Commentary on the Holy Bible

Verse 26. For He.shhnn was tf!c cilii of Sihon, &c ] It appears, therefore, that tlic territory now taken from Sdion by the Israelites, was taken from a former king- of Moab; in cotnmenioration of which an epicedioa or war song was made, several verses of which, in their ancient poetic form, ire here quoted by Moses.

Verse 2T. Thcij that speak in proverbs] ^■h'Z"Cr\ ha-meshe- Um, from SlTO mashal, to rule, to exercise authoriii/; hence, a weitijdy provcilial sai/ing, because admitted as an axiom, for t')c government of life. Tlie mcshelhn of the ancient Asiatics w\ie tlic same, in all probability, as the Poetic among the Greeks and Latins; the |j*« shaara among the. Arabs, \iho vcre estccine.il as divine persons, and who had their name from yfji shaara, he hu:^v, Kiiderstood, whose poems celebrated pa^t transactions, and especially those which concerned Ihe militaiy htstoty of their nation. "^I'hese poets vrere also lermed {J^:^ ky«i.i*? sahebi dccivan, companions or lords {^f the council of state, because their weighty sayings and universal Imoivtedge were held in the highest repute..Similar to these- vftre the bards among the ancient Druids, auJ. the

I Tile ode fiom the 27 to the 30 verse is composed of three parts. The ftV.'./ takes in verses 27;.:vd 28. The second ver.>e 29. and the third ver. 30.

The first records with bitter irony the late insults of Sihon and his subjects over the conquered I^Ioabitcs.

The second expresses the compassion of the Israelites over the desolations of Moab, with a bitter sarcasm against their god Chemosh, who had abandoned his votaries in tlieir distress, or was not able to rescue them oiU of the hands of their enetnies-

The third sets forth the revenge taken hy Israel upen the whole country of Sihon, from Heshbon to Dtbon, atid from Nophah even to Medehuh. — See Isai. x-v. J, 2.

Tlie whole poem divided into its prop/er hemistichs as it stands in Kennicott's Hebrew Bible, is as Ibllows;

Verse 27. I. Part. Come ye to Heshbon, let it be rebuilt: The city of -Sihon, let it be established.

And a flame from the city of Sihon: It hath consumed the city of Moab, With the lords of the heights of Arncn.

Thou hast perished, O people of Chemosh.' He hath given up his fugitive sons And his daugliters into captivity. To the king of the Amorites, Sihon.

Verse 30. III. Part But on them have WE lifted destruction, Frciii Hesiibon even to Dibon: We have de stioyed even to Nuphab, The lire d;d reach to Medebah.

29 Woe to thee, IVIoab! tlioii art i

33 if 'And they turned and went jj ^* 'j'j^'" up by tlie way ofBashan: and Og ai,.i:xo<i.Ut. the king of Bashan went out against **' them, lie, and all his people, to the battle ' at Edrei.

34 And the Lord said unto Moses, ^ Fear even " unto Dil)on, and we have laid them I him not: for I have delivered him into thy waste even unto Nophah, which rcachetli untoi h.and, and all his people, and his land; and "Medcba. j '' thou shalt do to him as thou didst unto

SO We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished

31 Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites.

32 And Moses sent to spy out ^ Jaazcr, and

Sihon, king of tlie Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon. i:i5 'So they smote him, and his sons, and

they took the villages thereof, and drove out l| all his people, until there was none left him

Verse 33. So th<y smote him COg) and all his sons] There is a curious note of Dr. Lifrlitf'oot here, of whicli I siiould ihiiik ilwnm^ to deprive the reader

" Sihon and Og- conquered, A M. 2553. Of the life of Moses, I'JO, fiom the Exodus 40. It is now six and twenty generations from tlie creation; or from Adam to Moses; and accordingly doth Psalm cxxxvi. rehearse the durableness of God's mercy six and tu-aiij/ times ovtr, beginning- the story with the creation; and ending it in the conquest of Siiion and O^. The numerals of the name nTH' Jehovah, amount to the sum of six and liveulj/."

On some difficulties in this chapter, Dr. Kennicott makes the following observations:

" This one chapter has several very con.siderable diffi- ( ulties; and some verses, as now fran.slatcd, are remarkably unintelligible. A true state of this chapter is not, however, to be despaired of; and it has in it some cuxumstaiices which merit more than common attention. It cont.iins the history of the last part of the travels of the I.sraeliies in their way to the promised land: beginning with them at mount IJcr, the thirty-fourth encampment, and concluding with them, as in their forty-second and last eiicampnieiit, near Jordan, in tlie Ij detail in chap, xxxiii. has occasioned great perplexity, as ta

But this being impossible, because Israel had now marched from JIcrihuh-Ktidoh to mounl Hot; hey onA Ezion-geber, and were turning round Edom, to the!?iouth-east; it is happy that the word rendered s]>ics, in our version, is in the Greek a proper name, {Alharim) which removes that dillieulty. And the other ditiiculty (verses '1, 3.) is removed by the Greek version likewise: according to which, the vow made,. with the fact subsequent, does not signify destroyin<r the Canaanite cities, but devoting them to dcsCrucfion at sonir liiture time. — See H'lill'i Cnl. Notes.

" It proceeds with saying — that after defeating the Can.ianites at mounl Hor, tliey journeyed from mo::nt llor, by - the ■^i:ay qf the Red Sea, (in the road ironi Ammon, Jlidian, &c. to the Eastern gulph of the lied Sea) io compass the land of Edom — that, on their murmuring for uant both of bread and of water, they were punished by fiery serpents — after which; they marched to Oboih, and thence to Ije-abarim, in the ivitdiTiicss, east of Moab. The cncampmeij(-i of the I.sraelites ainountmg to forijj-txxo, are recorded all logxther, in historical succession, in chap, xx.xiii. where J/^-iiu,.iim is the 38th — Dibongud, 39 — Almon-Dihlalhaim, 40 — ntotinta-ins qf Abtiyittt, ^ 41 — anil the plaitis of Moab, by Jordan, "iv. This rte;ular

country which they had acquired by conquest over Sihon, king of the Amorites.

" It begins with saying — that king Arad, the Cumianite, liho d-^ijlt in the South, (in the land of Canaan, Num. x.xxiii. 40.) attacked Israel, and was defeated, and that Israel desiroj^ed their cities; and that, after destroying these Canaanite cities, and consequently after being in a part of Canaan, a part of the very country they were going to, on the ll'cst of the Dead Sea, they returned towards the Red Sea, and near the Eastern tongue or gulph of the Red Sea, on the South of Edom, marelied round Edom to the East of the Dead Sea, 111 order to enter Canaan from the EltLst side of Jordan!

" This surprising represtiitation of so vast and dangerous a march, quite unnecessarily performed, is owing lo two circumstances. The first i.s, (xxi. 1.) the Canaanites heard that Israel was coming by the iiaj/ of the spies — meaning.

chap. xxi. where, after the stations at Oboti, and Ije-ahurim, in ver-es 10 and 1 1, we have, in \orse l;> and 20, the words Matlanah, Aahaltel, and Bamoth; which are usually considered as the proper names of three pl.ices, but widely jliflerent from the three proper names alter JJe-abarim, in the catalogue at chap, xxxiii.

" But there i.s, in reality, no inconsistence here. In the plain and historical catalogue, (chap, xxxiii.) the words are strictly tite proper names of the three pieces: but htre the words Miitanah, Nahalicl, and Bnmoih, follow some lines of poetry, and stem lo form a continuation of the song. 'I hey evidently express figurative and poetical ideas. The verbis journeyed from, and pitched 2n,.are not found here, tboujli necessary to prose narration: see verses 10 and II here, and chap, xxxiii Lastly, verse the 2Uth, (in this 2 1st chapter) usually supposed lo express the last encampment, docs not.

by the way the spies went from Kitdah-Barncu into Canaan." Fisgali signifies a hilt; and the Israelites could not encamp

Critical icmarks on several

difficulties in this chapter.

on the top of awy single hiU, such as this is describeJ. Balak took Balaam to the top of Pcor, which lookelh toward Jeshimm, (xxiii. 28.) which Peor undoubtedly was in I\Ioah. He took him to another hill in Moah; when he took him (xxiii. 14.) to the top of Pz.sii-H/;, in the field of Zopliim. And if the Pisgali, or hill, in xxi. 20. was in tlie counti-y oi Balak, it could not point out the last encampment, which was not in Balak's country, but no)-th of Arnon.

