Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 23:9

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.

9. And reckoneth not itself among the nations ] Israel felt themselves to be completely separate from, and superior to, other nations because they possessed Jehovah’s love and protection.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

For from the top of the rocks … – The for indicates the constraint under which Balaam felt himself. He had been met by God in his own way; from the cliff he had watched for the expected augury; and by the light of this he here interprets, according to the rules of his art, the destiny of Israel.

Dwell alone – i. e., apart from others, undisturbed by their tumults, and therefore in safety and just security. Compare the same idea in marginal reference; Jer 49:31; and Mic 7:14. This tranquility was realized by the Israelites so long as they clave to God as their shelter and protection. But the inward dwelling alone was the indispensable condition of the outward dwelling alone, and so soon as the influence of the pagan world affected Israel internally, the external power of paganism prevailed also. Balaam himself, when he eventually counseled tempting the people into sin, acted upon the knowledge that Gods blessing and Israels prosperity depended essentially on faithfulness to God.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 9. From the top of the rocks I see him] That is, from the high places of Baal where he went, Nu 22:41, that he might the more advantageously see the whole camp of Israel.

The people shall dwell alone] They shall ever be preserved as a distinct nation. This prophecy has been literally fulfilled through a period of 3300 years to the present day. This is truly astonishing.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

From the top of the rocks, upon which I now stand, I see the people, according to thy desire, Num 22:41, but cannot improve that sight to the end for which thou didst design it, to wit, to curse them. This people are of a distinct kind from others, Gods peculiar people, separated from all other nations, as in religion and laws, also in Divine protection; and therefore my enchantments cannot have that power against them which they have against other persons and people. See Exo 19:5; Lev 20:21,26.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

9. from the topliterally, “abare place” on the rocks, to which Balak had taken him, for itwas deemed necessary to see the people who were to be devoted todestruction. But that commanding prospect could contribute nothing tothe accomplishment of the king’s object, for the destiny of Israelwas to be a distinct, peculiar people, separated from the rest of thenations in government, religion, customs, and divine protection (De33:28). So that although I might be able to gratify your wishesagainst other people, I can do nothing against them (Exo 19:5;Lev 20:24).

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him,…. That is, Israel in their camps; Balaam being at this time on the top of a rock, or on an high hill, from whence he had a view of Israel, encamped in the plains of Moab below him:

lo, the people shall dwell alone; this certainly respects their dwelling in the land of Canaan, where they dwelt a separate people from all others, distinguished by their language, religion, laws, customs, and manner of living, being different both in their clothing, and in their food, from other people; nor had they dealings, nor did they company with those of other nations; see Es 3:8 “or shall dwell safely” z, or securely, not so much because of the situation of their country, but because of the protection of the Almighty; see De 33:28

and shall not be reckoned among the nations; as belonging to them, shall not be made of any account by them, but be despised and reproached for their religion chiefly; nor reckon themselves of them, nor mix with them; so the Targum of Jerusalem,

“they shall not be mixed;”

or, as Jonathan,

“they shall not be led in the laws of the people;”

and though they are now scattered among the people and nations of the world, yet they are not mixed with them, nor reckoned to be a part of them; nor do they reckon themselves to be of them, but are a separate distinct people from them. Thus Israel, or the people of God in a spiritual sense, dwell alone; not solitarily, or without company, in every sense, for they have the company of Father, Son, and Spirit, of angels and saints; but they dwell in God, in Christ, in the house of God, and with one another, separately and distinctly from the world: they are a separate people in the love of God; in the choice of them in Christ; in the covenant of grace made with them in him; in redemption by him; in his intercession for them; in effectual calling; as they will be in the resurrection morn, and in heaven to all eternity: and they shall dwell safely, God being around them; Christ the rock and fortress of them; the Spirit in them being greater than he that is in the world; angels their guardians, and they in a strong city, whose walls and bulwarks are salvation: nor are they reckoned among the nations; they are chosen, redeemed, and called out of them, and are not accounted of by them any other than the refuse and offscouring of all things; nor do they reckon themselves to be of the world, but as pilgrims and strangers in it. Baal Hatturim refers this prophecy to the days of the Messiah; see Jer 23:5.

z “confidenter”, Pagninus; “securus”, Vatablus.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

9 For from the top of the rocks I see him. Unless I am mistaken, the meaning is that, although he only beheld the people from afar, so that he could not accurately perceive their power from so high and distant a spot, still they portended to him something great and formidable. A closer view generally intimidates men; besides, a body of twenty thousand men then dazzles our sight, as if the number were five times as great: whilst the real extent of a thing is also more accurately ascertained. But Balaam declares, in the spirit of prophecy, that he sees far more in the people of God than their distance from him would allow; for, posted as he was on a high eminence, he would have only belleld them as dwarfs with the ordinary vision of men. He says, that “the people shall dwell alone,” as being by no means in want of external support: for לבדד, lebadad, is equivalent to solitarily or separately. It is said of the people, therefore, that they shall dwell in such a manner as to be content with their own condition, neither desiring the wealth or power of others, nor seeking their aid. The fact that the people had recourse at one time to the Egyptians, at another to the Assyrians, and entangled themselves in improper alliances, is not repugnant to this prophecy, in which the question is not as to the virtue of the people, but only as to the blessing of God, which is again celebrated in the same words in Deu 33:28

What follows, that “they shall not be reckoned among the nations,” must not be understood in depreciation of them, as if it were said that they should be of no credit or position; but the elect people is exalted above all others in dignity and excellence, as though he had said that there should be no nation under heaven equal to or comparable with them. And, although there were other kingdoms more illustrious for the flourishing condition of their people, and superior both in the number of their inhabitants, and in all kinds of prosperity, still this people never forfeited their pre-eminence, since they were distinguished, not so much by wealth and external endowments, as by the adoption of God. Thus, Mount Sion is called noble above all other mountains, because God had there chosen to make His abode. Others explain it that the people should be alone, so as not to be brought into comparison with the Gentiles, inasmuch as its religion should be separate from the whole world, and unmingled with heathen corruptions. The exposition which I have given is, however, more simple.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(9) For from the top of the rocks I see him . . . From the summit of the rocky mountain on which Balak had erected his seven altars, Balaam, according to one interpretation (see Num. 22:41, and Note), had a full view of the outstretched camps of Israel.

