use incantation against the adverse party. In the late war with the British the Burmese generals had several magicians with them, who found plenty of employment in cursing our troops; and when their zealous exertions in this duty were discovered to have been without success, a number of witches were sent for with the same purpose. Mr. Roberts, who mentions this fact, adds, that the expedient is also sometimes resorted to, of introducing a potent charm among the opposing troops, to secure their destruction.

22. "God's anger was kindled because he went."-Not simply because he went, for he had been told to go; but because "the wages of unrighteousness" made him but too willing to go. He had been directed to go if the princes of Moab came to call him; but it appears that he did not wait for their calling, but arose in the morning and went with them. Besides, the Arabic verson of the Pentateuch reads, "because he went with a covetous disposition;" and this reading is probable, as it coincides with the motive of conduct which the apostle (2 Pet. ii. 15) assigns to Balaam. 28. "The Lord opened the mouth of the ass."-No better observations on this subject can be offered than are contained in the following extract from Bishop Newton's excellent Dissertations on the Prophecies:-"The speaking ass, from that time to this, hath been the standing jest of every infidel brother. Maimonides and others have conceived that the matter was transacted in a vision: but it appears rather more probable, from the whole tenour of the narration, that this was no visionary but a real transaction. The words of St. Peter show that it is to be understood, as he himself

understood it, literally. (2 Pet. ii. 14-16.) The ass was enabled to utter such and such sounds, probably as parrots do, without understanding them: and say what you will of the construction of the ass's mouth, of the formation of the tongue and jaws being unfit for speaking, yet an adequate cause is assigned for this wonderful effect, for it is said expressly, that The Lord opened the mouth of the ass:' and no one who believes in a God can doubt of his power of doing this, and much more. The miracle was by no means needless or superfluous; it was very proper to convince Balaam that the mouth and tongue were under God's direction, and that the same Divine power which caused the dumb ass to speak, contrary to its nature, could make him, in like manner, utter blessings contrary to his inclination."

Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the
LORD speaketh, that I must do?

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.

28 And Balak brought Balaam unto

the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshi

mon.

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.

Verse 1. "Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams."-Without entering into the large question respecting the true character of the remarkable man who gives these directions, we must admit that, with reference to the mystical number seven, they savour strongly of the tricks of magic and incantation. Israel had but one altar for sacrifice, nor could more than one have been necessary for any real purpose which Balaam could have had in view, except that of mystifying the king. It is indeed possible that he sacrificed to a different deity on each altar; but this the bearing of the context seems rather to forbid. It is certain, however, that Balaam was not the only ancient personage who, in religious services, manifested much regard for the number seven, with which some superstitions or other continue to be connected in most countries, our own not excepted; for, as observed by Sir Thomas Brown, who has largely investigated the subject in his learned dissertation on the Great Climacterical Year," Number, though wonderful in itself, and sufficiently magnifiable from its demonstrable affections, hath yet received adjections from the multiplying conceits of men, and stands laden with additions which its equity will not admit." Of these additions, the number seven, and, after it, the numbers nine and three, have received the largest measure. Many instances of superstitions connected with these numbers, and of odd numbers in general, might be adduced from the writings of classical antiquity. The following from Virgil (Ecl. viii. 73), with respect to the number three, is as remarkable, of its kind, as that concerning seven in the text:

"Around his waxen image first I wind

Three woollen fillets of three colours joined;
Thrice bind about his thrice devoted head,

Which round the sacred altar thrice is led.

Unequal numbers please the gods," &c.-DRYDEN.

We learn from the 'Oriental Illustrations,' that the number seven is generally attended to by the Hindoos in their offerings. The poorer sort will offer seven areka nuts, or limes, or plantains, or betel leaves, or seven measures of rice; and, if they cannot go so high, will at least take care to present an odd number. The same excellent work gives the most striking illustrative analogy to the present procedure of Balaam which has ever fallen under our notice. It is there stated, that when a king goes forth to battle, he makes a sacrifice to the goddess of the royal family (Veerma-kali) to ascertain the result of the approaching conflict, and to enable him to curse his enemies. For this purpose, seven altars are placed in front of the temple, near to which are seven vessels filled with water, upon each of which are mangoe leaves, and a cocoa-nut with its tuft on. Near to each altar is a hole containing fire. The victims, which may be seven, or fourteen, or twenty-one, and consist of buffaloes, rams, or cocks, are then brought forward, and a strong man strikes off the head of each victim at one blow, after which the carcase is thrown into the burning pit, with prayers and incantations. The priest then proceeds to the temple, and offers incense, and after some time returns, with frantic gestures, declaring what will be the result of the battle. Should this response be favourable to the inquiring prince, the priest takes a portion of the ashes from each hole, and, throwing them in the direction of the enemy, pronounces upon them the most terrible imprecations.

10. "Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel ?”—" Who can count the dust-like seed of Jacob?" is Boothroyd's reading. The frequent comparison of a great multitude to the dust, or to the sand, is quite in conformity with modern Oriental usage. The people of the East generally, whether in towns or camps, have the most confused and indeterminate ideas of numbers, as we have already had one or two occasions to notice. Thus, a Bedouin Arab, when questioned concerning the number of people in a town he has visited, or even concerning the numbers of his own tribe, or of the cattle belonging to it, will generally look bewildered, and ask in return, “Who can count the sands of the desert?" and sometimes he will otherwise express the same idea (or rather, want of idea) by grasping a handful of dust or sand, and throwing it into the air, to describe the incalculable numbers concerning which he is questioned.

