19 20 not go beyond the mouth of Jehovah my God, to do less or more. And now, I pray you, tarry you also here this night, that I may know what Jehovah will speak unto me more. And God came unto Balaam by night, and said unto him, If the men be come to call thee, rise up, go with them: but yet the word which I shall speak unto thee, that shalt thou do. 21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Balaam the Syrian (and so the people to whom he was a prophet,) did know and worship the true God, though corruptly, and it may be other gods also with him. And that other peoples, as the Temanites, Shuhites, Naamathites, and Buzites, kept the knowledge and service of the true God, is manifest by Job's history, Job ii. 11; xxxii. 2; xlii. 7-9. Also the name of God, Jehovah, was both known and pronounced by Balaam, and other people, together with the Hebrews, who now many ages since have abstained from pronouncing of it, as is noted on Num. vi. 24. LESS OR MORE,] Or, little or great: understand little thing or great, (as the phrase is more fully expressed in 1 Sam. xx. 2; xxii. 15; xxv. 36;) meaning any thing at all; to which the Gr. addeth, of mine own mind. In Balaam here is a picture of covetous hypocrites, which pretend they would not do against the word of God for an house full of gold, when they will do it for an handful: as this prophet laboured with all his might to do the thing which God had forbidden him. VER. 19.-THAT I MAY KNOW,] Or, and I will know, (that is, inquire,) what Jehovah will add to speak with me, that is, will speak more unto me. Here he beginneth to discover himself and his love to Balak's wages, in that he rested not in God's will, plainly revealed to him before: and that he tempteth God by this second consultation, as if he were changeable like himself, and would respect the person of the king or prophet, to speak otherwise than he had done. For where he pretended to know more, he intended and desired to hear otherwise, and contrary to that which he knew to be the mind of God. But God's people should rest in that which they know to be his word and will: and if any teach otherwise, let him be accursed, Gal. i. 8, 9. VER. 20.-IF THE MEN BE COME,] That is, forasmuch as, or seeing the men are come. So the word if, meaneth also in Song i. 8. GO WITH THEM,] God's permitting of Balaam to go with these second ambassadors, when he had forbidden him to go with the first, was in wrath against the prophet, who stood not in the Lord's first counsel; and therefore he was in danger to have died by the sword of the angel, ver. 33; and was indeed slain by the sword of Israel, Josh. xiii. 22. In the meantime, both he and the king had hope that they might effect their evil purpose, seeing that God himself seemed to change his mind: so being hardened, they went on with altars and sacrifices, to procure leave from God to curse his people, Num. xxiii. 1. For when men will not hearken to the voice of the Lord, he withdraweth his grace, and giv eth them up to the perverse intentions of their own heart, and suffers them to walk in their own counsels,' Ps. lxxxi. 12, 13. BUT YET,] Or, but surely the word, &c. By this restraint, God signifieth the continuance of his good will towards Israel, though in such words, as Balaam might still conceive hope to obtain his desire: for the first answer was plain, thou shalt not curse the people' ver. 12; in which he not resting, hath now a darker oracle, thou shalt do the word that I shall speak unto thee,' when he knew not what God would speak. Thus, when the will of God is known and not regarded, he taketh from men the certainty of their knowledge, and causeth his word to be dark and doubtful unto them, so that they stumble at it,' 1 Pet. ii. 8; the sun goeth down over the prophets, and the day is dark over them, Mic. iii. 6. Balaam thought he should have heard more from God, but heareth less, and loseth that which he had learned before. THAT SHALT THOU DO,] This both taught Balaam his duty, that he ought to do it wil lingly, and closely signified that that he should do, though against his will. For, the Lord bringeth to nought the counsel of the heathen, he maketh of none effect the devices of the people but the counsel of the Lord standeth for ever,' Ps. xxxiii. 10, 11. And he restraineth the wicked of their will, putting his hook in their nose, and his bridle in their lips, Is. xxxvii. 29; even Satan himself is limited, (as in Job's case, Job i. 12; ii. 6;) and cannot hurt the very swine, without leave from the Lord, Matt. viii. 31, 32. 