Numbers 24

Numbers 24:1

INchatmen’s] Or spels, that is to say, communications with the devill, to learn or to receive from him meanes to satisfie Balak. See Num. 23. 1. 15 He set] without stirring or looking for any solitary place to call up evill spirits; The wildernesse]where the people were encamped.

Numbers 24:2

Aiding] Lodged in their camp, which was ordered in manner of a City: The spirit] There came a revelation and propheticall motion unto him.

Numbers 24:3

Whose eyes are open] The Italian hath it, Whose eye is shut] who from time to time, and even at this present, hath poeticall raptures, and extasies, through which the eyes and senses were lulled at rest, and abstracted: See Numbers 12:6.

Numbers 24:4

Falling] This also hath a reference to those trances and faintings, which happened to them that were taken with the spirit of prophecie; See 1 of Sam. 19. 24. Ezech. 1. 28. Dan. 8. 18. and 10. 16. Revelation 1:17 Having] his understanding is supernaturally enlightned by divine inspiration.

Numbers 24:6

Of lign-Aloes] The Italian hath it, Santai] Aromatick, and sweet smelling trees, which grow in the East, in great and thick woods. Others understand the Hebrew word for the tree called Agallochum or Lign-aloes: Hath planted] that is to say, hath created the kind of them, through his omnipotency, and preserveth it thróugh his providence without human art or labour. Psalms 104:16.

Numbers 24:7

He shall powre] God shall water his Churches garden, with his abundant blessings, having sowen his gifts and graces in it. A metaphr taken from the precedent of orchards and gardens: Buckets] Such as are used in engines, and watermils, to water gardens; And his king] Namely the King of Gods people,Agag] a common name of the Kings of Amaleck, 1 Samuel 15:8. from whence also the whole nation took its name, Est. 3. 1, 10. and 9. 24. Now this prophecy, which according to the letter, was accomplished in the destruction of King Agag, and his people by Saul, 1 Samuel 15:1-35. doth also comprehend Christs victories over his enemies, who is the great monarch of his Church.

Numbers 24:9

He couched] The Italian, When is couched] that is to say, when he hath conquered that country which is allotted him by God and shall have settled himself in it; and shall have established his state, who shall be able to trouble, or assault him? Genesis 49:9.

Numbers 24:10

He smote] In token of great anger, as Ezek. 21. 17. and 22. 13.

Numbers 24:14

I will advertise] Here questionlesse Balaam gave that pestilent counsell, of misleading the people to idolatry, through the company of women, to draw Gods vengeance upon it, and withdraw his grace and aide from it, See Num. 25. 1. and 31. 16. Revel. 2. 14. The meaning of the words is, that the Moabites at this time, ought not to feare the children of Israel, because God had commanded them, not to set upon them, Deuteronomy 2:9. they will subdue them a great while hence, all the advice I can give thee to prevent this evill is, that thou shouldst insnare this people into idolatry, to the end that God himself may destroy them.

Numbers 24:17

I shall see him] The Italian, I see him] by the spirit and by prophetick revelation, I see that which I foretell, as if it were now present, though the event be yet a great way off; A star] David shining in glory who shall subdue the Moabites, 2 Samuel 8:2. Psal. 60. 10. whereby they shall be made tributary to his successors, 2 Kings 3:4. Now under this temporall domination is understood Christs spirituall dommation (who is the true morning star, Revelation 22:16.) and his Churches dominion over her enemies, such as the Moabites had been to Israel; See Zepha 2. 9, 10 The children] It seemeth he meanes all those that had part in the Meabites government, which were many, as it appeareth, Numbers 23:6. Amos 2:3. A state being as 〈◊〉 building, whose foundation that beareth it up, and bindeth it together, is the Prince, so the precedent words of Prince] (in the Italian, for in the English it is Corners) is taken from the corners of a fabrick, and the word Destroy]from the throwing down of a wall. The meaning is, the supreame power shall be cast down, and the nation shall become tributary, 2 Samuel 8:2. yet it shall not be quite waste.

It may also be expounded children of rest, that is to say a nation that hath lived a long time at rest, and hath not beene troubled, Jeremiah 48:11. The Hebrews refer it to Baals evill favoured picture, which sheweth its but tooks bare to the worshippers: Or to the shamefull manner of worshipping him, presenting their hinder parts unto him, and doing their ordures before him.

Numbers 24:18

Edom] This according to the letter was also accomplished under David, 2 Samuel 8:14. and spiritually in Christ, Amos 9:12. Obadiah 1:18 Seir] a mountain of Idumea, Genesis 36:8.

Numbers 24:19

Out of] The Italian hath it, And one descended from] Namely David who dest oyed all the males out of Idumea, 1 Kin. 11. 14. 16 Of the City] Not only those that shall be in armes in the fields, but all the males, though they be at home and dwelling in the cities of Edom.

Numbers 24:20

The first] God having decreed in his appointed time to cut down (as by a harvest) the accursed nations, hath begun with Amaleck; whence as he hath as yet taken but the first fruits, Exodus 17:13. but the rest shall be all reaped under Saul, 1 Samuel 15:3. Or Amaleck is a head of nations, a principall people, making of it self a body of a nation and kingdom, but its last condition, and abasement shall be beneath all other people, even to perdition and extreame ruin.

Numbers 24:21

The Kenites] That is to say, the Midianites, or the one part of them, for Jethro being a Midianite, Exodus 3:1. is called Kenite, Jude 1:16. 1 Samuel 15:6.

Numbers 24:22

The Kenite] The Italian hath it, Kain] the first founder and father of the Kenites, which is not mentioned any where else; Wasted] spoyled and sacked by diverse incursions, and at last they shall be carried away captive by the King of Chaldea, sometimes in the Prophets called Assyria, because that the Babilonian or Chaldean empire, had swallowed the Assyrian empire, and was grown great by it, see Jer. 49. 28. 31.

Numbers 24:23

Doth this] The Italian Shall have raised him] that is, when he shall by his Soveraigne providence, have given to Ashur and Chaldea the great command and empire of the Universe, Daniel 2:37-38. Because that he shall over-run all the neighbouring countries.

Numbers 24:24

Ad] The Italian, And afterwards] The great Empire of As, first held by the Assyrians, afterwards by the Chaldeans, and last of all by the Persians, shall e destroyed by the people beyond the sea: Namely by the Greeks, and Macedonians, properly called Chittim, Genesis 10:4. Isay 23. 1. 12. And afterwards by the Romanes, who came over into Asa, out of the harbours of Grece, Dan. 〈◊〉. 30.Eber] The Jewish Nation and their countrey shall be much infested by the Grecians of Syria and Egypt, Daniel 8:11. & 〈◊〉. 31. and then utterly destroyed by the Romans, Dan. 9 27 He also] The Italian, they also] The Greeks shall bee ruined by the Romans; and the Roman Empire shall also perish before the end of the world, 2 Thesselon. 2. 7.

Numbers 24:25

To his place] Yet he came not to it; for he remained amongst the Midianites, and was slaine there, Numbers 31:8.