" The word Matianah probably alludes to a place distinguished by some gift or blessing from God. Fagius says — Novien loci, ab ezenlu aquarum quas Dominvs ibi dedit, sic appellati; rOPlC nam signijicat domim — ' The name of tlie place was so called, from the circumstance of the waters which the Lord gave there; for Mattanah h\gn\fies a. gift.' hn'hi^i Naludiel, is torrentes Dei; i. e. great streams, particularly sea-onable or salutary. And ni03 Bumuth, (ver. 28.) may point out any high places, of signal benefit, in the country of Moah; or it may answer to the last station but one, which was the mountains of Abarim. If, therefore, these words were meant to express poetically some eminent blessing, what blessing was so likely to be then celebrated as copious streams of water? And, after they had •wandered near /br/y years tlirough many a barren desart, and after (compare Dmt. viii. 15.) having passed through that great and terrible %i'ilderness, wherein were feiy serpents and droiii^ht, where there was no luaier: it is no wonder tliey should shout for joy at finding water in plenty; and finding it almost on the banks of Arnon, the last river they were to pas.s, in the way to their last station, east of Jordan. No Monder they should sing, in poetic rapture — that after the uilderncss was {Mattanah) the GIFT of GOD; meaning the great well in Moab, dug by public authority — and no wonder, that, after such a gift, there were {Nahaliel) blessed streams, by wliicli they passed, till they came to [Bamoth) the high places, from xvhich, perhaps, these streams descended. And the thanksgiving ends where the blessing was no longer wanted, on their coming down into the -•alley, along the hanks of Arnon, which was tlien the North boundary of ]«.;ab.

" The Israelites had spent no less than thirty-eight years m ct>ming from Kadesh- Barma to their encampment nortli i of ZareJ.. Here, at this fortieth station, they were com- i nianded to pass throui;h Woab, by 1J? Ar, the chief city; |i but were not to sto)) till they came to the valley on the South il ^)f Arnon. At this last station but one, they probably con- j tinued no longer than was nece.-sary for sending }nrssengers to j Sihon, king of the Ainorites, at Heshbon, and receiving his j answer. They lljen crossed tiie Arnon; and having van- ' <tiiished Sihon and Og, took possession of the forty-second and last encampment.

" This one chapter ha« three pieces of poetrj', either frag-! Rients or cemplete: and poetry, seldom found in an histori-! ral narrative, may l)c here accounted for — from the exube- | runce of joy which must have affected these wearied travellers, wlien arriving thus happily near their journey's end. What occurs first, is inverse 14; and lias oiten been called ike fragment of an old.imorite song. Rut il may have been Amorilc or Moabite, or cither or neither, for the sulyect matter of it, as ft is generally understood, if indeed it can be said to be understood at all. The words |U1N C3'"?n:r, nsi TWCa ini nx, usually supposed to contain this iiagment, do not signify, as

in our English version — What he did in the Red Sea, and in the brooks of Arnon. Without enumerating the many interpretations given by others, I shall offer a new one, which seems to make good sense, and a sense very pertinent.

" Observe frrst, that there must have been a place called Suph, near the conflux of the Anion and Jordan; because Moses, whilst in that last station, begins Deuteronomy with saying — he was on this side {i. e. east) of Jordan, over against &iph. By this word is not here meant the Red Sea; partly, because that has every where else the word for sea before it, and partly, because of the great distance of the Red Sea now from Moses. The single word, therefore, signifies here some place, in itself obscure, because no where mentioned but in these two passages. And yet we cannot wonder, that Moses should mention it twice, as the word Supit, introduced in speaking of the two last encampments, recalled to iliind the Sea of Suph, so glorious to Israel, near the beginning of their march towards Canaan.

" Moses had now led Israel from the Red Sea to the river Arnon, through many dreadful dangers, partly from hostde nations, partly from themselves; such dangers, as no other people ever experienced, and such as no people could have surmounted, withaut the signal favour of the Almighty. And here, just before the battles with Sihon and Og, lie reminds them of Pharaoh, &c. and he asserts, that in the history of the wars it shall be recorded, that JehOVAII, who had triumphantly brought Israel through the sea of Suph, near I'.gypt, at first, had now conducted him to Suph, near Arnoo; that

Jehovah went rvith him to Suph,

And he came to the streams af Arnon,

" This version removes the difficulties, urged by Hobbe*, page 266, fol. 1750; by Spinoza, page lOS, 4to. 1670; and retailed in a deistical pamphlet, called The Doubts of the Infidel.':, page 4, Svo. 1781.

" The general meaning of the next piece of poetry seems to be this: that at some distance from the city of Ar, by which the Israelites were to pass, {Deut. ii. 18.) they came to A WELL, of uncommon size and magnificence, which seems to have been sought out, built up, and adorned, for the public, by the ride7-s of Moab. And it is no wonder, that on their ari-ival at such a well, they should look upon it as a blessing frvm Heaven, and speak of it as a new miracle in their favour.

i 7. Then Israel sang this song.

18. The well! princes searched it out; The nobles of the people have digged it: By their decree, by their act of government. So, after the wilderness, was 3Iaitanah!

19. And after Jlattanah were Nahal/cl! And after Nalialiel \vore Bamoth I

20. And after Bamoth was the valley; Where, in the country of Moab, Appearelh the top of Pisgah, ^^ hich is over asrainst Jeshimon."

I'he Tsraelites pilch in the plains of Moab, 1. Balak, king of Moah, is greaihf terrijied, 2 — 4. And sends to Balaam, a diviner, to come and curse litem, 5, 6. The elders of Moab take a reward and earn/ it to Balaam, 7. He enquires of the Lord, and is positiveli/ ordered not to go with them, 8 — VI. ■ He co/nmifmicates this to the elders of Moab, 13. T/ie^ return to Balak zcith this information, 14. He sends some of his princes to Balaam Ziith promises of great honour, lo — 17- He conaulls God, and is permitted to go on certain conditions, 18 — CO. Balaam sets off- — is opposed hi/ an angel of the Lord, and the Lord miraculously opens the mouth of his ass to reprove him, 1\ — 30. Balaam sees the angel, and is reproved by him, 31 — 33. He humbles liimsclf, and offers to 0-0 back, 34, hut is ordered lo proceed on the same conditions as before, 35. The king of Moab goes out to meet him, 36. His address to him, 37. Balaam's firm ansuer, 38. Balak sacrijices, and takes Balaam to the high-places of Baal, that he may see the zchole of the Israelitish camp, Sg — 41.

A ND ' the cliildren of Israel set j^ \_ forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab, on this side Jordan, bj/ Jericho.

2 % And ^ Balak, the son of Zippor, saw all that Israel had done to the Anierites.

3 And ' Moab was ^ore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the cliildren of Israel.

4 And Moab said unto "* the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up tlie grass

Verse 1. They pitched in the plains of il/owi] Tliey had taken no part of the country that at present appertained lo tlie Moabitts — they had taken only that part which hail formerly belonged to this people, but had been taken from tkcm by.Sihon, kint; of the Amorites.

Verse 5. To Pcthnr, vihkh is hy the riz-er of the land of the children of his people\ Dr. Kennicott justly I'emark.s that "the description now given of Balaam's residence, instead of being particular, agrees with any place, in any country, where there is a river — for he lived by Pethur, v:lnch is by the river of the land of the ciiildren of his people. But was Pethor then, near the Jsile in Esvpt.' Or in Canaan, near Jordan? Or in Meaopotr.mia, near the Euphrates, and belonging to the Ammonites f This last was in fact the case: and therefore it is well that twelve Hebrew MISS, (with two of De Rossi's) confirm the Stiniarita7i text here, in reading instead of li^ dmo, his people, ]'ICV Anunon, with the Syriac and Vulgate versions." J'loubigant properly contends for this reading; and necessity urges the propriety of adopting it. It should tiiercfore stand thus; by the river of the land of the children of Amnion; and thus it agrees with Dent, xxiii. 4.

Verse 6. Come vow therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people] Balaam, once a prophet of the true God, appears to have been

5 " He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam, the son of Beor, to ' Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the cliildren of his people,

'. to call him, saying. Behold, there is a peo])le come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the ^face of the earth, and they abide over against me:

6 Come now therefore, I pray thee, " curse me this people j for they are too mighty for

one of tlie Mcshclim, see chap. xxL 27. who had added to his poetic gift, that of sorcery or divination. It was supposed tiiat prophets and sorcerers had a power to curse persons and places, so as to confound all their desit^ns, fntstrate their counsels, enervate their strength, and fill them with fear, terror, and dismay. See Gen. ix. 25. Psal. cix. 6, 20. Josh, vi. 26..Icr. xvii. 5, 6.

Macrobius has a whole chapter, De carmine, quo evocari solebant dii tutelarcs, el attt urbai, ant excrcitus devovcri. "Of tlie incantations which were used to induce the tutelary gods to forsake the cities, &c. over which they presided, and to devote cities and whole armies to destruction." See Saturnal. lib. iii. cap. ix. He gives us tv.-o of the ancient forms, used in reference to the destruction of C(irtiia:^e, the first, to call over tlie protecting deities, was pronounced by tlie dictator or general, and none other, when they began the siege. It. is as follows, literatim & punctatim.•

V horn thou cursest is cursed. 7 And the elders of Moab and the elders

miliiibus. que. tneis. prapositi. sitis. ut. sciamus. intelligamus, que. Si. ita.feceriiis. voveo. vpbis. taiipla. liiilvs. que. faclurum. " \\'hctlier it be god or gudrless, under whose prstection the people and city of Carthage are placed: and thee, especially, who hast undertaken to defend this city and people, I pray, beseech, and earnestly entreat that you would forsake the people and city of Carthage, and leave their places, temples, sacred things, and city, and depart from them; and that you would inspire this people and city with fear, terror, and iorgetfulness: and that coming out from them, you would pass over to Rome, to me, and to mine; and that our places, temples, sacred things, and city, may be more agreeable and more acceptable to you: and that you would preside over me, the Roman people, and my soldiers; that we may know and perceive it. If ye will do this, I promise to consecrate to your honour, both temples and games."