6 VER. 21. IN THE MORNING,] As Abraham being spoken to of God to sacrifice his son, rose early in the morning and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him,' &c., Gen. xxii. 3; showing his readi ness to obey the will of the Lord, though with : Moab. 2 And God's anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of Jehovah set himself in the way for an adversary against him and he was riding upon his ass, and two of his young men were with him. 23 And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, and the ass turned aside out of the way and went into the field: and Balaam smote the the loss of his only son whom he loved: so Balaam here riseth early in the morning, saddleth his ass, and taketh two of his young men with him,' ver. 22; showing his greediness to get preferment, and the wages of iniquity which he loved, though with the loss of the favour of God, and (in the end) of his own life, God's children run not so fast in 'the way of his commandments,' when he enlargeth their heart, Ps. cxix. 32; but the children of Satan run as fast to evil, and make baste to shed innocent blood,' Is. lix. 7. 6 They turn and prepare themselves without iniquity in God's people,' Ps. lix. 4, 5: So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain, which taketh away the life of the owners thereof,' Prov. i. 16, 19. VER. 22.-GOD'S ANGER WAS KINDLED,] In Gr. God was angry in wrath. The judgments of God are a great depth,' Ps. xxxvi. 7; he is often offended, and that justly, when men do that which he saith do, because they do it not with that mind, and to that end which he requireth, Is. x. 6, 7; and his word or leave, is in displeasure against sinners that have no love to the truth. The young prophets of Jericho would have leave to send fifty men to seek Elijah's body, but Elisha forbade them: after by their importunacy he said, Send. They sent, and sought, but found him not: then Elisha gave them this reproof, did not I say unto you, Go not, 2 Kings ii. 16-18. As they ought to have rested in the prophet's first word, so should Balaam have done here in the first answer of God; and for not doing it wrath from the Lord was upon him. THE ANGEL OF JEHOVAH,] This angel speaketh as the Lord himself, only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that shalt thou speak,' ver. 35. Wherefore this seemeth to be Christ, the angel which redeemed Jacob from all evil,' Gen. xlviii. 16; and now cometh to redeem Jacob's children from the curse intended against them, the angel that was sent before Israel, to keep them in their way, in whom Jehovah's name was, Exod. xxiii. 20, 21; even Michael the great prince, which standeth for his people, Dan. x. 21; xii. 1. AN ADVERSARY,] In Heb. Satan, which name when it is used for an adversary to God's people, usually meaneth the devil, Job i. 6; Matt. iv. 10; Rev. xii. 9 : xx. 2; but here being spoken of an adversary to the wicked, and defender of the church, is applied to an holy angel, or to the prince of angels and men. And here the love of God unto Israel appeareth, that when he giveth a wicked 'man leave to go out against them, forthwith he sendeth his angel to resist him, and to stand for the help of his chosen; as all the angels are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation,' Heb. i. 14. TWO OF HIS YOUNG MEN,] That is, of his servants: see the notes on Exod. xxxiii. 11. So Abraham went with two of his young men.' Gen. xxii. 3. Ver. 23.-The ASS SAW THE ANGEL,] It pleaseth God to confound the wisdom of the wise and arrogant, by base and contemptible means, for the foolishness of God is wiser than (the wisdom of) men,' 1 Cor. i. 25. Balaam was a great prophet, accustomed to visions and revelations, yet saw not with his eyes, neither knew with all his skill (ver. 34,) that the angel stood against him, whom his ass, a rude and silly beast, did see and avoid to the safety of his master: and he that could advertise others of things that should befal them, Num. xxiv. 14, could not advertise himself of the danger of death which was before him. So God destroyeth the wisdom of the wise, and bringeth to nought the understanding of the prudent,' 1 Cor. i. 19. When visions appeared, the prophets were wont to see them, and others in their company saw them not, as in Dan. x. 7; Acts ix. 7; here the prophet seeth nothing, but the beast under him hath the eyes opened to see the appearance. HIS SWORD DRAWN,] A sign of wrath and vengeance; so David saw the angel that plagued Israel with a drawn sword in his hand,' 1 Chron. xxi. 16; and Joshua the like in that angel's hand, who, as captain of the Lord's host, was to destroy the Canaanites, Josh. v. 13, 14. Balaam went with a purpose to curse Israel, and after to have them killed with the sword: his curses would have been like the piercings of a sword,' Prov. xii. 18; he had whetted his 'tongue as a sword, and bent his arrow, even a bitter word,' Ps. lxiv. 4; the Lord to reward him according to his works, sendeth out a sword against him. THE ASS TURNED ASIDE,] The beasts, and fowls, and other brutish creatures, are often taken to teach and : 21 27 ass to turn her into the way. And the angel of Jehovah stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. 