8<\/strong>. the princes of Moab<\/em> ] The verse appears to be from E . In Num 22:7<\/em><\/span> J<\/strong> <\/strong> describes them as the ‘ elders<\/em> of Moab.’<\/p>\n Balaam must surely have known that Gods blessing was on the people with whose marvelous march forth from Egypt he was acquainted Exo 15:14<\/span>; Exo 18:1<\/span>; Jos 2:9<\/span>, and from whom he had himself probably learned much (compare the language of Num 23:12<\/span> with Gen 13:6<\/span>, and that of Num 24:9<\/span> with Gen 49:9<\/span>). But his reply to the messengers next morning Num 22:13<\/span>, betrays the desire to venture to the utmost of that which God would not forbid rather than to carry out Gods will in hearty sincerity.<\/P><\/p>\n Verse 8<\/span>. I will bring you word again, as the Lord shall speak<\/B><\/I>] So it appears he knew the true God, and had been in the habit of consulting him, and receiving oracles from his mouth.<\/P> <\/p>\n The night was the time when God used to reveal his mind by dreams. Here is the first discovery of his wickedness, that he hakes time to consider, and doth his endeavour to effect that wicked notion of cursing the Israelites, which he should have rejected and abhorred at the first mention of it. <\/P> As the Lord shall speak, <\/B>Heb. Jehovah<\/I>, the true God, whom he here mentions, either for his own greater reputation, as if he consulted not with inferior spirits, as other soothsayers did, but with the supreme God; or rather because this was Israels God, and the only possible way of ruining them was by engaging their God against them; as the known way of the Romans and other heathens, when they went to besiege any city, they used enchantments to call forth that god under whose peculiar protection they were. <\/P> The princes of Moab, <\/B>and of Midian too, as is manifest from Num 22:7<\/span>, which was needless to repeat here. <\/P> <\/p>\n 8-14. Lodge here this night, and Iwill bring you word again, as the Lord shall speak unto me,<\/B>c.God usually revealed His will in visions and dreams and Balaam’sbirth and residence in Mesopotamia, where the remains of patriarchalreligion still lingered, account for his knowledge of the true God.His real character has long been a subject of discussion. Some,judging from his language, have thought him a saint; others, lookingto his conduct, have described him as an irreligious charlatan; and athird class consider him a novice in the faith, who had a fear ofGod, but who had not acquired power over his passions [HENGSTENBERG].<\/P><\/p>\n And he said unto them, lodge here this night<\/strong>,…. Which shows that he was at once inclined to do their business for them, and would readily engage in it if he could be permitted; and it looks as if it was in the night season that he got knowledge of things, either in dreams, or by familiar spirits, or by consulting the stars, or other methods used by him at such seasons; or it may be, this was only said to get time before he gave them a peremptory answer, that he might, if he could, get leave to do what they desired, to which he showed a good inclination:<\/p>\n and I will bring you word again, as the Lord shall speak unto me<\/strong>; by which it appears he had some knowledge of the true God, and pretended great familiarity with him, thereby to make himself the more respectable; and indeed he was surprisingly favoured with some degree of intimacy with him, which, for the sake of Israel, he was now admitted to; whether at any other time, or on any other occasion, is not certain; however, he promised the princes he would let them know the next morning what was said to him, and so accordingly what he should or could do:<\/p>\n and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam<\/strong>; that is, that night, and so very probably the princes of Midian likewise; though some of the Jewish writers think e they departed as soon as they heard Balaam say he would consult the Lord about this matter; from whence they concluded there was no room to hope for success, since he would never consent to destroy a nation so dear unto him, and for whose sake he had wrought so many miracles; but if this was the case, how came the princes of Moab to stay, with whom the same objection would have place? but the reason why they only are named may be what Aben Ezra gives an hint of, that these were the principal persons in the embassy, in whom the rest were included, as Balak their king was the principal person that sent them.<\/p>\n e Jarchi, Ramban, & Isaac Arama, apud Muis in loc.<\/p>\n Verses 8-14:<\/strong><\/p>\n Balaam invited the ambassage from Balak to spend the night with him. This implies that he expected to receive a vision or a dream, informing him what to answer their request.<\/p>\n During the night, God inquired of Balaam the identity of his visitors. Balaam replied truthfully. God forbade Balaam to accompany them or to place a curse upon Israel, because this was a people already blessed.<\/p>\n Balaam reported the vision to Balak’s messengers, and they returned to Moab and reported to the king.<\/p>\n There is no hint of trickery in this episode. Balaam fully expected a supernatural revelation. And God gave him instruction as to what to do. This demonstrates the reality of supernatural revelations, both from God and from demon spirits.