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stroyed, lest the truth of his mission should be doubted; to which may be added his angry and sinful impatience about the gourd *.

Indeed in all ages it has been no uncommon thing, for God to make use of the agency of wicked men, to bring about his own wise and gracious purposes; though frequently contrary to the intention, as well as wish, of those who are so employed. And such was the case of Balaam, whose subsequent conduct proved how much he hated the Israelites, though he was forced by God, to pronounce a blessthem.

ing upon

It should be observed, that in those early ages the knowledge of the true God was preserved, though for the most part imperfectly, and probably by tradition only, in other countries, besides those which were inhabited by his chosen people. Thus for instance Melchisedeck was

* See Jonah i. and iv. See also our Saviour's own declaration, concerning those who prophesied, and worked miracles in his name. Matt. vii. 22, 23.

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the priest of the most high God; and Job feared and worshipped God. Besides it is by no means unlikely that Balaam might be descended from one of the children of Abraham, by Keturah. These the Patriarch had sent away from him in his life time, about 400 years before this event, eastward, unto the east country, (Gen. xxv. 6.) and from the mountains of the east Balaam came. Now though the nations descended from these sons of Abraham, became idolaters, and were bitter enemies to the Israelites, yet as their pious ancestor had, undoubtedly, instructed them in their youth in the knowledge of God, it is very probable, that some among their posterity, might retain this, their ancient worship. There is no reason therefore to doubt, that

Gen. xiv. 18. Job probably lived in Arabia after the death of Joseph, but before the Israelites, departed out of Egypt. See Lightfoot, Stackhouse, &c. but Grotius supposes, that he flourished, during the wanderings of the Israelites in the desert. Bishop Warburton, considers the book of Job as an allegory, founded upon a real event, Div. Leg. vol. iv.

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Balaam was a prophet, in the proper sense of the word; and certainly, his prophecies upon this occasion, were verified in a most remarkable manner. But these are foreign to the present subject, excepting one of them, which is generally understood to have a double meaning, as prophecies frequently have, referring in the first instance to David, and in the second, to the Messiah the son of David after the flesh.

This prophecy is as follows. I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. Numbers xxiv. 17.

Now with respect to David, this pro phecy was fulfilled in its literal sense, as he certainly reigned over Israel, and destroyed or subdued the Moabites *, of which number, are supposed to be also the children of Sheth; but both Jewish + and Christian commentators,

* 2 Sam. viii. 2.

+ Targum of Onkelos, as quoted by Bishop Newton on the prophecies. This was also the opinion of Maimo

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commentators, as well ancient as modern, believe that these words have also a reference to Christ.

The prophecy alludes to a very distant event; I shall see him (or, as perhaps it ought to be rendered according to Tremellius, I see him) but not now; I shall behold him, (or, I behold him) but not nigh. The star is a well known emblem of the Messiah; for which reason, and perhaps also, in order to fulfil this prophecy, the impostor who pretended to be the Messiah, about a hundred years after the death of our Saviour, was called Barcocab, or Barchochebas, i. e. the son of the star*. And Christ is called in Scripture the day

nides. Atque id prorsus ita est. Nam non regnavit David, super omnes filios Seth, neque ullus regum Israelis repertus est, qui toti orbi dominaretur. Totus enim orbis Sethi progenie repletus est." So Aben Esra declares this to have been the belief of the Rabbis, though it was not his own; " Magistri autem primum membrum ad Davidem, alterum ad Messiam referunt." Gemara, as quoted in Coch's notes on Sanhedrim.

* Echard's Eccles. Hist. And Basnage's Hist. of the Jews, who expressly gives this reason for it. Book vi. Ch. 9.

star,

star, 2 Pet. i. 19; the morning star, Rev. ii. 28; the bright and morning star, Rev. xxii. 16. And perhaps these expressions, are used by the sacred penmen, in allusion to this very prophecy, or to the star which appeared at our Saviour's birth, Matt. ii. And both Origen and Eusebius * are of opinion, that it was in consequence of this prophecy, which was universally known in the East, that the Magi, or wise men, when they observed a new star, came to Jerusalem to worship him that was born King of the Jews. The expression of the Sceptre also, as it follows in the prophecy, a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, is very similar to the prophecy of Jacob, on his deatlibed, already noticed; the Sceptre shall not depart from Judah, &c. and in both places it is an obvious metaphor for a king or governor.

So far it seems clear that this prophecy relates to Christ, as well as to David; but

* As quoted by Bishop Newton. See also Warburton's "Divine Legation," Book iv. Sect. 4.

the

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