1: And when Balaam saw that it was good in he eyes of the Lord (Yahaveh) to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times (cp.23:3,15), to seek for enchantments (= to meet with familiar spirits [Deut. 18:10,14]. Heb. nechashim from nacash, a serpent, cp. Gen. 3:1), but he set his face toward the wilderness.
2: And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes (see Chapter 2); and the Spirit of God (Elohim) came upon him. (This expression occurs 8 times outside the books of Samuel [Gen. 1:2; 41:38. Ex. 31:5. Here. Ezek. 11:24. 2 Chron. 15:1; 24:20. In all other places it is rendered "the Spirit of Yahaveh". Spirit in Heb. = Rûach).
p q 3-9. Balaam's third Parable.
r s 10,11. Balak's anger.
t 12-14. Balaam's answer.
q 15-24. Balaam's fourth Parable.
r t 25-. Balaam's return.
s -25. Balak's departure.
q 3,4. Introduction.
u¹ 5-7. Godliness (Simile: Valleys, Gardens, Trees).
v¹ -7. Exaltation.
u² 8-. Strength (Simile: Rhinoceros).
v² -8. Victory.
u³ 9-. Security (Simile: Lions).
v³ -9. Blessing.
3: And he took up his parable, and said, “Balaam the son of Beor has said, And the strong man (Heb. geber) whose eyes are closed has said (Heb. shatham, to close, i.e. “the man with closed eye”, i.e. in ecstasy; closed but seeing):
4: He has said, which heard the words from GOD (El = the Mighty God), Which saw the vision of the ALMIGHTY (Shaddai = the All-bountiful or All-sufficient), Falling into a trance (better Ellipsis=“falling to the ground”), but having his eyes closed:
5: How goodly are your tents, O Jacob (this is only in “the vision of the Almighty”. Jacob put for posterity of the natural seed of Israel), And your tabernacles, O Israel! (put for the spiritual seed)
6: As the valleys are they spread forth, As gardens by the river's side, As the trees of lign aloes which the Lord has planted (some codices read “as tents which Yehovah has encamped), and as cedar trees beside the waters.
7: He shall pour the water out of his buckets (this refers to Millennial blessings. See Ezek. 47 and Zech. 14),
And his seed shall be in many waters, And his king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted.
8: God brought him (them) forth out of Egypt; He has as it were the strength of a rhinoceros:
He shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, And pierce them through with his arrows.
9: He couched (see Gen. 49:9), he lay down as a lion, And as a great lion: who shall stir him up?
Blessed is he that blesses you, And cursed is he that curses you.’ ” (Heb. ’ârar, execrate, chiefly as to its effect. See 22:11; 23:8).
10: And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam (see Ex. 10:28), and he smote his hands together: and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to pierce with words my enemies, and, behold, you have altogether blessed them these three times (see Gen.26:28).
11: Therefore now flee you to your place: I thought to promote you to great honor (see 22:17,37); but, lo, the Lord has kept you back from honor.”
12: And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not speak also to your messengers which you sent to 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 my own mind; but what the Lord says, that will I speak?’
14: And now, behold, I go to my people: come therefore, and I will advertise you what this People shall do to your people in the latter days (=in the end of days, denoting a definite period. Cp. Gen.49:1. Deut. 4:30. Isa. 2:2. Jer. 23:20; 30:24; 48:47; 49:30. Ezek. 38:16. Dan. 10:14. Hos. 3:5. Mic. 4:1).
q w¹ 15,16. Introduction. w² 17-19. Israel. w³ 20-24. The nations.
15: And he took up his parable, and said, “Balaam the son of Beor has said, And the strong man whose eyes are closed have said:
16: He has said, which heard the words of God, And knew the knowledge of Most High (Elyon) (Eng. = Most High, i.e. The High One over all the earth. See first occ. Gen. 14:18. The O.T. usage of this title is always in connection with dominion in the earth), Which saw the vision of the ALMIGHTY (= the Almighty), Falling to the ground, but having his eyes closed:
w² x 17-. The Star out of Jacob.
y -17,18. His enemies.
x 19. The Messiah out of Jacob.
17: ‘I shall see Him, Who is not now: I shall behold Him, Who is not near: There shall come a Star out of Jacob (Heb. kôkab = Messiah. See Luke 1:78. 2 Pet. 1:19. Rev. 2:28; 22:16, and cp. Matt. 2:2), And a Scepter shall rise out of Israel (see Gen. 49:10, and cp. Ps. 2),
And shall smite the quarters of Moab (prophecy fulfilled 400 years later. See 2 Sam. 8:2), And destroy all the children of confusion (or tumult. “Sheth" [i.e. Seth] is a bad translation from the Manuscipts. God would not destroy His own children. In this verse we see the prophesy of the Star that would rise to be King out of Isreal.).
18: And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly. (Edom is Russia. Seir is Esau's place where many Kenites lived. If you have the Star, you will do valiantly.)
19: Out of Jacob shall come He that shall have dominion, And shall destroy him that remains of the city.’ ”
20: And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, “Amalek (Heb. = dweller in a village) was the first that warred against Israel of the nations (see Ex.17:8. Not the first in time or of importance); But his latter end shall be destruction for ever.” (cp. Ezek. 17:16. Amalek was a son of Esau. When the Star returns, there will be only one nation with one King. All other nations will perish forever.)
21: And he looked on the Kenites (= sons of Cain), and took up his parable, and said, “Strong is your dwelling-place, and you put your nest in a rock (i.e. the false rock, Satan).
22: Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, Until Asshur shall carry you away captive.” (Asshur is the Assyrian which is a type of antichrist. The Kenites have a stronghold and will continue to be strong, until when? Until the antichrist has had his rule. Then the Kenites that follow Satan will be wasted; however everyone has a choice including the Kenites. You may follow the Light and have everlasting life, or you may follow darkness and be blotted out forever.)
23: And he took up his parable (not a fifth parable but a continuation of the fourth), and said, “Alas, who shall survive when God does this!
24: And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim (= bruisers. A son of Javan, son of Japheth. Gen. 10:4. Refers to the island of Cyprus, including north coastline of Mediterranean, spelled Kittim in Gen. 10:4 and 1 Chron. 1:7. Prophetically speaking it will be the elect giving the deadly wound to the "One World System" in the end times), And shall humble Asshur (= the Asyrians), and shall humble Eber (= the Hebrews), And he also shall perish for ever.” (i.e. who sent ships to humble Asshur and Heber, i.e. Satan)
25: And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.