<\/p>\n 8. And he said unto them, Lodge here this night. Inasmuch as he waits for a revelation from the true God, it is probable that he was not a magician or sorcerer, whose only power to divine arose from superstition or evil arts. We shall, indeed, see hereafter, that he was accustomed to use many impostures and deceptions; but it will be plain, from the evidence of facts, that he was furnished with the gift of prophecy. Not that he is to be reckoned among the true prophets whom God set over His Church, because neither was the perpetual office of prophesying conferred upon him, nor was it conjoined with that of teaching. For those servants of His, to whom God intrusted the office of prophesying, He so directed by His Spirit, that they never spoke except out of His mouth. And although they did not foresee all that was to happen, but only according to the measure of their revelation, still He concealed nothing from them which it was profitable for them to know. Hence the expression of Amos, <\/p>\n “<\/p>\n Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” (Amo 3:7<\/span>.) <\/p>\n In a word, they were the organs of the Holy Spirit for all necessary predictions; and the credit due to their prophecies was of an equable and constant character, so that they never spoke absurdly or in vain. Besides, they were endowed with the power of adapting their prophecies to a just object and use. Thus, after the Law was promulgated, they were its interpreters. In prosperity they bore witness to the grace of God; in adversity, to His judgments. In fine, their business was to ratify God’s covenant, whereby He reconciles men to Himself through Christ. Far different was the case with Balaam, and such like, who were only endued with a particular gift, (145) so that they truly foretold some things, and were mistaken in others; and, indeed, they only uttered bare revelations without any admixture of doctrine. God willed, indeed, that such should exist even among heathen nations, so that some sparks of light should shine amidst their darkness, and thus the excuse of ignorance should be taken away. Indeed, all those who have dared to delude the world by their impostures have usurped the name of prophet; and although the word divination is honorable and sacred, it has been improperly applied to the art of deception, and the liberty to lie, as it is the custom of the devil to profane God’s name by its impious abuse. Still, there were some among the Gentiles who occasionally predicted future events by divine inspiration; and this was especially the case before the Law was given, inasmuch as God had not then distinguished His elect people from others by this mark. At this time, it is true, the promise had been given, <\/p>\n “<\/p>\n The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee prophets,” (146) etc, (Deu 18:15<\/span>.); <\/p>\n but it was not yet generally known, and therefore God was unwilling that the nations should be deprived of their soothsayers, who still were very different from those true prophets, whose call was clear and legitimate. <\/p>\n I have said thus much briefly with reference to Balaam, whom God addresses in a vision by night, or dream, no less familiarly than any of His own servants; but only on a particular point. By the inquiry, “What men are these with thee?” Hie indirectly reproves his improper desires. At first sight he pretends a holy anxiety to obey, when he dares to attempt nothing without God’s permission, and refuses to stir a foot, until he shall have received His answer. Yet secret covetousness influences him to obtain from God, by bargaining as it were, what he still feels not to be right. God glances at this astuteness, when He inquires respecting the men; as much as to say, that there was no reason why he should detain them a moment, since their demand should have been peremptorily refused. And, assuredly, if he had been free, he would have hastened at once to obey the wishes of king Balak, even contrary to the will of God. He now requests that permission should be given him; as if he desired to have the reins, which withheld him from his evil purposes, slackened, when he would have willingly shaken them off altogether, if he were not well aware that he could do nothing further than God would permit. Nor, indeed, does he regard what is lawful and right; but only seeks that his mouth may be opened to curse with impunity. <\/p>\n (145) “Pour predire ceci ou cela;” to predict this or that. — Fr. <\/p>\n (146) A.V. “A Prophet.” See C.’s Comment. in loco, vol. 1, p. 433. <\/p>\n (8) Lodge here this night.<\/strong>These words indicate the true character of Balaam. As a prophet of the Lord, he must have known that in seeking to curse the Israelites he was sinning against the Lord, who had chosen them for His own people.<\/p>\n As the Lord shall speak unto me.<\/strong>It appears from this verse, as from Num. 22:18-19<\/span>, that the name of Jehovah was known to Balaam.<\/p>\n 8<\/strong>. <\/strong> Lodge here this night <\/strong> The night, when the external senses, in consequence of silence and darkness, were in a measure closed, was especially appropriate for a vision, the probable mode of the divine communication. <\/p>\n As the Lord shall speak <\/strong> Balaam, in using the name Jehovah, <\/em> the special and memorial name of Israel’s God, indicates that he is not a mere pagan juggler. He speaks like a Moses or a Paul. Yet some locate Balaam’s primal error at this point, that, knowing that Israel was the peculiar people of Jehovah, he did not promptly refuse to entertain the proposition of Balak and forthwith dismiss the messengers. But it is not certain that he had this knowledge of Israel’s relation to God.