The second, to devote the city to destruction, which it was supposed the tutelary gods had abandoned, is the following.

" Vis, Paler, Vejoris, Manes, or by whatsoever name you wish to be invoked, I pray you to fill this city of Carthage with fear and terror, and to put that army to Hight which I.mention, and which bears arms or daits against OUR legions and armies. And that j'e may lake a«.iy this army, tho.^e encuiies, those men, their cities, and iheir country, and all who dwell in those places regions, countries, or cities, and deprive them of the light above. And let all their armies, cities. Country, chiefs, and people, be held by you consecrated and devoted, according to those laws by which, and at wh&t time,.enemies can -he n)o.^i eflectually devoted. I also give, and devote them as vicarious sacrifices for myself and my magistracy; for tJ»c Roman people, anil for all our i*rniics and Icgians; and for

vination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto liim the words of Balak.

8 And he said unto them, ^ Lodge here this. night, and I will bring you word again, as the LoKD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.

the whole empire, and that all the armies and legions flhicli are employed in these countries, may be preserved in safety. If therefore ye will do these things, as I know, conceive, and intend, then he who makes this vow, wheresoever and whensoever he shall make it, I engage shall sacrifice three black sheep to thee, O mother Earth, and to thee, O Jupiter." — " When the execrator mentions the earth, he stoops down,- and places both his hands on it: and when he names Jupiter, he lifts up both his hands to heaven: and when he mentions his vow, he places his hands upon his bjea.st." Among the ancient records, Macrobius says, he found many cities and people devoted in this way. The Romans held, that no city could be taken till its tutelary god had forsaken it, or if it could be taken, it would be unlawful, as it would be sacrilegious to have the gods in captivity. They therefore endeavoured to persuade the gods of their enemies to couie over to their party. Virgil intimates, that Troy was destroyed, ■only because the tutelary gods had forsaken it,

" All the gods, by whose assistance the empire had hitherto been preserved, forsook their altars and their temples." And it was on this account that the Greeks employed all their artifice to steal away the Patludiion, on which they believed the safely of Troy depended.

Tacitus observes, that when Suelojiius Paulimis had prepared his army to cross over into Monu, (Anglesea) where the Britons and Druids made their last stand: the priestesses with dishevelled hair, white vestments, and torches in their hand.s, ran about like furies, devoting their enemies to destruction; and he farther adds, that the siglit, the attitude, and horrible imprecaiions of these priestesses, had such elleclon the Roman soldiers, that for a while they stood still, and suffered themselves to be pierced with the darts of the Britons, without making any resistance. Tacit. Ann. 1.,\iv. c. 29.

The Jews al-o had a most horrible form of execration, as may be seen in lluxtorf's 1 alnuidical Lexicon, under the word nD"in. These observations and authorities, drawn out in so much detail, arc necessary to ra-^t light on the strange and curious history related in this and the two following chapters.

Verse 7. The reivards of divination.] M'hoever went to consult a prophet, took with him a present — as it was on such gratuitous oderings the prophets lived — but here, more than a mere present is intended; perhaps every thing necessary to provide materials for the incantation. The drugs, &c. used on such occasions, were oflen very expensive. It appeai-s that IJalaam v\as very covetou.i, and that he loved this wages of un^ righlcousiiessj and probably lived by it; see 2 Pet. ii. 15.

9 ' And God came unto Balaam, and, said, "What men are these willi thee?!

10 And Balaam said unto God, Ba-; lak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hatli sent i unto me, saying,

1 1 Behold, there is a people come out of Eg}'pt, ' which coverelli the flvcc of the earth: come now, J curse me them; peradventure " I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out. j

12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shaltj not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for "^tliey are blessed.

13 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: tor the Lord refuseth to give me leave to go with you.

14 And the princes of Moab rose up, and tliey went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.

15 ^ And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.

16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, " Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee fi'om coming unto me:

17 For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou.sayest unto me: " come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.

Verse 8. I villi brins; you word again as the Lord shall speak^ So it appears, lie knew the true God, and had been in the habit of consulting' liini, and receiving orades from his month.

Verse 1 2. Thou shalt not go iiith them; thou.".halt not curse the people^ i. e. Thou shalt not go uitli them to curse the people — With them he might go, as we find he afterwards did, by God's own command; bnt not to curse the people; this was wholly forbidden. Probably the command, Thou shalt not go, refers here to that tivie, viz. the first invitation; and in this sen.se, it was most punctually obeyed by Balaam; see ver. 1 3.

Verse 1 4. Bidaum refuseth to come with us.'] " Observe, says Mr. Ainsworth, Satan's practice against God's word,.seeking to lessen the same, and that from h'tnd to hand, till he bring it to nought. Balaam told the princes less than God told him, and they relate to Balak less than lialaam told thrm;."io that when the answer came to the kmjj of Moab, it was n(.t the word of God, but the word of man; it was simply. Balaam refuseth to come, without ever intimating that God had forb'.dden him." But in this Balaam is not to blame, I he told the messengers in the most positive manner, Jehovah refuseth to give me leave to go "Mth you, ver. 1 3. and more exj)Ucit he could not be.

18 And Balaam answered and said i^c- usi.' unto the servants of Balak, ' If Ba-.-vu.Kvod.isr.

silver and gold, ^ I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.

19 Now therefore, I pray you, " tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LoKD will say unto me more.

20 ' And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him. If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but " yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.

2 1 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

22 % And God's anger was kindled because he went: ' and the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two serv^ants •were with him.

23 And ' the ass saw the angel of the Lord 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 ass, to turn her into the way.

24 But the angel of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a Avail on that side.

25 And when the ass saw the angel of the

Verse 18. / cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God] Balaam knew God too well, to suppose he could reverse any of his purposes; and he respected him too much, to attempt to do any thing without his permission. Though he was covetous, yet he dared not, even when strongly tempted both by riches and honours, to go contrary to the command of his God. Many make all the professions of Balaam, without justifying them by their conduct. " They pretend," says one, " they I would nut do any thing against the word of God for a house \ full of pold, and yet will do it for a handful!!"

Verse \9. Uliat the Lord will.say unto me more.] He did not know but Go<t might make a further discovery of his will to him, I and tlierefore he might very innocently seek thrther information. Verse 20. If the men come — go with them] This is a confirmation of what was observed on the twelfth verse. Though we find his going was marked with the divine displeasure, because he wished, for the sake of the honours and rei^mrds, to fulfill, as far as possible, the w ill of the king of Moab. How many are restrained from sinning, merely through the fear of God! — they would gladly do the evil — but it is forbidden, on awful penalties, — they wish the thing were not prohibited, for they have a strong desire to do it.

Lord, she tlirust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's toot against the •wall: and he smote her again.

26 And the angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place, where -aas no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

27 And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.

28 And the Lord ' opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

29 And Balaam said unto the ass. Because

I S^ And the ass saw me, and turned from me \ these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.

34 And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, ' I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it "^displease thee, I will get me back again.

35 And the angel of the Lord said unto Balaam, Go with the men: " but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak.

j So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

thou hast mocked me: I would there were a j: come, "he went out to meet him unto a city of

sword in mine hand, "' for now would I kill thee SO " And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, '' upon which thou hast ridden ' ever since / xvas thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said. Nay.

31 Then the Lord '^ opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he ^ bowed down his head, and " fell flat on his face.

32 And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these

viiions, those alone, who were particularly interestedj saw tliem; while others in the same conipany, saw nothing-, Dan. i: 7. Acts ix. 7.

Verse 26. And the angel — stood in a narrow place] In this rarridge of the angel, says IMr. Ainsworth, the Lord shews us the proceedings of his judgments against sinners: First, lie r.iildly shakes his rod at them, but lets them go untouched. Secondli/, He conies nearer, and touches them with an easy correction, as it were wringing their foot against the wall. Thirdly, When all this is ineflectual, lie brings them into such straits that they can neither turn to the right hand nor to the left, but must fall before his judgments, if they do not fully turn to him.

Verse 28. The I^rd opened the mouth of the ass] And ^^•here is the wonder of all this.' If the ass had opened her ctan mouth, and reproved the rash j)rophet, we might well iic astoiiijhffl! but, ^vhen God opens the mouth, an ass can t^peak as well as a man. It is worthy of remark here, that Balaam testifies no surprise at this miracle, because he saw it was the Lord's doings. Of animate and inanimate things receiving for a short time, the gift of speech, the heathen my-

Moab, ^ which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the inmost coast.

37 And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wheretbre earnest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed " to promote thee to honour?

38 And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to

j say any thing? "■ the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.

