in chapter 22: 38, where it is not difficult to give a reason for his using the more general term. In the prophecies, too, Elohîm is not found, except in connection with Jehovah in 23: 21, although the poetical name, El, b, (Elyon, 1, and Shaddai,, occur once each,) frequently appears alone and in parallel phrases with Jehovah. This very general use of the peculiar name of Israel's God cannot be accidental, since the narrator uses Elohîm in close connection with the words of Balaam. In chapter 22: 8, for example, Balaam says: "I will bring you word again as the Lord, in, shall speak unto me;" and in the following verse the historian says: "And God, b, came unto Balaam," and in verse 10," And Balaam said unto God,, Balak hath sent unto me," etc. In like manner in other places; as in 23: 4. Have we not here an indication of the author's feeling in reference to Balaam? Does he not indicate the hypocritical pretensions of him who had from mercenary motives enlisted under the banner of Israel's God, and would now, if permitted, curse those whom he ought to have been desirous to bless.2

The question naturally arises, whence did one who was not of the posterity of Abraham obtain knowledge of the true God? Tholuck3 supposes that it was the remnant of a primitive monotheism and pure worship handed down by tradition, but almost extinct in the time of Moses. In this particular he finds a parallel to Balaam in Melchizedek, "priest of the most high God," who, although not of the lineage of Abraham, was a true worshipper of the one God. But Melchizedek knew nothing of the name, Jehovah, by which God revealed himself to his chosen people, and which was ever in the mouth of Moab's prophet.

The only supposition which fully accounts for the knowledge which Balaam possessed of Jehovah seems to be, that it was derived from the Israelites; of whom there would naturally be many floating reports, widely diffused among the heathen tribes, during the forty years of their wanderings.4 That there was communication between the region upon the Euphrates and Edom, is clear from Gen. 36: 37, where in an enumeration of "the kings that reigned in the land of Edom," it is said, that " Samlah died and Saul of Rehoboth by the river [the Euphrates],5 reigned in

1 See Hengstenberg, Authentie des Pentateuches, Bd. I. S. 405.

2 Hengstenberg, Authentie, Bd. I. S. 408, 9.

3 Vermischte Schriften, Th. I. S. 408.

4 Hengstenberg, Gesch. Bil. S. 12 sq.

5 See Rosenmüller's Com. upon the verse, and Bib. Alterthumsk. Tom. I P. ii. p. 270.

1846.] Knowledge of the Israelites among heathen Nations. 355

66

his stead." The supposition is also entirely in accordance with the character of Balaam, as exhibited in the account before us. With a mind awake to everything which concerned his profession, he would naturally be attracted by the reports of the deliverances effected by the new God of this people, who had come out of Egypt. He had perhaps heard of the passage of the Red Sea, of the waters of Meribah, of the miracle of the brazen serpent, and a new source of celebrity and of pecuniary gain, enticing to his besetting sins, was opened before him. He,. it may be, adopted Jehovah as his God and named himself Jehovah's prophet. And it is evident, that Jehovah in the accomplishment of his own great purposes, vouchsafed unto him peculiar manifestations of the divine character. Another argument in favor of this theory, might be drawn from the knowledge of the promises contained in Genesis, on which parts of his prophecies are based, but a bare allusion is all that can be given at present.1 In addition to the passages which speak of the terror spread abroad among the heathen tribes by the children of Israel, such as Ex. 15: 14 and Joshua 5: 1, two examples may be adduced in illustration of our position. In Ex. 18: 1 sq. it is said: When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, and that the Lord, in, had brought Israel out of Egypt;" he went out to meet Moses, and learning more particularly from him of the deliverances of Israel, "Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord, in, had done to Israel," and said, "Now I know that the Lord,, is greater than all gods, And Jethro took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God." In Joshua, 2: 9 sq., Rahab says to the spies whom she had concealed: "I know that the Lord,, hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the Lord, in, dried up the waters of the Red Sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites that were on the other side of Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord, n, your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath."

1 Compare Num. 23: 10 with Gen. 13: 16. 23: 24, and 24: 9 with Gen. 49: 9, 24: 17 with Gen. 49: 10; and see also Gesch. Bil. S. 13.

The Embassies to Balaam.

The first embassadors having arrived upon the banks of the Euphrates, presented themselves before the Mesopotamian soothsayer, and delivered their message, closing with the strong expression of their master's confidence: "I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed and he whom thou cursest is cursed." Although this declaration in connection with attending circumstances, is an indication of the peculiar qualifications of Balaam for the object required, yet it is true, that a belief, that certain persons, holding a peculiar relation to the gods, could surely call down their vengeance, by certain forms of incantation or formu. las of cursing, was widely diffused throughout the heathen nations of antiquity. Traces of it are found scattered through the classical authors of Greece and Rome,1 engraven on the monuments of Egypt, preserved among the traditions of the Arabs of the dark ages, as well as recorded upon the pages of divine inspiration. Job, while speaking of the day of his birth, in his misery, says: "Let the cursers of the day curse it." Nor is this feeling confined to ancient nations. The Arabs of the present day still retain a similar superstition.3 Herder in speaking of ancient tribes as well as of the "rude nations of the present day," says: "they attached much importance to the blessings of their soothsayers. They believed that misfortune awaited them, if they had offended one of these, and even ascribed invincible power to the precise words and figures of the curse or of the blessing."4

Although Balaam seems to have been aware, that the people which he had been called to curse, were objects of the peculiar favor and care of Jehovah, yet he did not return the messengers an answer at once; for it may be supposed that "the rewards of divination" which were in their hands, and the honor which he hoped would attend him, had already begun to exert their influence. He requested them to lodge there that night, and he would bring them word in the morning, what Jehovah would have him do. "And," it is said, "God came unto Balaam."