<\/p>\n Balaam Tells Them to Wait While He Obtains Words From Yahweh. ( Num 22:8<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> ). <\/p>\n Num 22:8<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n ‘And he said to them, “Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as Yahweh shall speak to me,” and the chieftains of Moab abode with Balaam.’ <\/p>\n Balaam clearly had a fairly large establishment as he was able to put up all the elders who had arrived with their servants. And he invited them to lodge with him that night while he received a word from Yahweh and found out what he would say. It seems from what follows that the purpose in bringing in Balaam lay in the belief that he could persuade a nation’s own god\/gods to turn against their people and remove their protection from them. Thus in this case, having been informed that Yahweh was Israel’s God, he recognised that he would have to deal with Yahweh on the matter. Meanwhile the ‘chieftains of Moab’, representatives from Moab and their allies, remained with Balaam. <\/p>\n Num 22:8<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>He said unto them, Lodge here this night<\/em><\/strong><\/strong> It is very evident, from this and the following verses, that Balaam, however mercenary in disposition, and however addicted to superstition, had communications with Jehovah, the true God of heaven and earth; see Second Principle.<\/em> <\/p>\n Who this Balaam was, or how he had acquired the outward knowledge of the GOD of Israel, is not said. Peter calls him a prophet, 2Pe 2:16<\/span> . Perhaps similar to Simon Magus, mentioned in the gospel account. Act 8:10<\/span> . There can be no question but that he was a bad man, and longed to hire himself out to work iniquity for gain. But in the midst of this had so much knowledge of the true GOD, as in the moment he did wrong he knew what was right. Devils believe, (we art told) and tremble. Jas 2:19<\/span> . And there is very little doubt, but that the devils with respect to head knowledge, in consequence of their intellectual faculties, have a clearer and better knowledge of the doctrines of JESUS than his best informed people. But here is the line of distinction between them and the LORD’S inheritance; they knew nothing of the LORD JESUS by the influence of his HOLY SPIRIT. They are and ever must be eternal strangers to the love of JESUS. I conclude that Balaam’s knowledge of the LORD was of the kind I have mentioned; and his use of sorcery seems to confirm it.<\/p>\n Num 22:8 And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.<\/p>\n Ver. 8. As the Lord shall speak unto me.<\/strong> ] Good words and wishes may be found in hell’s mouth; as wholesome sugar may be found in a poisoned cane, and a stone of great virtue in the head of a toad. The French have a berry which they name Uve de spine,<\/em> the grape of a thorn.<\/p>\n the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4. <\/p>\n Num 22:19, Num 22:20, Num 12:6, Num 23:12, Jer 12:2, Eze 33:31 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Num 22:15 – princes Num 23:3 – peradventure Num 23:15 – General<\/p>\n Num 22:8. This night The night was the time when God used to reveal his mind by dreams. As the Lord shall speak unto me Hebrew, Jehovah, the true God. Though he was mercenary and addicted to superstitious rites, he might still have some revelations from the true God, even as Laban had, though he used teraphim, or idol gods, Gen 36:24-30. Thus, though termed a soothsayer, he here acknowledges the true God, by his incommunicable name Jehovah, and yet with that profession he both loved the wages of unrighteousness, 2Pe 2:15, and joined in offering sacrifices on the high places of Baal, Num 22:41, and Num 23:2. Some think that he mentioned Jehovah either for his own greater reputation, as if he consulted not with inferior spirits, but with the Supreme God; or rather, because Jehovah was Israels God, and the only possible way of ruining them was by engaging their God against them. Thus the Romans and other heathens, when they went to besiege any city, used enchantments, to call forth that god under whose peculiar protection it was supposed to be.<\/p>\n 22:8 And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and {e} the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.<\/p>\n (e) Whom before he called elders: meaning the governors, and later calls them servants: that is, subjects to their king.<\/p>\n And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam. 8. the princes of Moab ] The verse appears to be from E . In Num 22:7 J describes them as the ‘ elders … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 22:8”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4392","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4392","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4392"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4392\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4392"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4392"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4392"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"