25 And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah, and she thrust herself unto the wall, and thrust Balaam's foot against the wall and he smote her again. 26 And the angel of Jehovah went further and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn aside, to the right hand or to the left. And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah, and she fell down under Balaam; and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. 28 And Jehovah opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me convince men, Job xii. 7, 8; Is. i. 3; Jer. viii. 7; and Balaam's folly was reproved here by the action of this dumb beast, as after it was by words, Num. xxii. 28, 30; 2 Pet. ii. 16. Balaam's way was perverse before the Lord, ver. 32; he had forsaken the right way, and went astray, 2 Pet. ii. 15; the ass turning aside out of the way, might have taught him to have desisted from his evil course. The ass avoideth the danger and evil before his eyes; the master being blinded with ambition and covetousness, seeth it not, but would go on to destruction, ver. 33. SMOTE THE ASS,] The Gr. here addeth, with his rod (or staff,) which is taken from ver. 27. As he that judgeth another, condemneth himself doing the same things, Rom. ii. 1; so the prophet in smiting his beast, showed himself to be worthy of more stripes, doing much worse than it. 'A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back,' Prov. xxvi. 3. VER. 24.-AND A WALL,] In Chald. and another wall. The angel needed not have chosen such places; but these things happened unto Balaam for ensamples, and are written for our admonition; for when men go on in a way not good, if they escape one peril, they fall into another greater, and at last into inevitable danger; as the prophet signifieth by fear, and pit, and snare; he that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare,' Jer. xlviii. 43, 44. VER. 25.-AND THRUST BALAAM'S FOOT,] Or pressed, crushed his foot. This word is used in 2 Kings vi. 32, where the king's messenger, who was sent to take away Elisha's head, was pressed (or crushed) in the door.' God by this second sign came nearer unto Balaam, who went on in his perverse way, and withal discovereth the vanity of his art, who, being a diviner, could not presage the evil that should befal him, though such things as these happened in his way, which, in the opinion of vain men, are signs of ill luck: and therefore by the grounds of his own craft, should have turned him back, or .made him to suspect at least, that this jour ney should be unfortunate: see 1 Sam. vi. 2, 3, 9. But Godtaketh the wise in their own craftiness, and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong: they meet with darkness in the day time, and grope in the noon day, as in the night. But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty,' Job v. 13 -15. The children of God have the angels to keep them in all their ways, and to bear them up, lest they dash their foot against a stone, Ps. xci. 11, 12. But Balaam tempting the Lord, hath his angel to withstand him, whereby his foot is crushed against the wall: yet maketh he no good use thereof. VER. 26. NO WAY TO TURN ASIDE,] In this carriage of the angel, the Lord would have us see the proceeding of his judgments against sinners; first more mildly, shaking his rod at them, but letting them go untouched; then coming nearer, he toucheth them with an easy correction, as it were wringing their foot against a wall; but bringing them at last to such a strait, as they can no way escape his hand, but must fall before him. VER. 27.-BALAAM'S ANGER WAS KINDLED,] The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God,' James i. 20; ' but a furious man aboundeth in transgression,' Prov. xxix. 22. Balaam learned no good by this strange carriage of his beast, but is more enraged and smiteth it, not knowing that by means of it his own life was saved, ver. 33. This foolishness of the prophet the dumb beast reproveth, ver. 28, &c. and in him God would let us see the nature of wicked men, which make no good use of his works, neither see his providence in the creatures, the service whereof he lendeth unto them. VER. 28.