1 Plin. Hist. Nat. 38. 3 sq.

2 De Sacy, in the Mem. de l'Acad. des Inscript., (quoted by Tholuck,) and Pococke Spec. Hist. Arab. Ed. Oxon, 1806, p. 313.

3 See Lane's Modern Egyptians and various other accounts of Travellers in the East. • Spirit of Heb. Poetry, Marsh's Tr. Vol. 11. p. 171.

1846.]

Balaam's Answer to the Messengers.

357

That there was a real revelation from God to Balaam at this time, the language and subsequent occurrences prove beyond a question. But whether it was made in a dream as to Abimelech, Gen. 20: 3, and to Laban, Gen. 31: 24, or by a vision, the other customary mode of his revelation in that early age, cannot be determined. The night when the external senses, in consequence of darkness and silence, were in a measure closed, was an especially appropriate time for the latter, as well as the former mode of communication. Besides, the fact that the revelation was expected, and not sudden and unforeseen as in the other instances referred to, would not seem altogether in keeping with the supposition of a dream. It need not excite surprise that God made a special revelation of himself to one, who was not truly in heart his prophet. Did he not come to Abimelech king of Gerar in a dream by night? And did not "he that revealeth secrets" make known to king Nebuchadnezzar by a "dream and by the visions of his head upon his bed, what should come to pass in the latter days?"

The question: "What men are these with thee?" has been supposed to be, not merely a phrase thrown in to introduce what follows, but to contain a kind of reproof for the desire of Balaam to go with the messengers, which had caused their detention, in order that, if possible, he might obtain permission of Jehovah. Calvin says: Interrogando, qui sint viri illi, perversum ejus affectum oblique castigat.

The refusal to allow Balaam to accompany the messengers, in order to curse Israel, was explicit and decided: "Thou shalt not go with them, thou shalt not curse the people, for they are blessed." Balaam accordingly arose in the morning and sent away the messengers, saying; "Jehovah refuseth to give me leave to go with you." By this answer he should seem to indicate his own willingness, his desire even, to accompany them, but that he was under the necessity of being subject to the command of his God. Accordingly it has been justly said: Specie quidem modestiae simplices fallerent haec verba, Non ibo quia Deus vetat; sed minime dubium est, quin, ut eum trahebat ambitio et avaritia ad gratificandum, significet se alioqui propensum fuisse ad suscipiendum iter, nisi divinitus esset prohibitus.

The grounds on which his desire was based, his ambition and love of gain, seem even to have been manifest to the princes of Balak, and in accordance with this impression, on their return,

1 See Numbers 12: 6.

"Balak sent yet again princes more and more honorable than they," who urged Balak's promise to promote him to very great honor and to do for him whatever he should desire. Balaam's answer, had it been sincere, was befitting a true prophet of Jehovah: "If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more [anything]." Why then, vain man, dost thou detain the messengers to make another effort to gratify thy evil desires. Dost thou not know that God is not man that he should lie or the son of man that he should repent. Hath he said and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good? Think not to retain the favor of God and yet minister to thy own evil desires. Thou canst not serve God and mammon. But thy wish is granted and thy destruction sealed: "Go with them," but not to curse; although thou thinkest not so, thy golden dreams shall vanish. The word that Jehovah shall speak to thee thou shalt do, and thou shalt not "die the death of the righteous, and thy last end shall not be like his." Thou wouldst not relinquish the service of

Mammon, the least erected spirit that fell
From heaven ;-[whose] looks and thoughts
There always downward bent, admiring more
The riches of heaven's pavement, trodden gold,
Than aught divine or holy else enjoyed
In vision beatific,

and thy doom shall be with him and his followers.

46

There seems, at first view, to be a discrepancy between the command in the twentieth verse: "If the men come to call thee, rise up and go with them," and that in the twelfth: "Thou shall not go with them;" as also between the permission to go, in the former passage, and the declaration in the twenty-second verse: And God's anger was kindled because he went." But the difficulty disappears on a closer examination. The stress of the prohibition is upon the object of the journey. "Thou shalt not go with them, thou shalt not curse the people; for they are blessed." The last part of the verse, thrown in without a connective, as a parallel phrase, indicates the objects of the refusal :

1 Calvin says: Praeclara vox, et index generosae fortitudinis, Etiamsi Balac mihi domum argento et auro plenam dederit, non transgrediar Dei mandatum. Sed cur non statim procul ablegat improbos licitatores, qui eum ad transgressionem sollicitant? Videmus ergo ut se potius venditet quam Deo tribuat justam gloriam. Voluit enim hac obedientiae jactantia sibi acquirere sancti Prophetae titulum et honorem.-Com. in Num. 22: 15 sq.