Numbers 24:6

As the valleys are they spread forth,.... Long and broad, lying between several mountains, and reaching from hill to hill; so the armies of Israel lay encamped in the plains and villages of Moab,

As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.

Valleys ofttimes from a small beginning are spread forth fir and wide. Others, as the brooks, or rivers, as the word signifies, which stretch out and disperse their waters into several channels, and sometimes farther. Are they spread forth, i.e. the Israelites last mentioned. As gardens by the river’ s side; pleasant and fruitful, and secured by a fence. Trees of lign-aloes; an Arabian and Indian tree, of a sweet smell, yielding good shade and shelter both to man and beast; such is Israel, famous among the nations, and not only save themselves, but yielding shelter to all that join themselves to them. Which the Lord hath planted; which are the best of the kind; such as not man, but God, might seem to have planted, as the best of all sorts are ascribed to God, as the trees, hills, cities, of God, &c. Compare . As cedar trees, which are famous for growth, and height, and strength, and durableness, whence Solomon’ s temple was built of this wood, ,10. Beside the waters, where trees thrive best.

Numbers 24:6 As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’ s side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, [and] as cedar trees beside the waters.Ver. 6. As the trees of lign aloes.] An odoriferous sweet smelling tree, growing in Arabia, which is said to be a country so sweet that swine cannot live in it.

(6) As gardens by the river’s side.—It is probable that the allusion may be to the Euphrates, although the definite article is not prefixed to the word nahar (river) in the Hebrew. (Comp. Isaiah 7:20.) As cedar trees beside the waters.-The difference between cedars which grow beside running water which their roots can reach, and the ordinary type of cedars which throw out their strength in lateral branches is illustrated in Ezekiel 31:3-4, where the proud Assyrian is compared to a cedar having “his top among the thick boughs” (or, the clouds), which “the waters made great.” (Comp. Psalms 1:3; Psalms 92:12.)

Verse 6. Lign aloes which the Lord hath planted] Or, as the tents which the Lord hath pitched; for it is the same word, אהלים ohalim, which is used in the 5th verse. But from other parts of Scripture we find that the word also signifies a species of tree, called by some the sandal tree, and by others the lignum or wood aloes. This tree is described as being eight or ten feet high, with very large leaves growing at the top; and it is supposed that a forest of those at some distance must bear some resemblance to a numerous encampment. As the word comes from the root אהל ahal, which signifies to spread or branch out, and therefore is applied to tents, because of their being extended or spread out on the ground; so when it is applied to trees it must necessarily mean such as were remarkable for their widely-extended branches; but what the particular species is, cannot be satisfactorily ascertained. By the Lord's planting are probably meant such trees as grow independently of the cultivation of man. - Nullis hominum cogentibus; or, as Virgil expresses it, Sponte sua quae se tollunt in luminis oras. VIRG., Geor. ii., 47. "Such as sprung up, spontaneously into the regions of light. As cedar trees] Gabriel Sionita, a very learned Syrian Maronite, who assisted in editing the Paris Polyglot, a man worthy of all credit, thus describes the cedars of Mount Lebanon, which he had examined on the spot: - "The cedar grows on the most elevated part of the mountain, is taller than the pine, and so thick that five men together could scarcely fathom one. It shoots out its branches at ten or twelve feet from the ground; they are large, and distant from each other, and are perpetually green. The cedar distils a kind of gum, to which different effects are attributed. The wood of it is of a brown colour, very solid, and incorruptible if preserved from wet. It bears a small apple, like to that of the pine." De la Roque relates some curious particulars concerning this tree, which he learned from the Maronites of Mount Libanus: "The branches grow in parallel rows round the tree, but lessen gradually from the bottom to the top, shooting out parallel to the horizon, so that the tree is, in appearance, similar to a cone. As the snows, which fall in vast quantities on this mountain, must necessarily, by their weight on such a vast surface, break down these branches, nature, or rather the God of nature, has so ordered it, that at the approach of winter, and during the snowy season, the branches erect themselves, and cling close to the body of the tree, and thus prevent any quantity of snow from lodging on them." Mr.

6. As valleys are they spread forth] As wadies that stretch themselves out; beautifully watered glens stretching away into the distance. Like the three following, it is a simile of luxuriant prosperity. As lign-aloes &c.] Heb. ’ahβlξm. But this word elsewhere denotes a fragrant perfume brought from the far east (Psalms 45:8, Proverbs 7:17); the tree or plant which yielded it was not indigenous in Palestine or the neighbourhood. See next note. As cedar trees beside the waters] But cedars do not grow beside water; see art. ‘Cedars’ in Hastings’ DB. i. On the other hand cedars (not aloes) are spoken of as planted by Jehovah (Psalms 104:16). It is therefore possible that the words ‘which Jehovah hath planted’ and ‘beside the waters’ have been accidentally transposed. If so, Dillmann’s conjecture ’κlξm ‘palms’ for ’ahβlξm would be very suitable, since palms grow beside water (cf. Exodus 15:27).

As gardens by the river’s side - Balaam’s language reflects the famous artificial gardens along the banks of his own river, the Euphrates.

6. As the valleys — Well watered by brooks. As gardens — Still more lovely than the verdant and flowery valleys. Lignaloes — Aloe-trees abound in Eastern Asia.