39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto ' Kiijath-huzoth.

thology furnishes many fictitious examples, with which I do not deem it proper to occupy the Reader's time.

Verse 33. Sure/y now also I had slain thee] How often are the meanest animals, and the most trivial occurrences, instruments of the yireservation of our lives, and of the salvation of our souls! The messenger of justice would have killed Balaam, had not the mercy of God prevented the ass from proceeding.

^'^ei'se 34. If it displease thee, I ttvV/ get me buck attain.] Here is a proof", that though he loved the wages of unrighteousness, yet he still feared God; and he is now willing to drop the enterprize, if God be displeased with his proceeding. The piety of many called Christians, does not extend thus far — they see that the thing displeases God, and ytt they proceed. — Reader, is this thy case.?

Verse 38. The ivortl that God putteth in mi) mouth, that shall I speak.] Here was a noble re.«oliition — and he was certainly faithful to it: though he wished to please the king, and get wealth and honour, yet he woulil not displease God to realize even these bright prospects. Many who slander this poor semi-antinomian prophet, have \iot half his piety.

40 And Balak offered oxen and li Balak took Balaam, and brought him sheep, and sent to Balaam, and toll up into the 'high places of Baal, that

Verse 40. And Bahik offered oren, &c.] This was to gain the favour of his god.s and perhaps to pro|jiliaie Jehovah, liiatlbc «rrnl for which he had sent for Baluaiu might be accomplished.

As he thouglit Balaam must have them all in his eye, when he ])ronounced his ciTse, lest it vni^ht not extend to lho«e who were not in sight On this account, he took him up into the high places of Baal. See on chap, xxiii. 41.

Being arrived at the high places of Baal, (cli. xxii. 41.) Balaam orders Balak to build seven altars, and prcpar, oxen and rams for sacrifice, \, 1. Balaam enquires of the Lord, receives an ansKcr, nith which he retufiis to Balak, 3 — 10. Balak fnding that this teas a prediction of the prosperity of the Israelites, is great li/ troubled, 11. Balaam excuses himself, 12. He brings him to another place, ic here he might sec onhf a part of Israel, and repeats his sacrifices, 13, 14. Balaam again consults the Lord, lo — 17. Returns zcith his ansicer, and again predicts the glory of Israel, 18 — 24. Balak is angry, 25, and Balaam again excuses himself. Balak' proposes another trial, takes him to another place, and repeals the same saerifccs, 'IG — 30.

'2 And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam ^ ofl'ered on even/ altar a bullock and a ram.

3 And Balaam said unto Balak, ' Stand by thy ])tirnt offering, and I will go: peradvcntiire the I.oiiD will come '' to meet me: and whatsoever he shcweth me I will tell thee. And ° he went lo a high place.

NOTKS ON CHAP. XXIII. Verse I. Build 7ne here seven altars. &c.] The oren and tlic rams were such as the Mosaic law had ordered to be offtred to God in sacrifice — the building of seven altars was not commanded. Some tliink tliat tiit>e seven altars were built to the seven planets — this is most gratuitously said — of it there is no proof whatever — it is mere trifling, even with conjecture. As seven was a number of perfection, Balaam chose it on this occasion, btcause he intended to oflcr a grand sacrifice, and to offer a bullock, and a ram, upon (ach of the altars: tiie whole to be made a burnt oflering at the same time. And as he intended to oiler seven bullocks and seven rams at the same time, it could npt be conveniently done on

.5 And the Lokd ^ put a word in Bahiam's mouth, and said. Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt.speak.

G And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.

7 IF And he " took up his parable, and said, Balak, the king of ]\Ioab, halh brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, mijing, 'Come, curse me Jacob, and come, "defy Israel.

one altar, therefore he ordered seven to be built; and «e need go no farther to find out his reason.^.

Verse:}. Stand hy thy burnt offerini^] We have already seen that blessing and cursing in this way were considered as religious rites, and therefore must be always preceded by sacrifice. See this exeinjilified in the case of Isaac, before he blessed Jacob and Esau, Gen. xxvii. and the notes there. The venison that was brought to Isaac, of which he did eat, was properly the preparatory sacrifice.

8 ^ How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, ivho^n the Lord hath not defied?

9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, " the people shall dwell alone, and ' shaU not be reckoned among the nations.

10 '' "Wlio can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let ' me die ' the death of the righteous, and let my last end be hke his!

11 And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? ^ I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

12 And he answered and said, "Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth?

13 And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.

14 ^ And he brought him into the field of

ductions of the Spirit of God; for it is expressly said, ver. 5. that God put the word in Balaam's mouth, and that the Spirit of God came upon him, xxiv. 2.

Verse S. How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed?] It was granted on all hands, that no incanlaiions, nor imprecations could avail, unless God concurred and ratified tliem. From God's communication to Balaam, he saw, that God was determined to bless and defend Israel; and therefore all endeavours to injure them must be in vain.

Verse 9. From the top of the rocks I see himi Tliat is, from the high places of Baal where he went, chap. sxii. 41. that he might the more advantageously see the whole camp of

The people shall dwell alone"] They shall ever be preserved as a distinct nation. This prophecy has been literally fulfilled, through a period of 3300 years, to the present day! Tills is truly astonishing!

Verse 10. Let me die the death of the righteous] Probably Balaam had some presentiment that he should be taken off by a premature death; and therefore he lodges this petition against it. The death of the righteous in those times, implied being gathered to one's fathers in, a good old age — having seen his children and children's children: and to this, probably, the latter part of this petition applies. And let jny last end tie like his, ino3 'HTIN 'nni Mehi uchuriti cemohu, And let mi/ POSTliRlTY be tike his. It has been generally

15 And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet Ike LORD yonder.

16 And the Lord met Balaam, and 'put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.

17 And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of INIoab with him. And Balak said unto him. What hath the Lord spoken?

18 ^ And he took up his parable, and said, " Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

19 "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do itF or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good.■"

20 Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and " he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

21 *" He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither

supposed, that Balaam is here praying for a happy death, such as true Christians die, who die in the Lord; and in this way his words are generally applied: but I am satisfied this is not their meaning. The prayer, however, understood in the common way, is a good one, and may be offered ta God profitably. A righteous man, is one who is saved fromhis sins — who is justified and sanctified through the blood of the covenant; and who lives, not only an innocent, but alsa a holy and usiful life. He who would die well, should livewell: for a bad death, must be the issue of a bad life.

Verse 13. Thou shall see but the utmost part of them']. Balak thought that the sight of such an immense camp, had intimidated Balaam; and this he might gather from what he. said in the lOlh verse. Who can cozint the dust of Jacob, &c. he thought therefore that he might get Balaam to curse thein. in detached parties; till the whole camp should be devoted to destruction, by successive execrations.

Verse \1. What hath the Lord spoken?] Balak himself now under»lood, that Balaam wa.s wholly under the influence of Jehovah; and would say nothing bul what God coiniuanded him; but not knowing Jehovah as Balaam did, he hoped that he might be induced to change his mind, and curse a p«ople whom he had hitherto determined to bless.

Verse 1 9. God is not a man,' that he should lie] This seems to be spoken to correct the foregoing supposition of Balak, that God could change his mind.

''"• the sliout of a king is among them.

22 "God brought them out ol' Egypt; he hath as it were ** the stiength of an unicorn.

23 Surely there is no enchantment ' against Jacob, neither /*' t/iere any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, ^ What hath God wrought!

24 Behold, the people shall rise up ^ as a great lion, and lilt up himself as a young lion: " he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and diink the blood of the slain.

25 ^ And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

he seen pox-crseness in Israel] This is a diiTieult passage; for if we take the words as spoken of tlie people I,*rael, as their initjuiiy and their perversenest were ahnost unparalleled; such words cannot be spoken of tliem, with strict truth. If we consider them as spoken of the patriarch Jacob and Israel, or of Jacob after he became Israel, they are most strictly true, as, after thai time, a more unblemished and noble character, Abraham excepted, is not to be found in the paje of history, whether sacred or profane; and for his sake, and for the sake oi his father Isaac, and his grandfather Abraham, God is ever represented as favouring, blessing, and sparing a rebellious and undeserving people; seethe concluding note. Gen. xlix. In this way, 1 think, this difiicult text may be safely understood.

Tiiere is another way in which the words may be interpreted, which wilt give a good sense. JIN Aven, not only signifies iniquity, but most frequently trouble, labour, distress, and affliction, and these indeed, arc its it/tja/ meanings — and iniquity is only an accommodated or metaphorical one, because of the pain, distress, SiC. produced by sin.

7D1? dinal, translated here perversencss, occurs often in the Scripture; but is never translated perversencss except in this place. It signifies simply labour, especially that which is of an afflictive or oppressive kind. The words, therefore, may be considered as implying, that God will not suffer the people either to be exterminated by the sword, or to be brought under the yoke of slaveiy. Either of these methods of interpn talion gives a good sense; but our common version gives none. Dr. Kcnnicott contends for the reading of the Samaritan: instead of D'3n nS lo hibbit, he hath not seen; the Samaritan has U'D.s- ih lo ahit, I do not see — I do not discover any thing among them on which I could ground my curse. But the sense above given is to be preferred.

