Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 24:18
And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
18. which were his enemies ] Heb. has simply ‘his enemies,’ attached very awkwardly to the preceding words. Perhaps a word has been lost, and we should read ‘His enemies ’ in contrast with the next clause: And Israel doeth valiantly.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Seir – The older name of the mountain-land, south of Moab, and east of the Arabah, which the Edomites inhabited Gen 32:3; Gen 36:8-9.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 18. And Edom shall be a possession] That is, to DAVID: as it is said: “And all they of Edom became David’s servants;” 2Sa 8:14.
Seir also shall be a possession] That is, unto the king MESSIAH; as it is said: “And saviours shall come upon Mount Zion to judge the Mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s;” Obad., Ob 1:21. See Ainsworth.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
A possession; which was also foretold Gen 25:23, and in part fulfilled, 2Sa 8:14; 1Ch 18:13, but more fully by Christ, Amo 9:12; Oba 1:18; who shall subdue and possess all his enemies; here signified by the name of Edom; as Jacob or Israel, his brother, signifies all his church and people. Seir, a part and mountain of Edom, Gen 36:8, which may be here mentioned as the strongest part of Edom, to show that not only the rest of Edom, which is more accessible, but even the rocks and best munitions of it, shall be taken.
His enemies, the Israelites.
Do valiantly, or, gain power, or riches, or victory, all which are comprehended in this phrase.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
18. Edom shall be a possessionThisprophecy was accomplished by David (2Sa8:14).
Seirseen in the south,and poetically used for Edom. The double conquest of Moab and Edom isalluded to (Psa 60:8; Psa 108:9).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Edom shall be a possession,…. Of the children of Israel, which was fulfilled in part when the Edomites became the servants of David, 2Sa 8:14 and when they were smitten and spoiled by Judas Maccabeus,
them a great overthrow, and abated their courage, and took their spoils.” (1 Maccabees 5:3)
and still more so when all the Edomites or the Idumaeans were subdued by Hyrcanus, and they became one people with the Jews, and conformed to their religious rites; which is not only related by Josephus n, but by Strabo o, an Heathen historian, who says, that they joined themselves to the Jews, and embraced their laws: but in a spiritual sense this has had a greater accomplishment in the calling of the Gentiles, and introducing them into the church of God; see Am 9:12 compared with Ac 15:14.
Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; which was a mount in the land of Edom where Esau formerly dwelt, and so signifies the same as before: and also that the most strong and fortified places of the land should fall into the hands of their enemies; [See comments on Ob 1:17] [See comments on Ob 1:18] [See comments on Ob 1:19]
Israel shall do valiantly; in fighting with and conquering the Edomites, or shall get much wealth and riches by the spoil of them, see
Ps 60:9. This, and the following verse, are in some ancient writings of the Jews p interpreted of the times of the Messiah.
n Antiqu. l. 13. c. 9. sect. 1. o Geograph. l. 16. p. 523. p Zohar in Numb. fol. 85. 4. & 86. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
“ And Edom becomes a possession, and Seir becomes a possession, its enemies; but Israel acquires power.” Whose possession Edom and Seir are to become, is not expressly stated; but it is evident from the context, and from (its enemies), which is not a genitive dependent upon Seir, but is in apposition to Edom and Seir, just as in Num 24:8 is in apposition to . Edom and Seir were his, i.e., Israel’s enemies; therefore they were to be taken by the ruler who was to arise out of Israel. Edom is the name of the people, Seir of the country, just as in Gen 32:4; so that Seir is not to be understood as relating to the prae-Edomitish population of the land, which had been subjugated by the descendants of Esau, and had lost all its independence a long time before. In Moses’ days the Israelites were not allowed to fight with the Edomites, even when they refused to allow them to pass peaceably through their territory (see Num 20:21), but were commanded to leave them in their possessions as a brother nation (Deu 2:4-5). In the future, however, their relation to one another was to be a very different one; because the hostility of Edom, already in existence, grew more and more into obstinate and daring enmity, which broke up all the ties of affection that Israel was to regard as holy, and thus brought about the destruction of the Edomites. – The fulfilment of this prophecy commenced with the subjugation of the Edomites by David (2Sa 8:14; 1Ki 11:15-16; 1Ch 18:12-13), but it will not be completed till “the end of the days,” when all the enemies of God and His Church will be made the footstool of Christ (Psa 110:1.). That David did not complete the subjugation of Edom is evident, on the one hand, from the fact that the Edomites revolted again under Solomon, though without success ( 1Ki 11:14.); that they shook off the yoke imposed upon them under Joram ( 2Ki 8:20); and notwithstanding their defeat by Amaziah (2Ki 14:7; 2Ch 25:11) and Uzziah (2Ki 14:22; 2Ch 26:2), invaded Judah a second time under Ahaz (2Ch 28:17), and afterwards availed themselves of every opportunity to manifest their hostility to the kingdom of Judah and the Jews generally, – as for example at the conquest of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans (Eze 35:15; Eze 36:5; Oba 1:10 and Oba 1:13), and in the wars between the Maccabees and the Syrians (1 Macc. 5:3, 65; 2 Macc. 10:15; 12:38ff.), – until they were eventually conquered by John Hyrcanus in the year b.c. 129, and compelled to submit to circumcision, and incorporated in the Jewish state (Josephus, Ant. xiii. 9, 1, xv. 7, 9; Wars of the Jews, iv. 5, 5). But notwithstanding this, they got the government over the Jews into their own hands through Antipater and Herod (Josephus, Ant. xiv. 8, 5), and only disappeared from the stage of history with the destruction of the Jewish state by the Romans. On the other hand, the declarations of the prophets (Amo 9:12; Oba 1:17.), which foretell, with an unmistakeable allusion to this prophecy, the possession of the remnant of Edom by the kingdom of Israel, and the announcements in Isa 34 and Isa 63:1-6, Jer 49:7., Eze 25:12. and Eze 35:1-15, comp. with Psa 137:7 and Lam 4:21-22, prove still more clearly that Edom, as the leading foe of the kingdom of God, will only be utterly destroyed when the victory of the latter over the hostile power of the world has been fully and finally secured. – Whilst Edom falls, Israel will acquire power. , to acquire ability or power (Deu 8:17-18; Rth 4:11), not merely to show itself brave or strong. It is rendered correctly by Onkelos, “ prosperabitur in opibus ;” and Jonathan, “praevalebunt in opibus et possidebunt eos .”
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(18) And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also . . . Better, And Edom shall be a possession, and Seir shall be a possession, for his enemies (i.e., the enemies of Israel, or, rather, of the Ruler who was to rise out of Israel). The Hebrew word (oyebaiv) which is rendered his enemies appears to stand in apposition to Edom and Seir, as the word zaraiv (his enemies, or adversaries) in Num. 24:8 to the nations. Edom was the name of the people, Seir of the country. (See Gen. 32:3.) The prophecy received its primary accomplishment in the time of David (2Sa. 8:14), but the ultimate accomplishment is to be found in the person and work of Christ (Isa. 63:1-4).
And Israel shall do valiantly.Or, shall acquire power or wealth. (Comp. Deu. 8:17-18; Rth. 4:11.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18. Edom a possession As predicted in Gen 25:23, and fulfilled in 2Sa 8:14. As a kindred nation Edom might have had permanent peace with Israel, who was forbidden to war with them (Deu 2:4-5😉 but their bitter hostility to God’s people caused their overthrow, which David began and his greater Son will finish in the “end of the days.” Psalms 110. Edom, after various insurrections, (1Ki 11:14-22; 2Ki 8:20; 2Ki 14:7 ; 2Ki 14:22, note; 2Ch 28:17; Eze 36:5; Oba 1:10; Oba 1:13; 1Ma 5:3 ; 1Ma 5:65 ; 2Ma 10:15 ; 2Ma 12:33 ,) was at last conquered by John Hyrcanus 129 B.C., and forced to submit to circumcision and to be merged in the Jewish state, there to rule in the persons of Antipater and the Herods till the overthrow of the Romans.
Seir The mountain home of Esau. Gen 36:8-9.
Israel shall do valiantly Quoted by David after the conquest of Edom, Psa 60:12.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
I connect all that is here said respecting the destruction of the nations by Israel, for the sake of shortness. If the Reader be disposed to search out for the accomplishment of these prophecies, I refer him to Jdg 3 ; Jdg 8 , and Jdg 11 ; 2Ch 20 ; 2Ch 26 . But when I refer the Reader to these scriptures in order that he may discover the literal accomplishment of the prophecy, I would call upon him to look yet further, even unto the days of the gospel, for their spiritual accomplishment in the person, character and offices of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. The prophet Daniel points to his kingdom and conquests in a most beautiful and interesting manner, and by his unanswerable evidence gives us to see in whom the whole was accomplished. See Dan_7:13-14; Dan_7:27 . Compared with Dan 2:34 . And well may every true believer cry out in the contemplation of these events; so let all thine enemies perish, O LORD; but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. Jdg 5:31 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Num 24:18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
Ver. 18. And Edom shall be a possession. ] This was literally fulfilled in David, 1Ch 18:13 Psa 60:8 but spiritually, and especially in Christ, Isa 63:1-2 , &c. who shall shortly subdue the Romish Edomite. 2Th 2:8
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 27:29, Gen 27:40, 2Sa 8:14, Psa 60:1, *title Psa 60:8-12, Isa 34:5, Isa 63:1, Amo 9:12
Reciprocal: Gen 36:12 – Amalek Gen 36:31 – the kings Deu 28:13 – the head 1Ki 11:15 – after he had 1Ch 18:13 – all the Edomites Psa 60:12 – we shall Isa 21:11 – me out Jer 49:7 – Edom Oba 1:2 – General Oba 1:19 – the south Joh 5:46 – for
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 24:18. Edom shall be a possession This was also fulfilled by David; for throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became Davids servants, 2Sa 8:14. David himself, in two of his Psalms, (Psa 60:8; and Psa 108:9;) hath mentioned together his conquest of Moab and Edom, as they are also joined together in this prophecy. Seir is the name of the mountains of Edom, which were also possessed by David. Israel shall do valiantly As they did, particularly under the command of David.