The Third “Parable” of Balaam

In his despair Balak now proposed to try the issue from yet a third locality. This time a ridge somewhat farther north was selected—“the top of Peor that looketh toward Jeshimon.” A third time seven altars were built and sevenfold sacrifices offered. But there was a marked difference in the present instance. Balaam went no more “as at other times to seek for auguries” (Numbers 24:1). Nor did Jehovah now, as formerly (23:5, 16), “put a word in his mouth.” But “the Spirit of God came upon him” (24:2), in the same manner as afterwards upon Saul (1 Samuel 19:23)—he was in the ecstatic state, powerless and almost unconscious, or, as Balaam himself describes it, with his outward eyes shut (ver. 3), and “falling,” as if struck down, while seeing “the vision of the Almighty,” and “having his (inner) eyes opened” (ver. 4).BHOTV3 21.5

Saith Balaam, the son of Beor, And saith the man with closed eye, ^{19The Targum Onkelos, however, renders, “the man who saw clearly.”}BHOTV3 22.1

Saith he, hearing the words of God, Beholding the vision of the Almighty: he beholdeth falling down and with open eyes! How good are thy tabernacles, Jacob, Thy dwellings, O Israel—Like (watered) valleys they stretch, like gardens by a river, Like aloes Jehovah planted, like cedars by the waters. ^{20Targum Onkelos: “as rivers flowing onward; as the watered garden by Euphrates—as aromatic shrubs planted by the Lord; as cedars by the waters.}BHOTV3 22.2

Flow waters from his twin buckets—and his seed by many waters, Higher than Agag ^{21Agag—literally, “the fiery”—was not the name of one special king (1 Samuel 15:8), but the general designation of the kings of Amalek, as Abimelech that of the kings of Philistia, and Pharaoh of Egypt.} shall be his king—and his kingdom be exalted. God brings him from Egypt his the unwearied strength of the buffalo—He shall eat the nations (Gentiles) his enemies—and their bones shall he gnaw—and his arrows shall he split. ^{22The rendering of this clause is exceedingly difficult and doubtful. I have taken the verb in its original meaning, divide, split, as in Judges 5:26, “When she had split and stricken through his temples.”} He coucheth, lieth down like a lion and like a lioness—who shall rouse him? Blessed he that blesseth thee, and cursed he that curseth thee!BHOTV3 22.3

We can scarcely wonder that the bitter disappointment of Balak should now have broken forth in angry reproaches. But Balaam had not yet finished his task. Before leaving the king he must deliver another part of the message, which he had already received from Jehovah, ^{23This we gather from the addition of the words, “knowing the knowledge of the Most High” (24:16) besides, “beholding the vision of the Almighty” (ver. 4).} but not yet spoken.BHOTV3 22.4

“Come, I will advise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days” (24:14).BHOTV3 23.1

PROPHETIC MESSAGE THROUGH BALAAM IN FOUR “PARABLES”BHOTV3 23.2

First “parable,” descriptive first of the “latter days,” and then referring to Moab, as the representative of heathenism:BHOTV3 23.3

Saith Balaam, the son of Beor, and saith the man with closed eye, Saith he, hearing the words of God, and knowing the knowledge of the Most High, Beholding the vision of the Almighty: he beholdeth falling down and with open eyes: I behold Him, but not now—I descry Him, but not nigh! Cometh ^{24Literally, makes its way.} a Star from Jacob, and rises a Sceptre from Israel, And dasheth the two sides of Moab, and overthroweth the sons of tumult. ^{25Among all nations “the star” has been associated with the future glory of great kings. The application of it to the Messiah is not only constant in Scripture, but was universally acknowledged by the ancient Jews. Both the Targum Onkelos and that of Jonathan apply it in this manner. “The two sides of Moab,” i.e., from end to end of the land, “The sons of tumult,” i.e., the rebellious nations.}BHOTV3 23.4

And Edom shall be a possession, and a possession shall be Seir ^{26Edom is the people; Seir the country.}—his enemies ^{27“His enemies,” viz., those of Israel; the language is very abrupt.}—And Israel is doing mighty things! ^{28Onkelos: “prosper in riches.”} And shall come from Jacob (a ruler) And shall destroy what remaineth out of the cities.BHOTV3 23.5

Second “parable” against Amalek—as the representative of heathenism in its first contest against Israel—:BHOTV3 23.6