Verse 22. The strength of a unicorn]:dki retm and C^»^^'^ ram. It is generally allowed, that tlieie is no such bea>t in nature as the unicorn; i. e. a creature of the horse kmd, with one long rich curled horn in the forehead. The creature, painted from fancy, is represented as one of the supporters of the royal arms of Great Britain. It is difficult to say what kind of beast is intended by the original word. The

26 But Balaam answered and said! unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying,

' All that the Lord speaketh, that I must do?

27 And Balak said unto Balaam, " Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou niayest curse me them from thence.

28 And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh ' toward Jeshimon.

29 And Balaam said unto Balak, ° Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven

30 And Balak did as Balaam liad said, and offered a bidlock and a ram on everi/ altar.

Septuagint translate the word /iOvoKt^og, the unicorn, or onehorned animid; the Vulgate, sometimes, unicornus; and in the text rhinocerotis, by which the rhinoceros, a creature wliith has its name from the horn on its nose, is supposed to be meant. That no single-horned animal can be intended by the recni of Moses, is sutTiciently evident from this, that Moses, speaking of Joseph, says, " he has the ilORKS of A unicorn," or reem; where the horns are spoken of in the plural, the animal in the singular. The creature referred to is either the rliinoceros, some varieties of which have tu;o horns on the nose, or the wild bull, tints, or htffulo: though some think the beast intended is a species of ^'0«/; but the rhinoceros seems the most likely.

Ver.seSS. There is no enchantment, &c.] Because God has determined to save them, therefore no enchantment can prevail against them.

According to this time, &c.] I think this clause should be read thus: " As at this time, it shall be told to Jacob and to Israel, what God worketh;" i. e. this people shall always have prophetic iiformation of what God is about to work. And, indeed, they are the only people under heaven, who ever had this privilege. When God himself designed to punish them because of their sins, he always /ort>:i'ar.>ifrf them by the prophets; and also took care to apprize them of all the plots of their enemies against them.

Verse 24. Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion] N'37 labia, the great, mighty, or old lion, the king of the forest, who is feared and respected by all the other beasts of the field. Ho shall Israel be the subduer and possessor of the whole land of Canaan: and as a young lion, '1^f ari, from ni}* aruh, to tear off, the predatoiy lion, or the lion in the act of seizing and tearing his prey. The nations against whom the Israelites are now going, shall be no more able to defend themselves against their attacks, than the feeblest beasts of the forest are, against the attacks of the strong lion.

Verse 28. Unto the top of Peor] Probably the place where the famous Baal-peor had his cliiet temple. He appears to have been the Priapus of the Moabites, and to have been worshipped with the same obscene and abominable rites.

Balaam, fin<li)ig that God nas determined to h/ess Israel, seeks no longer for enchantments, 1. The Spirit of God rowing upon him, he delivers a most important prophetic parable, 2 — 9. Bulak'% anger is kindled against him, and he commands him to depart to his on'n eountrr/, 10, 1 1. Balaam, vindicales his conduct, IQ, 13. and delivers a propheci/ relative to the future destruction of Moah hy the Israelites, 14 — 17. al;o of FAlom, 18, I9. of the Amalekiies, 20. and of the Kenites, Gl, 22. Predicts also the destruction of J shier and Tiber, by the naval pozacr of Chittim, tchich should afieniards he itself destroyed, 23, 24. Balaam and Balak separate, 13.

ND wlien Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he went not, as at ^ other times, ^ to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw- Israel " abiding in his tenis according to their tiibes; and " the spirit of God came upon him.

3 ° And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man ^ whose eyes are open hath said:

Verse I. He ivent not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments] We have already liad occasion to ob5cr\'e, thai the proper meaning of the word Z'TM nuchush, is not easily ascertained; see chap. x.\i. 9. and see on Gen. iii. I. Here the plural □"liTU nechashim, is rendered enchantnienls; but it probably aneans no more than the kMwledge of future events. 'W'-hen Balaam saw that it pleased God to bless Israel, he therefore thou^it it unnecessary to apply for any farther prophetic declarations of God's will, as he had done before; for he could safely infer every good to this people, from the evident disposition of God tiiwards them.

Verse 2. The Spirit of Cod came upon him.} This divine afflatus he ha<J not expected on the present occasion; but God had not yet declared the whole of his will.

Verse 3. Jle took tip his parable] His prophetic declaraiion couched in highly poetic terms, and in regular metre, as the preceding were.

The man ivr.ose eyes are open] I believe the original TDTW shetum, should be translated ■'ihut, not open; for in the next verse, where the opening of his eyes is mentioned, a widely difl'erent word is used, nVj,salah, which signifies to open, or reveal. At first, the eyes of Balaam were shut, and so closely too, that he could not see the angel who withstood him, till God opened his eyes; nor could he see the gracious intentions of Gcd towards Israel, till the eyes of his tinderstrinding xiere opened by the power of the Divine Spirit. This, therefore, he mentions, we may suppose, with humility and gratitude; and to the credit of the prophecy which he is now about to deliver, that the Moabnes may receive it as the luord of Cod,

4 He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of tlie Almighty, ^falling into a trance, but ha\ing his eyes open:

6 As the \'alleys 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.

7 He shall pour the water out of his buckets.

which must be fulfilled in due season. His words, in their meaning, are siradar to those of the blind man in the Gospel — " Once 1 was blind, but now 1 see."

Verse 4. hailing into a trance] Tiiere is no indication in the Hebrew, that he fell into a trance: these words are added by our translator.^; but they are not in the original, btii noppel, is the only word used, and simply signifies fulling, or fulling doivn, perhaps, in this instance, by way of religious prostration.

Verse 6. Lign aloes, tvhich the lord hath plumed] Or, as the tents whicli the Lord hath pitched: for it is the same word, CD'SiN ahalim, which is used in the 5th verse. But from other parts of Scripture, we find that tlie word also Mgnifies a species of;;fi", tailed 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, tliat a forest of those, at some di.stance, must bear some resemblance to a numerous encampment. As the word comes from the root Snx ahul, which signifies to spread or branch out, and therefore is applied lo ttnts, because oi 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 (jaiticular species is, cannot be satisfactorily ascertained. By the Lord's planting, is probably meant, such trees as grow iudependautly of the cidtiiation of man, — ^idlis kominum cogcntibus; or, as fV;-^i7 expresses it, i^ponte sua qua: se tollunt in luminis oris.

V\H(J. Geor. ii. 47. " Such as sprung up spontumously into the regions of light."

and his seed,*/;«/? be * in many waters, and his king shall be hitrher than '' Agag, and his "^ kingdom shall be exalted.

8 '^ God brought him forth out of Eg>'])t; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall "^ eat up the nations his enemies, and shall 'ireak their bones, and ^pierce them through with his arrows.

9 '' He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great Hon: who shall stir him up? ' Blessed

.'/s cedar-trees] Gabriel Sionila, a very learned Syrian Maronite, who assi.'-teil in cflitiiig the Paris Polyj^lott, 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 frum each other; and are perpetually green. The cedar distils a kind of gum, (o wliieli ditllrent elTects are attributed. The wood of it is of a brown colour, very solid, and incorruptible if preserved from lucl. It bears a small apple, like to that of t\ie pine."

De la Rcque 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 lcs,scn gradually from tht bottom to the top, shooting out parallel to the horizon, so that the tree is, in appeaiance, s-imilar to a cone. As the snowi:, which fall in va»t 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 af>proach fji winter, and during the snowy soasoti, the branches erect themselves, and cling clo.se to the body of the tree, and thus prevent any quantity of sntiw from lodging on them."

!\Ir. Maundrel, who visited INIount Libanus in 1697, gives t!>e following description of the cedars still growing there:

" These noble trees grow among the snow, near the highest part of Lebanon, and are remarkable, as well for their own (i^e and largeness, as for those frequent allusions to them in the word of God. 8ome of them are very old, and of a prodigious bulk; others yomigcr, and of a smaller size. Of the former, I could reckon only sixteen; but the latier are very numerous. I measured one of the largest, and found it tu:elre yards and tix inches in girl, and yet sound; and ihirfy-seven yards in the spread of its branches. At about five or six yard.s from the ground, it was divided into five limbs, each of which was e(|nal to a great tree." — Journey from Aleppo 10 Jerusalem, p. 1 42.

Verse 7. IJe siuill pour the water out of Iiis buckets, &e.] Here is a very plain allusion to their method of raising water in difVer'.nt parts of the East. By the ucll, a tall pole is

is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that ciuseth thee.

10 % And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he "

ther: and Balak said unto Balaam, ' I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast alt<)octher blessed them these three times.

1 1 Therefore now iiee thou to thy place: "" I thougiit to promote thee unto great honour; l)ut, lo, the Loud hath kept thee back from honour.

erected,.which serves as a fulcrum to a very long lever, to the smaller end of which a bucket is appended. On the opposite end, which is much larger, are many knolches cut in ihe wood, which ser\e as steps for a man, whose business it is to climb up to the fulcrum, in order lo loner the bucket into the well, which, when filled, he raises by walking back on the o])po5ite arm, till his weight brings the bucket above tlie well's mouth: a person st<inding by the well, empties the bucket into a trench, which communicates with the ground intended to be watered.