-OPENED THE MOUTH OF THE ASS,] That the dumb ass spake with man's voice,' 2 Pet. ii. 16, by which miracle the prophet had not only a rebuke, but a cause of fear and astonishment, yet hardened he himself against it also, and pleaded for to maintain his folly, ver. 29, so no works, signs or these three times? 29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me; I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now I would kill thee. 30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass which thou hast ridden upon ever since I was thine unto this day, was I ever wont to do so unto thee?" And he said, Nay. And Jehovah uncovered the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of Jehovah standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, and he bended down the head, and bowed himself down on his face. And the angel of Jehovah said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? Behold, I came out 32 miracles, are able to change the hardness of man's heart, but grace from God only, John xii. 37, 38. And here we may observe how the devil, to draw into sin, chose the serpent for his instrument, the most subtile beast of the field, Gen. iii. 1, but God to rebuke and convince the wicked, useth the ass, the most silly of all beasts: showing as in a figure, how satan's continual practice is to corrupt men's minds from the simplicity that is in Christ, by deceitful workers, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive,' 2 Cor. xi. 3, 13; Eph. iv. 14, while Christ sendeth men to preach the gospel, 'not with wisdom of words,' but with the plain demonstration of the truth, and chooseth the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, the weak things of the world to confound the mighty, and base things of the world, and things despised, yea and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are,' I Cor. i. 17, 27, 28. For the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light,' Luke xvi. 8. VER. 29.-I WOULD KILL THEE,] The prophet is neither dismayed with the speaking of his dumb beast, nor abated from his wrath, but increaseth in evil, who before he knew or inquired of the cause, would presently kill the ass that saved his life. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast, but the bowels of the wicked are cruel,' Prov. xii. 10. If Balaam looked for such good service of the brute beast, and would not be mocked or abused thereby, he being a reasonable creature, and wiser than many, should much less have mocked with God, and resisted his counsel: but by his own words against his ass, he condemneth himself, being guilty of death for his sin against God, as the angel showeth in ver. 32, 33. VER. 30.-EVER SINCE I WAS THINE,] Or, since thou hast had me: the Gr. translateth it, from thy youth: the Chald. since thou hast been: and the Heb. phrase sometime so meaneth, as in Gen. xlviii. 15, 'since I was;' where the Gr. also expoundeth VOL. II. it, from my youth. WAS I EVER WONT,] Or, have I accustoming been accustomed? By this demand, the beast convinceth the prophet's foolishness, who should have gathered that some extraordinary cause moved it thus to do, seeing it had never done so before: and teacheth us, that when the creatures depart from their kind and customed obedience unto us, we should look for the cause thereof in ourselves: for our sins against God occasion the creatures to rebel against us, Lev. xxvi. 20-22. VER. 31.-UNCOVERED THE EYES,] Opened them to see the angel as the ass did before him, ver. 23, signifying, that as men cannot see the marvellous things of his law, unless he uncover their eyes, Ps. cxix. 18, so neither can they behold the deaths and dangers that are to come on them for the transgression of his law, unless he reveal them, Is. xlvii. 11. The way of the wicked is as darkness, they know not at what they stumble,' Prov. iv. 19. BOWED HIMSELF DOWN ON HIS FACE,] Or, to his face; as the Gr. translateth, he bowed down to his face, that is, worshipped the face or person of the angel. VER. 32.- -WHEREFORE HAST THOU SMITTEN, &c.] The angel rebuketh the misusage of his beast, which ought not to be smitten without cause; how much less then might he smite innocent men with the curse of his tongue? And God, who saveth man and beast,' Ps. xxxvi. 