21. "He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither... perverseness in Israel."-This is not true, literally taken. How often had God seen and been most provoked at the iniquity and perverseness of Israel! The text has been variously read. The Samaritan and Syriac understand the perception as that of Balaam himself, not expressing the perception of God; and read, "I do not behold," instead of, "he hath not beheld ;" and, besides the high authority, this reading certainly accords best with the narrative, and with the order of the context. Then the words rendered "iniquity" and "perverseness," may and, we think, ought to be differently rendered. The first word (, aven) means, in its primary signification, nothingness and vanity, particularly as applied to idolatry; wickedness in general, is another signification; and evil, affliction, sorrow, the third. Our translation prefers the second sense, and Boothroyd selects the third; but we certainly incline to the primary sense of idolatry; and then it will mean that Balaam saw in Israel none of those idolatrous vanities in which other nations were immersed, and that he attributed their safety to that cause. That this was his real opinion, we see from the advice he gave the Midianites, that to seduce the Israelites into idolatry was the way to effect their ruin. The other word (y, amal), rendered "perverseness," has the general sense of labour or distress, and so we would understand it; and then the whole sentence would mean, that Balaam saw no idolatry in Israel, and to this attributed the highly prosperous condition in which he saw them. The second clause is a deduction from the first. Dr. Boothroyd thus renders the sentence:

"I behold no trouble in Jacob,

Nor do I see distress in Israel ;"

and here we see, that by choosing the subordinate sense of the word N, in the first clause, he makes the second merely a repetition of the preceding.

27. "And Balak said unto Balaam.”-We should be inclined to place somewhere about this place a conversation between Balak and Balaam which is omitted here, but has been preserved by the prophet Micah, chap. vi. 5–8; in which the sixth and seventh verses are to be read as questions put by the King of Moab, and the eighth as the response of Balaam. From this, and indeed from all the history, we may infer that his religion was that of the patriarchs, and that he saw and despised the vanity of the idolatrous systems around him. We see, however, that his conduct was not in conformity with the comparative purity of his belief.

28. "Jeshimon.”—We know nothing further of this place than that it was in the plains of Moab, and that it afterwards belonged to the tribe of Reuben. It is probably the same as the city called Bethsimuth by Eusebius, and described by him as lying on the east of the Jordan, about ten miles from Jericho towards the south. This is the more probable, as this Jeshimon is called Beth-jeshimoth in chap. xxxiii. 49, and from comparing that passage with this, it would seem that the camp of Israel was pitched there at the time when Balaam beheld it from Mount Peor.

1 Chap. 23, 3, 15. Heb. to the meeting of enchantments. 3 Chap. 23. 7, 18. 4 Heb. who had his eyes shut, but now open. Chap. 23. 22. 7 Or, smile through the princes of Moab. the first of the nations that warred against Israel, Exod. 17. 9 Or, shall be even to destruction.

22 Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, "until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.

23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this! 24 And ships shall come from the coast

of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish

for ever.

25 And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.

10 Heb. Kain. 11 Or, how long shall it be ere Asshur carry thee away captive?

Verse 5. "How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob!" &c.-See the notes on Gen. xxv. 27, and Num. ii. 3; the former referring to the tents of the Arabians, which probably bore a general resemblance to those of the Hebrews; and the latter to the beautiful arrangement of the camp, which seems more particularly to have excited the strong and finelyexpressed admiration of Balaam on this occasion. The prefixed woodcut will serve as a general illustration of the subject, affording a view of a Bedouin encampment, and exhibiting the form of its tents.

6. "Lign aloes."-This was some kind of tree remarkable for the beauty of its foliage and the fragrance of its wood. But such terrible "defeatures" have been committed in those once flourishing regions, that it would be difficult to say precisely what tree it was. It belonged perhaps to the cone-bearing family, inasmuch as the word denotes also a tent, which, from the manner of "pitching" it, resembles in measure a fir or pine-tree. This was perhaps the same as the Agallochum of Dioscorides, which he tells us was burnt for sake of the odorous fumes that it produced.

7. "Higher than Agag."-The comparison strongly implies the national importance of the Amalekites at this period. It is thought that Agag was a name common to all the kings of the Amalekites. Another king of this name occurs in the history of Saul (I Sam. xv. 9, 33); and in Esther iii. 1, the term " Agagite" is used as equivalent to " Amalekite." Concerning the Amalekites, see the note on Deut. xxv. 9.

17. "I shall see him, but not now," &c.-Dr. Boothroyd renders this clause,

"I see it, though it will not be now:

I behold it, though the event is not near."

21. "Kenites."-See the note on Judges i. 16.

"Thou puttest thy nest in a rock."-The Hebrew word from which Kenite is formed signifies a nest, and is no doubt an allusion to the eagle, which delights to form its nest among the inaccessible rocks and mountains. The metaphor signifies security; which security, in the intended sense, the Kenites derived from having followed and dwelt among the Israelites-expressed by the fine figure of building their nest in a rock.

22. "Asshur," that is, Assyria.-See the note on 2 Kings xv. 29.

24. "Chittim."-Writers on the geography of the Bible entertain remarkably different ideas as to the country or