J lis seed shall be in mttny Katcrs'] Another simple allusioa to the sowing of rice. The ground must not only be kcII watered, hui flooded, in order to serve for the proper growth of this grain. The rice tlKit was sown in mmi/ waters, must be the most fruitful. By an elegant and chaste metaphor, all this is applied to the jurocreaao/i of a numerous postcriij/.

His A'/«n- shall be higher than.^'Igag^ 7 his name is supposed to have been as common to all the Amalekitish kings, as rharuoh was to tho.se of Egypt. But several critics, with the Septuagint, suppose that a small change has taken place here in the original word; and that instead of JJXO mc ugug, than.,'tgag, we should read;u^ ^J'g"g, than Gog. As Gvg, in scripture,."Jeems to mean the enemies of God's people, then the promise here may imply, that the true worshippers of the Most High, shall ultimately have dominion over all theu' enemies.

Verse 8. God brought kirn out of Egj/pt] They were neither expelled thence; nor came loluntarily away. God alone, with a high hand and uplifted arm brought them forth. Concerning the unicorn, sec on chap, xxiii. 22.

Vcr?e 9. He couched, he lay doivn as a lion, Jkc] See the original terms explained chap, xxiii. 24.

These oracles delivered by Balaam, are evident prophecies of the victories which the Israelites should gain over their enemies, and of their firm po.ssession of the Promised Land. They may also refer to the great victories to be obtained by the Lord Jesus Christ, that Lion of the tribe of Judah, over Sin, De.ithand Satan, the grand enemies of the human race: and to that most numerous posterity of spiritual children, which should be begotten by the preaching of the Gospel.

Verse 11, Lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honour."} '..\ bitter and hnpious sarcasm. " Hadst thou cursed this'

12 And Balaam said Spake 1 not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,

13 * If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord, to do either good or bad, of mine own mind; hut what the Lord saith, that will I speak?

14 And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and " I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people " in the latter days.

15 % ^ And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man t\hose eyes are open hath said:

16 He hath said, which heard the words of

people, I would have promoted thee to great honour: but thou hast chosen ralher to follow the directions of Jehovah, than mine, and what will l/c do for thee?"

Verse 15. The man vhose eyes are opeiil See on ver. 3. It seems strange that our version should have fallen into such a mistake as to render OnU' shetum, open, which it does not signify, when the very sound of the word expresses the sense. The Vulgate has very properly preserved the true meaning by rendering the clause, cujus ohiiiratus est ocultis; he whose eyes are shut. The Targum first paraphrased the passage /a/se/y; and most of the versions followed it.

Ver,se 17. / shall see him, but not now;] or, / shall see him, but he is not now: I shall behold him, but not nii^h: I shall liare a full view of him, hut the tiine is yet distant. That is, the person of whom I am now prophesying-, does not at present exist among these Israelites, nor shall he appear in this generation. There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall arise out of Israel — a person eminent for wisdom, and formidable for strength and power, shall arise as king among this people — he shall smite the corners of Moab; -he shall bring the Moabites perfectly under subjection, see 2 Sam. viii. 2. and destroy all the children of Sheth. The original word ■^p'^p harkar, from mp karah, to meet, associate, join, blend, and the like, is variously translated, vastabit, he shall tvasle, Vui.fi.ATE. — tt^ovo/jKuo-ci, shall prey on, SePT. — KlSu" yishlot, shall rule over, Targum. — Shall shake, AkaBIC. — JsJLijj barbcnd, shall put a yoke on, Pi:us. — Shall miuctll,

The Targum of Onkelos, translates the whole passage thus: " I shall see hm, but not now: I shall behold him, l)iit he is not near. When a king shall arise from the house ot Jacob, and the Messiah be anointed from the house of Israel; he shall slay the princes of Moab, and rule o\er all the children of men."

The Jerusalem Targum is a little diflVrcnt: " A king shall arise from the house of Jacob, a rcdrtmer and governor from

most high, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

17 ' I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come ^ a Star out of Jacob, and ^a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall " smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

1 8 And ' Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies j and Israel shall do valiantly.

19 "Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.

20 And when he looked on Amalek, he took

the house of Israel, who shall slay the chiefs of the Meabites, and empty out and destroy all the children of the East."

Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, has, in my opinion, perfectly hit the meaning of the prophecy in the follouing paraplirase of the text: I shall see him, hut nomow: This is David. / shall behold him, but not nigh. This is the king MESSIAH. A Star shall come out of Jacob. This is DaVID. And a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel. This is the king Me.ssIAH. And shall smite the corners of Moab. This is David, as it is written (2 Sam. viii. 2.) And he smote Moab — casting them down to the ground: And shall destroy all the children of Sheth. This is the king Messiah, of whom it is written, Psal. Ixxii. 8. lie shall have dojninion from sea to sea.

Verse 18. And Edom. shall be a possessioyi] i. e. To DaVII), as it is said, and all they of lulom became David's servants, (2 Sam. viii. 14.)

And Scir shall be a pnssessionl That is unto the king Messiah as it is said: " And saviours shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the mount of Ksau, and the kingdom shall be the Lord's." Obad. ver. 21. — See Ainsworth.

Verse 19. Out of Jacob shall come, &c.] 1 his is supposed to refer to Christ, because of what is said. Gen. xlix. 10.

It is exceedingly difficult to fix the true sense of this prophecy in all its particulars. Probably the Star, vcu IT. is only an emblem of kingly power. Among the Egyptians a star is said to have been the symbol of the Divine Being. The sceptre refers to the kingly power in exercise. The corners, or out-.skirts, may mean the petty Moabitish governments, as the Chaldte has understood the ti rm. If karkar, which wc translate, utterly destroy, be not tlie name of a place here, (which is not very likely) as it is in Judges viii. 10. it may be taken in one of those senses assigned to it, (.<ee on ver. 17.) and signify the blending together; the children of Sheth, that is, all the inhabitants of the earth, for so the children of Seth must necessarily be uiulerstood, unless we consider it here as meaning some king of the i)Ioabi!es, according to Grotius, bc'hm "P '''^ parable, and Said, Ainalck [[place, and thou putlest thy nest in a iH'j'f*

21 And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwelling

•Or, the first of the nations that warred o^fiiTul Israel. Exod. 17. 8.- siiall be even to deslruciio or a cily on the borders of Moab, according- to Rnbbi Na/Iian. As neiiher Israel nor the Messiali ever destroyed all the chiklrrn of men, we must (in order to leave the children of Sheth nhat they are pjeneraliy understood to be, afl the inhubilunts qf the viorld,) understand the wiiole as a prophecy of the final universal sway of the sceptre of Christ, when the middle wall of partition shall be broken down, and the Jcins j Olid Gentiles become one united, blended fold, under one | shepherd and bishop of their souls.

I cannot think tliat the meteoric star, which guided the wise ', men of the East to Hethlehem, can be intended here: nor do I think that Peter refers to this prophecy when he calls Christ i the dau Star, 2 Epist. i. 19. nor that in Rev. ii. 28. where j he IS called the tNorniia star, nor that in Rev. xxii. 16. where ' Christ is called the bright and morning star, refer at all to i this propht cy of Balaam. Nor do I think that the false i Chriit who rose in the time of Adrian, and who called liirnself i Barcocab, which literally signifies the son of a star, did refer I to this prophecy. Had he, he must have defeated his own intention, because the SoN of the star, is not THE STAR that should arise, but at the utmost a descendant; and then to vindicate his right to the Jewish throne, he must shew that i the person vvho was called tlie Star, and of whom he pretended | to be the son or descendant, had actually reigned before liim. I As the sun,. moon, stars, planets, tight, splendor, effulgence, day, &c. were always considered among the Asiatics as emblems of royally, government, &c. therefore manj', both men and women, had these names given to them as titles, surnames, } &c. So the queen ot Alexander the Great, called Roxana by the Greeks, was a Persian princess; and in her native tongue her name was (j^jj Roushen, splendor. Hadassah, who became queen to Ahasuents, in place of the repudiated I'ashti, and is called Esther, by Europeans in general, was called in the language of Persia SjlXm Sitareh; from whence by corruption came both Est/:cr, liie Persian queen, and our word star. And, to wave all farther examjjles, a Mohammedan prince at fust named Eesouf or Joseph, was called j^^' i^f^j Rouxlien Akhlcr, when he ^^•as raised to Ihe throne, which signifies a splendid or hnnimnis star. This prince, by a joyful reverse of fortmie, was brought from a | gloomy prison, and exalted to Ihe throne of Hindoostan: on which account the following couplet was made, in which there i< a paranomasia, or play on the name Roushen Akhier; and the last line alludes to the history of the Patriarch.Joseph, who was brought out of prison and exalted to the highest honours in I'-gy| t.