7, and commanded that the beasts also should rest from their toil on the Sabbath day, Deut. v. 14, and defendeth their innocency against their cruel masters, will much more defend the cause of his people against their wrongful oppressors, Exod. xxii. 23. THY WAY IS PERVERSE,] Or, the way which thou goest is perverse, that is, thy purpose and intent in going this journey, is contrary to my will which I first revealed unto thee, ver. 12. The Chald. paraphraseth thus, "because it is manifest before me, that thou wouldest go in a way against me.' The apostle openeth and applieth it against the Balaamites of his time, in these words; 'an heart they have exercised with covetous " : 33 And un to be an adversary, because thy way is perverse before me. the ass saw me, and turned aside before me these three times: less she had turned aside from me, surely now also I had slain thee and saved her alive. * And Balaam said unto the angel of Jehovah, I have sinned, for I knew not that thou stoodst against me in the way and now if it be evil in thine eyes, I will get me back again. 35 And the angel of Jehovah said unto Balaam, Go with the men, but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that shalt thou speak and Balaam went with the princes of Balak. 36 And Balak heard that Balaam was come, and he went out to meet him, unto a city of Moab which is by the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost of the border. 37 And Balak said unto Balaam, Did not I sending send unto thee to call thee? Wherefore camest thou : practices, children of the curse, which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam (the son) of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness,' 2 Pet. ii, 14, 15. The apostle Jude (in ver. 11,) calleth it the error of Balaam.' VER. 33. TURNED ASIDE BEFORE ME,] Or, at my face or presence: so after, turned aside from me, or, from my face or presence. I HAD SLAIN THEE,] Or, killed thee: in the angel's former words the justice of his judgment is implied; for if Balaam did smite his ass, for turning aside out of the way, ver. 23, and would have killed her for falling down under him, though thereby his life was saved, ver. 29, how much more deserved he himself to be smitten and killed, for departing out of the Lord's way, and following his own crooked ways, with a purpose to destroy the lives of his people Israel. Therefore a wo is pronounced on those that run greedily after Balaam's error for reward, Jude ver. 11. SAVED HER ALIVE,] As we have an example in the prophet, who being disobedient unto the mouth of the Lord, 'a lion met him by the way and slew him, but the ass whereon he rode was not torn,' 1 Kings xiii. 23, 24, 26, 28. VER. 34. I HAVE SINNED,] This seemeth to be acknowledged, for his smiting of the ass, and his reason following so showeth: but the sin that lay hid in his heart, his wicked purpose and covetousness, he dissembleth, and prosecuteth still unto the end. IF IT BE EVIL IN THINE EYES,] That is, as the Gr. translateth, if it please thee not; meaning, that he should go on his journey. He could not be ignorant, that his evil intent to curse God's people for his own promotion, was most evil in the Lord's eyes, and the cause why the angel came out against him; but concealing that, he speaketh of his outward actions, and faintly offereth to turn back, with an if it were evil.' His love to the wages of unrighteousness caused him thus to speak, together with the leave which God had given him, in ver. 20, fain he would go, but if necessity constrain him he will turn back. VER. 35.-GO WITH THE MEN,] When neither the first words of God who forbade him, ver. 12, nor the signs and dangers which met him by the way, could turn his heart, or deliver him from his error, the Lord again biddeth him go on, so giving him up to his own lusts; which he followed to his destruction. See the notes on ver. 20. So Jarchi explaineth these words, "Go with the men, for thy portion is with them, and thine end to perish out of the world." VER. 36. HE WENT OUT TO MEET HIM, For to welcome him, and entertain him with honour; as Moses to like end, went out to meet his father-in-law, Exod. xviii. 7, and Joseph went out to meet Israel his father, Gen. xlvi. 29, and the kings of Sodom and of Salem, to meet Abraham, Gen. xiv. 17, 18; Heb. vii. 1. It showeth how greatly Balaam was respected of the king, as false prophets have always been of wicked rulers, because they serve their lusts. It had been Moab's duty to have met their brother Israel with bread and water in the way when they came out of Egypt: but lo the king of Moab goeth out (even to the utmost border of his land) to meet this soothsayer, whom he had hired to curse Israel; therefore God commandeth his people not to seek their peace or good for ever, Deut. xxiii. 3—6. ARNON,] The border between Moab and the Amorites, Num. xxi. 13, 26. VER. 37.-DID NOT I SENDING SEND,] That is, earnestly send unto thee. AM Ï NOT ABLE INDEED,] A vain boast, and such as had no effect; for he was not able indeed to honour Balaamn in the end, but sent him away in wrath, and with disgrace, confessing that the Lord had kept him back from hon |