John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 7. And he took up his parable, and said , etc.] Pronounced the word, the prophetic word, which God had put into his mouth; so the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem call it, the parable of his prophecy; so called, because, in prophecies, often figurative and enigmatical expressions are used, and also sententious and weighty ones, either of which are sometimes called parables; (see Psalm 78:2 Job 27:1 29:1 Proverbs 1:6), Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram ; or Syria, that is, from Mesopotamia, as the Septuagint translate it; and so the Targum of Jonathan, from Aram or Syria, which is by Euphrates: out of the mountains of the east : it being the mountainous part of Mesopotamia or Chaldea, where Balaam dwelt, which lay to the east of the land of Moab: saying, come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel ; he owns that this was Balak’s view in sending for him; nor does he deny that be himself came with such an intention, could he be able to execute it; even curse the people of Israel, with the utmost abhorrence and detestation of them, and in the most furious and wrathful manner, as the last word used signifies.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-10 - With the camps of Israel full in view, Balaam ordered seven altars to be built, and a bullock and a ram to be offered on each. Oh the sottishness of superstition, to imagine that God will be at man's beck The curse is turned into a blessing, by the overruling power of God, is love to Israel. God designed to serve his own glory by Balaam, an therefore met him. If God put a word into the mouth of Balaam, wh would have defied God and Israel, surely he will not be wanting to those who desire to glorify God, and to edify his people; it shall be given what they should speak. He who opened the mouth of the ass caused the mouth of this wicked man to speak words as contrary to the desire of his heart, as those of the ass were to the powers of the brute. The miracle was as great in the one case as in the other. Balaa pronounces Israel safe. He owns he could do no more than God suffere him to do. He pronounces them happy in their distinction from the res of the nations. Happy in their numbers, which made them both honourabl and formidable. Happy in their last end. Death is the end of all men even the righteous must die, and it is good for us to think of thi with regard to ourselves, as Balaam does here, speaking of his ow death. He pronounces the righteous truly blessed, not only while the live, but when they die; which makes their death even more desirabl than life itself. But there are many who desire to die the death of the righteous, but do not endeavour to live the life of the righteous gladly would they have an end like theirs, but not a way like theirs They would be saints in heaven, but not saints on earth. This saying of Balaam's is only a wish, not a prayer; it is a vain wish, being only wish for the end, without any care for the means. Many seek to quie their consciences with the promise of future amendment, or take up with some false hope, while they neglect the only way of salvation, by whic a sinner can be righteous before God.
Original Hebrew וישׂא5375 משׁלו4912 ויאמר559 מן4480 ארם758 ינחני5148 בלק1111 מלך4428 מואב4124 מהררי2042 קדם6924 לכה1980 ארה779 לי יעקב3290 ולכה1980 זעמה2194 ישׂראל׃3478