captive. 23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas,

view of Balaam; but his latter end shall be that he perish

Verse 2 1. He looked on the Kenites] Conmientatcrs are not well agreed who the Kenites were. Dr. Dodd's opinion is, I think, nearest to the truth. Jcthro, the father-in-law of Moses, is called a priest or prince of Midian, Exod. iii, 1. and in Judges i. 16. lie is called a Kcnitc; we may infer, therefore, says he, that the Kenites and the Midianites w ere the same; or at least that the Kenites and the IMidianites were confederate tribes. Some of these, we learn fioni.Tudues i. followed the Israelites, others abode still among ihe Midianites and Amalekites. When Saul destroyed the latter, we find he had no commission against the Kenites, 1 Sam. XV. 6. but it appears that ihey were then a.small and inconsiderable people: they had doubtless been icastcd, as the text says, though by what mean.s does not appear from history. On the other hand, it may bo observed, that the Midianitt"s, mentioned here, lived rV'se to the Dead.Sea, at a great distance from the Madian, where Jethro lived, which was near) Horeb. Perhaps they were a colony or tribe that had mi-jraled from the vicinity of mount Sinai. It seems that at this lime, the A'e«eVei occupied a very strong position; strontf is thy duelling place, and thou pattest thy nest in a rock: wliere ■ there is a play on the original word J>p kin, which signifies both a Kcnitc and a nest. High rocks in these countries were generally used as their strong places.

Verse 22. Until Asshur shall carry thee away cnpiire.] The As-syrians and Babylonians who carried captive the fen tribes, 2 Kings xvii. 6. and the Jews into Babylon, 2 Kings xxv. probably carried away ihe Kenites also. Indeed this seems pretty evident, as we find.some Kenites mentioned among the Jews after their return from the Babylonish captivity, 1 Chron. ii. 55.

Verse 23. Who skull live idim God doeth this.?] There are two senses in which these words may be taken; 1. That the event is so distant, tliat none then ahve could possibly live to see it. 2. That the times would be so distressing and desolating, that scarcely awy should be able to escape. The words are very similar to those of our Lord, and probably are to be taken in the same sense: " Woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days."

Verse 24. Ships shall come//'o»t the coast of Chiltim] Some think by Chitlim the Romans, others the Macedonians, under Alexander the Great, are meant. It is certain that the Romans did conquer the Assyrians, including all the people ol' Syria, Mesopotamia, &.C. but Calmet.strongly contends that by Chittim, Macedonia is meant; and tliat ihe proi)liecy refers to the conquests of Alexander. Chittim was one of the sons of Javan, the son of Japhet, the son of Noah, Gen. x. 4. and his posterity, according to Josephus, Antiq. 1. iii. c. 22. settled in Cilicia, Macedonia, Cyprus, and Italy also; and therefore, says Mr. Ainsworth, the prophecy may imply both the troubles that befel the Asisyrians and Jews by the Greeks and SeleucidoB, in the troublous days of Antiochus.

^nd shall afflict Eber] Probably not the Hebrews, as some think, but the people on the other side the Euphrates, from lay, dbar, Co pass oier, go beyond — all which people were discomfited, and their empire destroyed by Alexander the Great,

Verse 25. And Balaam — returned to his placel Intended to liave gone to Mesopotamia, his native country; see Deut. xxiii. 4. but seems to have settled among the Midianites, where lie was slain by the Israelites, see chap. xxxi. 8.

Though the notes in the preceding chapters have been extended to a considerable length, yet a few additional remarks mav be necessary: the Reader's attention is earnestly requested to the following propositions.

1. It appears sufficiently evident from the preceding account, that Balaam knew and \\ orshipped the true God.

2. That he had been a true prophet, and appears to have been in the habit of receiving oracles from God.

3. Tliat he practised some illicit branches of knowledge, or was reputed by the Moabites as a sorcerer — probably because of the high reputation he had for wisdom — and we know that even in our own country, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, persons who excelled their contemporaries in wisdom, were reputed as magicians.

4. That though he was a believer in the true God, yet he was covetous — he loved the xuages of unrighteousness.

5. 1 hat it dofK not appear that in the case betbre us, he wished to curse Israel, when lie found they v\ere the servants vf the true God.

shall afflict " Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.

25 And Balaam rose up,and\venL and " returned tohisplace: and Balak also wenthis way.

told him that there was a numerous people come out of Egypt; and as marauders, wandering hordes, freebooters, &c. were frequent in those days, he might take them at first for such spoilers; and the more readily go at Balak's request, to consult God concerning them.

7. That so conscientiously did he act in the whole business, that as soon as he found it displeased God, he cheerfully offered to return; and did not advance, till he had not only the permission, but the authority of God to proceed.

8. That when he came in view of the Israelitish camp, he did not attempt to make use of any means of sorcery, evocation of spirits, necromantic spells, &.c. to accomplish the wish of Balak.

9. That he did seek to find out the will of the true God, by using those?neans which God himself had prescribed, viz. supplication and prayer, and the sacrifice of clean beasts.

10. That though he knew it would greatly displease Balak, yet he most faithfully and firmly told him all that God said on every occasion.

11. That notwithstanding his allowed covetous disposition, yet he refused all promised honours, and proffered rewards, even of the most extensive kind, to induce him to act in any respect contrary to the declared will of God.

12. That God on this occasion, communicated to him some of the most extraordinary prophetic influences ever conferred on man.

13. That his prophecies are, upon the whole, clear and pointed, and have been fulfilled in the most remarkable manner; and furnish a very strong argument in proof of Divine revelation.

14. That notwithstanding the wicked counsel given to the Midianites, the effects of which are mentioned in the following chapter, on which account he probably lost his life, chap. xxxi. 8. the badness of this man's character has been very far overrated; and that it does not appear that he was either a hvpocrile, false p7-ophet, or a sorcerer, in the common acceptation of the term, and that he risked even life itself in following and fulfilling the will of the Lord!

15. That though it is expressly asserted, thap. xxxi, 16. and Rev. ii. 14. that Israel's committing whoredwn with the daughters of Moab, was brought about by the evil counsel given by Balaam to cast this stumbling block in their way; yet it does not appear from the text, that he had those most criminal intentions which are generally attributed to him: for as we have already seen so much good in this man's character, and that this, and his love of money, (and wlio thinks this a sin.f) are almost the only blots in it; it must certainly be consistent with candour and charity, to su.ggest a method of removing at least some part of this blame.

IC. I Would therefore simply say, that the counsel given by Balaatn to Balalt: might have been, " to form alUuncei vifVi this people, Especially tViroiigti tlie mediuni of in<itn'mo- j ntftl covnec'.ioiis; and sft-ins; tliey could not romjucr them, to erid<"avoiir to make lliciu tiicir friends." Now, though this nisijht not be de>ie[ned by Balaam to bring tlieni mto a snare; yet It was a bad doctrine, as it led to tlie corruption of the holy seed, Mnd to an unequal yoking with unbelievers; which, tliougli even in a matrimonial way, is as contrary to sound policy, as to the word of God. — See the notes on chap. xxv. Z. and u.

n. That it was tli<* Morihid'.h wnnien, not Balaam, that called llic people to ilic sacrilice.*; of their gods: and if argued great d«-gencracy and inic|uily in the hearts of the people, on.«o slight an invitation, to jiin so 'suddenly ia so impure a worship, and so speedily to cast off the whole form of godliness, with every portion of the fear of the Almighty: thtrclbre the high blame rests ultimately with tbemseWes.

W7///f Israel abode in SJtitli/ii. the people cornriiit ithoredom t.iVA the daughters tif Moab, 1. They become idolaters,.1. T/ie anger of tlte Lord is kindled against them, and he commands the iii.igledder?' to be hanged, 3, 4. Moses rouacs the juilges to slaf the franagressors, 5. Zimri, one of the Israclitiih p/iitces of the tribe uf hjiiueon, briiigi a MiJianitish princess, named Cozbi, into his tent, rchite the people are deploring their iniquitj/ before the taber- 7>aclc, '). Pkinchas, the son of Eleazar, incensed by this insult to the Inzis and zvorship of God, luns after them and pierces tficm both zcith a javelin, 7, 8. Ttcenti/four thonsntid die of the pli'gue, sent as a pnnisltnwnt for their iniquitj/, 9. The Lord giants to Fhinehas a covenant of peace and an everlasting priesthood, 10 — l.'J. The name and qmiliti) of the Israelitish ynan and Midianiti^h rcoman, 14, l,";. God commands the Israelites til ve.r and smile the Midianiles, icho hud seduced (hem to the zcorship of Baal-peor, 16 — 18.

2 And " they called the people unto " the sa- j crifices of their gods: and the people did eat, I and ' bowed down to their gods. j

3 And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor:! and ' the anger ol the Lord was kindled against \ Israel. |

4 And the Lord said unto Moses, ^ Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up be- \

NOTES ON CH.4P; ^XV. X''pr.=e 3. Tsrael joined liiinsclf unto Bual-pcor] Tile same as the Priapu.^ of the Uonians, and woisluppcd With the same '<(bscene rites, as we have frcquenUy had occasion to remark.