And he beheld Amalek, and he took up his parable, and said: First of the Gentiles Amalek—and his latter end even unto destruction.BHOTV3 23.7

Third “parable” in favor of the Kenites as the friends and allies of Israel:BHOTV3 23.8

And he beheld the Kenites, and he took up his parable, and said: Durable thy dwelling-place, and placed on the rock thy nest. For shall Kajin be for destruction, Until Assbur shall lead thee away?BHOTV3 23.9

Fourth “parable” concerning the Assyrian empire, and the kingdoms of this world, or prophecy of “the end,” appropriately beginning with a “woe:”BHOTV3 23.10

And he took up his parable, and said: ^{29Of course, the Assyrian empire was as yet in the far future, and could not therefore be “beheld” like Moab, Amalek, and the Kenites.} Woe! who shall live when God putteth this? ^{30Who shall be able to abide when God doeth all this?} And ships from the side of Chittim—and afflict Asshur, and afflict Eber—And he also unto destruction!BHOTV3 23.11

This latter may, indeed, be characterized as the most wonderful of prophecies. More than a thousand years before the event, not only the rising of the great world-empire of the West is here predicted, with its conquest of Asshur and Eber (i.e, of the descendants of Eber) (Genesis 10:21), but far beyond this the final destruction of that world-empire is foretold! In fact, we have here a series of prophecies, commencing with the appearance of the Messiah and closing with the destruction of Anti-Christ. To this there is no parallel in Scripture, except in the visions of Daniel. No ingenuity of hostile criticism can take from, or explain away the import of this marvelous prediction.BHOTV3 24.1

And now the two parted—the king to go to his people, the soothsayer, as we gather from the sequel, to the tents of Midian. But we meet Balaam only too soon again. One who had entered on such a course could not stop short of the terrible end. He had sought to turn away Jehovah from His people, and failed. He would now endeavor to turn the people from Jehovah. If he succeeded in this, the consequences to Israel—would be such as Balak had desired to obtain. By his advice (Numbers 31:16; Revelation 2:14) the children of Israel—were seduced into idolatry and all the vile abominations connected with it. ^{31The service of Baal-Peor represents the vilest form of idolatry. Set Furst, Dict. sub voce.}BHOTV3 24.2

In the judgment which ensued, not fewer than 4,000 Israelites perished, till the zeal of Phinehas stayed the plague, when in his representative capacity he showed that Israel, as a nation, abhorred idolatry and the sins connected with it, as the greatest crime against Jehovah. But on “the evil men and seducers” speedy judgment came. By God’s command the children of Israel were avenged of the Midianites. In the universal slaughter of Midian, Balaam also perished. The figure of Balaam stands out alone in the history of the Old Testament. The only counterpart to it is that of Judas, the traitor. Balaam represented the opposition of heathenism; Judas that of Judaism. Both went some length in following the truth; Balaam honestly acknowledged the God of Israel, and followed His directions: Judas owned the Messianic appearance in Jesus, and joined His disciples. But in the crisis of their inner history, when that came which, in one form or another, must be to every one the decisive question—each failed. Both had stood at the meeting and parting of the two ways, and both chose that course which rapidly ended in their destruction. Balaam had expected the service of Jehovah to be quite other from what he found it; and, trying to make it such as he imagined and wished, he not only failed, but stumbled, fell, and was broken. Judas, also, if we may be allowed the suggestion, had expected the Messiah to be quite other than he found Him; disappointment, perhaps failure in the attempt to induce Him to alter His course, and an increasingly widening gulf of distance between them, drove him, step by step, to ruin. Even the besetting sins of Balaam and of Judas covetousness and ambition are the same. And as, when Balaam failed in turning Jehovah from—Israel. he sought only too successfully to turn Israel from the Lord; so when Judas could not turn the Christ from His purpose towards His people, he also succeeded in turning Israel, as a nation, from their King. In both instances, also, for a moment a light more bright than before was cast upon the scene. In the case of Balaam we have the remarkable prophetic utterances, reaching far beyond the ordinary range of prophetic vision; at the betrayal of Judas, we hear the prophetic saying of the High-priest going far beyond the knowledge of the time, that Jesus should die, not only for His own people, but for a ruined world. And, lastly, in their terrible end, they each present to us most solemn warning of the danger of missing the right answer to the great question—that of absolute and implicit submission of mind, heart, and life to the revealed Covenant-Will of God.BHOTV3 24.3