Lo, the people shall dwell alone . . . Better, Lo, it is a people that dwelleth alone, and that is not numbered, &c. In the fact that the host of Israel dwelt by itself in a separate encampment, Balaam discerned a type of the essential separation of Israel from the surrounding nations. When Israel adopted the ways of the heathen nations it speedily lost its external independence. Hengstenberg observes upon the last clause of this verse as follows:How truly Balaam said that Israel did not reckon itself with the heathen appears from the fact that while all the powerful empires of the ancient worldthe Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, and othershave utterly perished, Israel (which even under the Old Covenant was rescued from so many dangers that threatened its entire destruction, particularly in being brought back from exile) flourishes anew in the Church of the New Covenant, and continues also to exist in that part of it which, though at present rejected, is destined to restoration at a future period. (History of Balaam, &c., p. 409.)

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

9. From the top of the rocks From which he thought that he might most effectually curse the people; but the sight of them did so amaze him that he blessed them.

Shall dwell alone This predicts not so much quietude and safety as unprecedented separation from all the Gentile world. This isolation was manifested to the natural eye of the seer in the fact that the Israelites were then dwelling in a separate encampment on the plain. “In this his spirit discerned the inward and essential separation of Israel from all the heathen.” Baumgarten. As soon as they lost this peculiarity by copying heathen ways they lost their independence.

Shall not be reckoned Literally, shall not reckon itself among the Gentiles, having a different God and Defender. The capacity of the Jews to resist absorption into the nations among which they have been scattered for eighteen centuries is one of the world’s perpetual wonders. The Jews are a standing, incontrovertible proof of the truth of revelation.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Num 23:9. For from the top of the rocks I see him, &c. That is, from the top of the rocks on which he then stood: this, and the next expression, may relate not only to the present view he had of the camp of the Israelites, but to their future settlement in Canaan, wherein they were represented to his “mind’s eye” as dwelling securely under the protection of the Almighty. The people shall dwell alone, says Hebrews 1.e. separated from other nations by peculiar laws, religion, and manners; and how could Balaam, says Bishop Newton, upon a distant view only of the people, whom he had never seen or known before, have discovered the genius and manners, not only of the people then living, but of their posterity to the latest generations? What renders it more extraordinary is, the singularity of the character; that they should differ from all the people in the world, and should dwell by themselves among the nations without mixing and incorporating with any. The time too when this is affirmed increases the wonder, it being before the people were well known in the world; before their religion and government were established, and even before they had obtained a settlement any where. But yet, that the character was fully verified in the event, not only all history testifies, but we have even ocular demonstration at this day. The Jews in their religion and laws, their rites and ceremonies, their manners and customs, were so totally different from all other nations, that they had little intercourse or communion with them. An eminent author (see the Divine Legation, book 2: sec. 6 b. 5: sec. 2.) hath shewn, that there was a general inter-community among the gods of Paganism; but no such thing was allowed between the God of Israel and the gods of other nations: there was to be no fellowship between God and Belial, though there might be between Belial and Dagon; hence the Jews were branded for their inhumanity and unsociableness; and they generally hated, as they were hated by, the rest of mankind. Other nations, the conquerors and the conquered, have often associated, and united as one body under the same laws; but the Jews, in their captivities, have commonly been more bigoted to their own religion, and more tenacious of their own rites and customs, than at other times; and even now, while they are dispersed among all nations, they yet live distinct and separate from all, trading only with others, but eating, marrying, and conversing among themselves. We see, therefore, how exactly and wonderfully Balaam characterised the whole race, from the first to the last, when he said, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. See Dissert. on Prophecies, p. 123.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

What a delightful string of the most glorious prophecies doth the LORD constrain this man to deliver! Yes! the LORD doth send, by whom he will send, his blessed truths to his church and people. And let the Reader remark with me, that our GOD hath in all ages made use of the worst of instruments to promote the best of causes. For rather than his children shall want bread, be will feed them from their enemies’ table. Reader! amidst the prophecies here delivered dwell a short period on the contemplation of that remarkable one, that the people were to dwell alone, and not be reckoned among the nations. Seek I pray you for this distinguishing character in your own experience. LORD! grant that I may find my name among those which are written in the book of life. Rev 20:15 .

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Num 23:9 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.

Ver. 9. From the top of the rocks I see him. ] And have no power to hurt him. She heard me without daunting; I departed not without terror, when I opened the conspiracy against her life; howbeit, clothed with the best art I could; – said Parry the traitor concerning Queen Elizabeth. a Achilles was said to be Styge armatus, but Israel was Deo armatus, and therefore extra iactum.

Lo, the people shall dwell alone. ] That they might have no meddling with the heathen. God would not have them lie near the sea coasts, for the Philistines lay between them and the sea, lest they should by commerce wax prouder, as Tyre did, Eze 27:3 and learn foreign fashions. See Est 3:8 . Hence Judea, though part of the continent, is called an “island.” Isa 20:6

a Camden’s Elisab.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)