The ^'o/niVfi,' to Baat-peor, mentioned here, was probably what 5*1. Paul had in view, when he.said, 2 Cor vi. 14. Be ye ntitim- ((pidili/ yoked lo^elher iiith iinhftin^Ts. And this joining, though done ovtn in a nuilriiiiomal way, was nevertheless /'ir;»c(i</(/H, see Rev. ii. 14. as no marriage between an Israelite aiul a Midianitc could be legitimate, accirding to the law of God. •See the propositions at the close of llie preceding chapter.

Verse 4. Take all the heads of Llic people, &c.] Meaning the chiefs of t!io>e who had transgressed: as if he had said, " Asfemhle the chiefs and judges, institute an enqinry concerning the tran.^gre.ssors, and hang them who shall be found guilty shittiiYi, Ij fore the Lord against th.e sun, ii[^;",l^[ e people began to com- ji " tliat the fierce anger of the Lord An. Exod.isr.

5 And Moses said unto ' the judges of Israel, " Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baal-peor.

6 ^ And, behold, one of the cluldren of Israel came and brouglit unto his brethren a Midiauitish woman in the.sight of Moses, and ia the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, ' who -cere weeping be/ore the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

before the Lord, as a matter required by his justice." j/igainst the.5»/i — ill the most |)iiblie iiuiniier, and in <iay-liglit.

Dr. KeniiK-ctt iins remarked, that the Samaritan and Hebrew te.Kts must be both taken togetli;T, to make the sense here complete. And the Lord said uiilo Moses,.Spk.\k unto all the heads of the people; AM^ LKT THKM SLAY THI-:

MEN IHAT WKKK JOIN I'D TO liAAI.-PtOlt; and httng tliCltl Up before the Lord, ui;ai)i.it the sun, &c.

W-r^e 5. Slai/ ye every one his Twc.-/] In the different departments where you preside over thousands, hundreds, ffties, and tens, slay all the culprits that shall be found.

7 And ' when Phinehas, '' the son ' of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw if, he rose up from among

the congregation, and took a javelin in his

8 And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust botli of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So " the plague was stayed from the

9 And ^ those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.

11 ^Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned.my wrath away

from the children of Israel, while he was zealous * for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in ^ my jealousy.

1 2 Wherefore say, '' Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:

13 And he shall have it, and 'his seed after him, eveti the covenant of '' an everlasting priesthood; because he was ' zealous for his God, and ■" made an atonement for the children of Israel.

14 Now the name of the Israelite that

ver. 15. Tlie coJit/jVion of these two person?, plainly proves it to have been a matrimonial alliance — the one was a prince, the other a j>}incess — -therefore I must conclude, that fornication or whoredom, in the connnon sense of the word, was not practised on this occasion. The matter was bad enough, as the marriage was in flat opposition to the law of God; and we need not make it worse by representing the woman as a common prostitute, as the Vulgate and several others have done. In such a ease, this is absolutely inadmissible. Josephus positivelj' says, that Ziniri had married Cozbi, Antiq. 1. iv. rhap. 6. and if he had not said so, still the tlung is nearly self-evident. — See the conclusion of chap. xxiv.

Tiie children of Israel were weeping'] This aggravated the crime, because the people were then in a state of great humiliation, because of the late impure and illeg.il transactions.

Verse 8. Tlirusl both of tlicm througli] Inspired, undoubtedly, by the spirit of the God of justice, to do this act, vhich can never be a precedent in any common occasion. An act.something similar occurs in our own history. In l.'SSl, in the minority of Richard II. a most formidable insurrection took place in Kent and Essex: about 100,000 men, chiefly under the direction of JVat Tyler, seized on London, massacred multitudes of innocent people, and were proceeding to the greatest enormities; when the king requiring a conference in Smithfield with the rebel leader. Sir WiUium Wahcorth, then mayor of London, provoked at the insolence with which Tyler behaved to his sovereign, knocked him ofl" his horse with his mace, after which he was instantly dispitched. While his partizans were bending their bows to revenge the death of their leader, Richard, then only sixteen years of age, rode up to them, and with great courage and presence of mind thus addressed them, " What, my people, will you kill your king! be not concerned for the death of your leader, follow me, and 1 will be your general." — They were suddenly appeased, and the rebellion terminated. The action of Sir William Walworth was that of a aealot, of essential benefiC at the time; and justified only by the pressing exigencies of the case.

slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish

woman, teas Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of

15 And the name of the Midianitish woman

Verse 9. Those that died — icere iweniy four thousand.] St. Paul, 1 Cor. X. 8. reckons only txveniy-tliree thousand; though some MS.S. and Versions, particularly the latter Syriac, and the Armenian, have fj:eniy-four thou.sand, with.the Hebrew Text. Allowing the 24,000 to be the genuine reading, and none of the Hebrew MSS. exhibit any various reading here, the two places may be reconciled thus: 1000 men were slain in consequence of the examination instituted ver. 4. and 23,000 in consequence of tlie orders given ver. 5. making 24,000 in the whole. St. Paul probably refers only lo the latter number.

Verses 12, 13. My covenant of peace — of an everlasting priesthood] As the word peace implied all kinds of blessings both spiritual and temporal; it may mean no more here than the promise of Gorl, to grant him and his family tlie titmost prosperity in reference lo both worlds. The er^rtasling priesthood, refers properly to the priesthood of Christ, which was shadowed out by the priesthood under the law; no matter in what family it was continued. Therefore tl)€ dh^V A2ro cehiinnath 61am, or eternal priesthood, does not merely refer to any sacerdotal ministrations which should be continued in the family of Phinehas, during the Mosaic dispensation; but to that priesthood of Christ, typified by that of Aaron and his successors. The priesthood alone is everlasting; and a covenant or grant of thai, was made to Phinehas and his descendants. The Jews reckon 12 high-priests of the race of Phinehas, from this time to the days of Solomon — 9 more from that time to the captivity, see 1 Chron. vi. 4, 15. and 15 from their return, to the time o? Antiochus Eupator, the last of whom was Oiiias, slain by Lysias. Ezra, the great priest and scribe, was of this line; Ezra vii. 1, 5. The family of Ithaniar, uncle of Phinehas, had the priesthood for about 150 years; but it was restored to the family of Phinehas in the person of Ztidok the priest, 1 Chron. vi. 50. in which it continued, in the whole about 950 years. Probably the Maccabees were of the same family; but though this is not certain, there is no evidence against it. See Culmct. God therefore sufficiently fulfilled his promise; he gave t<v him and his descendants, ahnost the utmost temporal length thiit could be given of that prifstliood, %vhicli is, in its own n.iture, eternal. Here then, tlie word CD^V oiain means, not a liuntfd time, but what is eternal in its duration. See the note on Gen. xxi. 33.

18 For they vex you with

matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of

Midian, their sister, which was slain in the day

Verse 17. Ves the Midianites, &c.] See this order fulfdled, cha)). x.xxi. I — 20. 12,000 Israelites attacked the Midianites, destroyed all their cities, slew their five kinjjs, every male, and every grown up woman, and took all their spoils.

Moses and Eleazar are commanded to take the sum of the Israelites, in the plains of Moab, I — 4. Fieuben ti7id his jwslerify 43,730, 5 — 1 1. Simeon and his posteriti/ 92,e00, 12 — 14. Gad ajul his postcriti/ 4O,.500, 15— 1 8. Judah and his posteriti/ 76',.iOO, IQ — 'iC. Issachar and his posteriti/ 64,300, 23 — 25. Zcbuliiii and his posterity f.iO,500, 26, 27. Manasseh and his posteriti/ 52J00, 28—34. Epliraim and his posteriti/ 32,5(X), 35 — 37. 'Bt:Ti]aimm and his posterity A5,Q0O, 3S — 41. Daa and his posteriti/ 64,400, 42,43. Asher and hi^ posteriti/ 53,400, 44 — 47. '!^ay>htii\i and his posterity 45,400, 48 — 50. Total amount of the twelve tribes 601,730, 51. 27ie land is to be divided by lot, and how, 52 — 56. 'The heyites and their families, 57, 58. 2'hcir genealogy, 59 — 6l. Their number 23,000, 62. In this census or enumeration, not one man zvas found, save Joshua and Caleb, of all who had been reckoned 38 years before, the rest having died in the zcilderness, 63 — 65.

An.Exod.iJr. l\ phguc, tluit the LoKD spakc I Israel, which went forth out of the An. K,xod.ist

2 *Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, '' from twenty years old and upward, throughout their fathers' house, all that are able to go to war in Israel.

3 And Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them "^ in the plains of Moab by Jordan 7iear Jericho, saying,

4 Take the sum of the people, from twenty years old and upward; as the Lord " com-

5 ^ " ileiiben, the eldest son of Israel: the children of Reuben; Hanoch, o/rc7/.)??? conicth the family of the Hanochites: of Pallu, the family of the Palluites:

6 Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the fiimily of the Carmites.

7 These are the families of the Reubenites: and they that wore numbered of them were fbrtv and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty.