Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 24:20
And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek [was] the first of the nations; but his latter end [shall be] that he perish forever.
20. The utterance on Amalek.
And he saw Amalek ] The country of the Amalekites and that of the Kenites ( Num 24:21) might be just visible from the Moabite hills, lying far to the south and south-west.
the first of the nations ] i.e. the choicest; Heb. r’shth. Cf. Num 18:12. There is no historical evidence that the Amalekites ever occupied a high position among the nations (see on Num 24:7).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
When he looked – i. e., in spirit, as he saw the Star Num 24:17.
Amalek was the first of the nations – Rather, is pre-eminent among the neighboring nations: compare the same expression in Amo 6:1. Hence, the force of the words Num 24:7 higher than Agag, i. e., than the king of this powerful nation (compare Num 14:45; Exo 17:8). This rank, due to the warlike prowess of the tribe, Balaam contrasts with its approaching downfall and extinction.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 20. Amalek was the first of the nations] The most ancient and most powerful of all the nations or states then within the view of Balaam; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever, or his posterity acharitho, shall be destroyed, or shall utterly fail. This oracle began to be fulfilled by Saul, 1Sa 15:7-8, who overthrew the Amalekites, and took their king, Agag, prisoner. Afterwards they were nearly destroyed by David, 1Sa 27:8, and they were finally exterminated by the sons of Simeon in the days of Hezekiah, 1Ch 4:41-43; since that time they have ceased to exist as a people, and now no vestige of them remains on the face of the earth; so completely is their posterity cut off, according to this prophecy. The marginal reading does not appear to give the proper sense.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He looked from the top of Pisgah, which was exceeding high, and gave him the prospect of parts of all these kingdoms.
The first, Heb. the first-fruits; so called either,
1. Because they were the first of all the neighbouring nations which were embodied together in one government. Or,
2. Because they were the most powerful and eminent of them, as is implied above, Num 24:7, the best things in each kind being oft signified by the name of first-fruits. Or,
3. Because he was the first who fought against Israel, and was vanquished by them, in that famous battle Exo 17, which victory was an earnest and first-fruits of that large harvest of victories which the Israelites should in due time get over all their enemies, and, among others, over Amalek himself, 1Sa 15:3.
That he perish for ever: he began with God and with Israel. but God will end with him; and the firm purpose and will of God is, that he shall be utterly destroyed, Exo 17:14; so that Saul lost his kingdom for not executing this decree and Gods command pursuant thereunto, 1Sa 15.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
20. Amalek . . . his latter endshall be that he perish for everTheir territory was seen atthe remote extremity of the desert. (See on Ex17:13; also 1Sa15:1-35).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when he looked on Amalek,…. The country of Amalek, which lay to the south of the land of Canaan, Nu 13:29 and which Balaam had a view of from the mountain of Peor, where he now was:
and he took up his parable, and said; the parable of his prophecy, as the Targum of Jonathan, and pronounced it aloud:
Amalek was the first of the nations; not the first nation in the world, nor the chief and principal for numbers, riches, or strength, but the first that made war with Israel, as all the three Targums paraphrase it, as they did, see Ex 17:8,
but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever; this was threatened to them by the Lord upon that battle, and is confirmed by this prophecy of Balaam: and after this, orders were given to Israel to blot out their remembrance, De 25:19, and which, in a good measure, though not completely, was done in the times of Saul, 1Sa 15:8 and after that they were distressed by David, 1Sa 27:9 and the rest of them were smitten by the sons of Simeon, in the days of Hezekiah, 1Ch 4:41, after which we hear of them no more: Amalek may be considered as a type of antichrist, the son of perdition, who shall go into it, shall come to his end, and there shall be none to help him; which will be true of all the antichristian party, the enemies of Christ, who will be destroyed by him, and perish eternally; see Da 11:45.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The second saying in this prophecy relates to the Amalekites. Balaam sees them, not with the eyes of his body, but in a state of ecstasy, like the star out of Jacob. “ Beginning of the heathen is Amalek, and its end is destruction.” Amalek is called the beginning of the nations, not “as belonging to the most distinguished and foremost of the nations in age, power, and celebrity” ( Knobel), – for in all these respects this Bedouin tribe, which descended from a grandson of Esau, was surpassed by many other nations, – but as the first heathen nation which opened the conflict of the heathen nations against Israel as the people of God (see at Exo 17:8.). As its beginning had been enmity against Israel, its end would be “even to the perishing” ( ), i.e., reaching the position of one who was perishing, falling into destruction, which commenced under Saul and was completed under Hezekiah.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
20. And when he looked on Amalek. This people had already been destined to destruction by a Divine decree; but what God had before declared, is here again ratified by Moses. Although the vengeance, which God was about to take, lay dormant for many ages, it was at length experimentally proved that God had not threatened in vain. But, whilst it is true that they were destroyed by Saul, still we learn from the history that some still survived, and again inhabited their land. In order, therefore, to arrive at the entire accomplishment of this prophecy, we must come to Christ, whose kingdom is the eternal destruction of all the wicked. Poor and unsatisfactory is the view of some commentators (179) who think that Amalek is called “the first of the nations,” because they first took up arms against Israel, and encountered them in order to prevent their advance. Rather is the pride of Amalek indirectly rebuked, because they claimed superiority for themselves over other nations, and this on the score of their antiquity, as if they had been created together with the sun and moon. There is then a pointed comparison between this noble origin, and the slaughter which awaited them at their end.
(179) “So all the paraphrasts,” says Drusius, in Poole’s Syn. See margin A. V., and the gloss in the Geneva Bible.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(20) And when he looked on Amalek . . . From the. mountain of Peor, on which Balaam then stood, he had a view of the country of the Amalekites, which lay to the south of the land of Canaan (Num. 13:29; Gen. 36:12).
Amalek was the first of the nations.The ancestor of the Amalekites was Eliphaz, the son of Esau (Gen. 36:12). It has been supposed that the Amalekites separated themselves at a very early period from the rest of the Edomites. The word reshith, which is here rendered first, may denote priority in rank, but more frequently denotes priority in time. The corresponding word in the second clause of the verse, aharith (latter end), may be thought to denote that the reference is to time, not to rank. On the other hand, the reference in Num. 24:7 to the kings of the Amalekites may be urged in favour of the reference to rank. Some understand the allusion to be to the fact that the Amalekites were the first nation which attacked Israel when they had come out of Egypt (Exo. 17:8). It is possible, however, that there may be a reference both to time and to rank. (Comp. Amo. 6:1.)
But his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.Or, come to destruction. More literally, But his latter end shall be even to one perishingi.e., he shall come to the position of one who is perishing. The destruction of the Amalekites began in the reign of Saul (1Sa. 14:48; 1Sa. 15:7), was continued by David (1Sa. 27:8; 1Sa. 30:17; 2Sa. 8:12), and was completed by Hezekiah (1Ch. 4:42-43).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
20. Amalek was the first of the nations Not (as the Chaldee) in age, power, and renown, but as the first of the Gentiles that came into conflict against Israel as the people of God. Exo 17:8-13. These first fruits of the wicked nations, like Jericho, the first Canaanite city, were devoted to destruction. Exo 17:14-16; Deu 25:17-19; 1Sa 15:3-7.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Balaam Looks On and Prophesies Concerning Wandering Amalek ( Num 24:20 ).
As we come to this final prophecy we should note that it is specifically stated that Balaam ‘looked on’ Amalek and the Kenite. Exactly the same expression is used in verse 2 of him ‘looking on Israel’ (translated ‘saw’). The verb is also used three times in Num 23:13 where again ‘looking on’ Israel was preparatory to an oracle concerning them. And in fact this ‘looking on’ Israel was clearly considered an important part of the process. This would therefore seem to suggest that the Amalekites and Kenites were near enough to be ‘looked on’ for the same purpose (why else introduce the verb which is otherwise redundant). In view of the presence of the Midianites who were often linked with the Amalekites (see Jdg 6:3; Jdg 6:33 in the light of the whole of Numbers 6 where ‘Midian’ regularly signifies the threefold combination of Midian, Amalek and the children of the East) we may probably see that they were present with the Midianites in their association with Moab. The same is probably therefore also true of the Kenites.
Num 24:20 a
‘And he looked on Amalek, and took up his oracle, and said,’
This may signify elders of Amalek who were standing by, or an encampment of them in Moab.
Num 24:20 b
“Amalek was the first of the nations;
And his latter end shall come to destruction.”
This probably refers to the fact that Amalek was the first of all the nations to attack Israel when they had left Egypt seeking safety (Exo 17:8-16; Deu 25:17-18, compare also Num 14:43-45; Jdg 6:3; Jdg 6:33). It was seen by God as a particularly heinous offence for as a result of it we are told, ‘Yahweh has sworn, Yahweh will have war with Amalek from generation to generation’ (Exo 17:16; compare Deu 25:19; 1Sa 15:2-3). Thus Amalek of all nations would finally be destroyed.
Some, however, see it as signifying their ancient background. They are possibly the Meluhha mentioned in 3rd millennium BC inscriptions. But the Biblical view was that they were descended from Esau (Gen 36:12). This latter fact would explain why their offence was seen as so heinous. Like Edom they were a brother tribe to Israel. (However, as with Edom and Moab and many nations their descent would be a complicated affair, some being descended from Esau, and others being from sub-tribes who had united with these descendants).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Num 24:20 And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek [was] the first of the nations; but his latter end [shall be] that he perish for ever.
Ver. 20. First of the nations. ] Or, Principal See Num 24:7 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the first: i.e. the first that warred against Israel. Exo 17:8. Not the first in time or importance. shall be, &c. = “[shall be] destruction”. Compare Exo 17:16.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
nations
Or, the first of the nations that warred against Isael. (See Scofield “Exo 17:8”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
the first of the nations: or, the first of the nations that warred against Israel, Exo 17:8, Exo 17:16
his latter end: Jdg 6:3, 1Sa 14:48, 1Sa 15:3-8, 1Sa 27:8, 1Sa 27:9, 1Sa 30:1, 1Sa 30:17, 1Ch 4:43, Est 3:1, Est 7:9, Est 7:10, Est 9:14
shall be that he perish for ever: or, shall be even to destruction, Exo 17:14, 1Sa 15:3, 1Sa 15:8
Reciprocal: Gen 14:7 – Amalekites Num 13:29 – Amalekites Deu 4:30 – in the latter Deu 25:17 – General 1Sa 15:2 – Amalek 2Sa 1:8 – an Amalekite 2Pe 2:20 – the latter
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 24:20. He looked upon Amalek From the top of Pisgah, which was exceeding high, and gave him the prospect of part of all these kingdoms, he turned his eyes from the Moabites more to the south and west, and looked on their neighbours the Amalekites. Amalek was the first of the nations Hebrew, the beginning, or first-fruits, so called, either because they were the first of all the neighbouring nations which were imbodied together in one government, or because they were the first who fought against Israel and were vanquished by them. That victory was an earnest and first-fruit of the large harvest of victories which the Israelites should, in due time, get over all their enemies. The Amalekites appear to have been a very ancient nation. They are mentioned as early as the wars of Chedorlaomer, (Gen 14:7,) and therefore must have been a nation before the times of Abraham and Lot, and consequently much older than the Moabites or Edomites, or any of the nations descended from those patriarchs. But though they were the most ancient and powerful of the neighbouring nations, yet, says Balaam, their latter end shall be that they perish for ever Here he confirms what God had before denounced by Moses: see Exo 17:14. Balaam had before declared that the king of Israel should prevail over the king of Amalek; but here the menace is carried further, and Amalek is consigned to utter destruction. And this sentence was in a great measure executed by Saul, 1Sa 15:7; afterward more fully by David, 1Sa 27:8-9; and 1Sa 30:1. And at last, in the days of Hezekiah, the sons of Simeon smote the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped, and dwelt in their habitations, 1Ch 4:41-43. And where is the name or nation of Amalek subsisting at this day? What history, what tradition of them is remaining anywhere? They are but just enough known and remembered to show that what God hath threatened he hath punctually fulfilled. How incontrovertible is the argument arising from hence in favour not only of the truth of Balaams prophecy, but of the assurance which Moses had of its truth, and of the certainty of its accomplishment, inasmuch as he recorded it while Amalek was yet a very powerful nation, and thereby risked on its truth and fulfilment all his credit as an historian and his authority as a lawgiver and messenger of God!
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Num 24:20-24. Three Appended Oracles.These additional oracles, relating to other peoples than the Moabites, are probably derived from neither E nor J, but have been inserted by an editor from other sources.
Num 24:20. On Amalek.This prophecy, predicting the destruction of Amalek, received a fulfilment in the time of Saul, who put them under the ban (1Sa 15:7 f.); but some of the Amalekites survived to be slaughtered by David (1Sa 30:1-17), and a remnant existed even in the time of Hezekiah (1Ch 4:43).
Num 24:21 f. On the Kenite.These were a wandering people connected by name with Cain or Kain (Gen 4:1; Gen 4:22), who generally had their home to the S. of Palestine, mixing with the Amalekites (1Sa 15:6) or with Judah (Jdg 1:16*, 1Sa 27:10). The oracle predicts their deportation by Asshur, which is the usual designation of the Assyrians, though there was also an Arabian tribe called the Asshurim (Gen 25:3). When or how the prediction was thought to be fulfilled cannot be determined.
Num 24:21. nest: the word in Heb. involves a play upon the name Kain or Kenite.
Num 24:22. Render as in the mg., How long (will the Kenites fancied security last)?
Num 24:23 f. On Asshur.The victorious career of the Kenites captors threatened the extermination of all; but the oracle predicts destruction for the conquering power at the hands of the people of Kittim. Kittim properly means Cyprus (from its capital, Kition), which was subject to Assyria in the seventh century B.C.; and it is possible that the writer anticipates that the Cypriots will rebel against, and subdue, Assyria. But the name is also used to denote alike the Mediterranean countries in general (Jer 2:10), and Greece or Rome in particular (1Ma 1:1, Dan 11:30). If it here stands for either of the two latter peoples, the name Asshur probably means not Assyria (which was brought to an end long before Greece and Rome became world-powers) but Persia (as in Ezr 6:22 and perhaps Isa 27:13; cf. Isa 11:11*); and the prophecy may have in view the overthrow of the Persian Empire by the Greeks under Alexander the Great.
Num 24:23. Render, Alas, who shall live after Gods appointing him (to be an agent of destruction; cf. Isa 10:5 f; Isa 37:26)?
Num 24:24. Eber: (p. 34) lit. the country or people across (the Euphrates), and probably here a synonym for Asshur, whether this means Assyria (on the Tigris) or Persia (still further east).
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
24:20 And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek [was] the {n} first of the nations; but his latter end [shall be] that he perish for ever.
(n) The Amalekites first made war against Israel, Num 14:45.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
This oracle deals with the Amalekites who lived in southern Canaan and the Sinai peninsula and were implacable foes of Israel (cf. Exo 17:8-16; Num 14:43-45; Jdg 6:3; Jdg 6:33; et al.). Saul and David both defeated the Amalekites (1Sa 15:20; 1Sa 30:17), but this nation finally suffered complete destruction in King Hezekiah’s time in fulfillment of this prophecy (1Ch 4:43).