Numbers 24

Still hopeful, Balak took Balaam to a third site from which he could view the whole of the Israelite camp. Again he offered sacrifices as before.

Balaam had learned that God would bless Israel even though Balak had not. Consequently this time he did not seek indications of the will of God in omens as he had done previously (Numbers 23:1). He simply proclaimed the message the Holy Spirit revealed to him (Numbers 23:2). Balaam intended his opening words (Numbers 23:3-4) to impress upon Balak that the Almighty God had inspired his oracle.

The phrase "falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered" (found also in Numbers 23:16), ". . . has usually been interpreted as describing the particular state in which the prophet-seer received his revelations (e.g., that he was in a prophetic trance or sleep . . . or was falling down in awe, or in the overpowering presence of the spirit of prophecy . . .)." [Note: J. M. Allegro, "The Meaning of nophel in Numbers xxiv. 4, 16," Expository Times 65 (July 1954):317.]

In the article just cited, the author went on to suggest the translation "pared or peeled of eye(s)" (Numbers 23:4; Numbers 23:16), which is possible grammatically.

Balaam pictured Israel as a man carrying two buckets overflowing with water (Numbers 23:7). Water was the source of physical refreshment and blessing in the hot and arid Near East. Israel’s seed would enjoy the richest blessing (i.e., would grow up beside many waters).

"In an ironic reversal of the evil intended by Pharaoh’s order to cast the seed of Abraham into the river, Balaam’s third oracle uses the well-watered gardens that spread out along the banks of a river to speak of the abundance of Israel’s ’seed.’ A literal reading of Balaam’s remark in Numbers 24:7 is ’Their seed is in the abundant waters’ . . . Thus what was once the intended means for the destruction of the promised seed, that is, the ’abundant waters,’ has now become the poetic image of God’s faithfulness to his promise." [Note: Sailhamer, The Pentateuch . . ., p. 407.]

"Agag" (Numbers 23:7) was the title of the kings of the Amalekites or the name of several Amalekite kings, perhaps a dynasty (cf. Abimelech in Genesis 20:1-2; Genesis 26:1; and Jabin in Joshua 11:1; Judges 4:2). Balaam may have used "Agag" here as the personification of Israel’s enemies. King Saul later defeated another Agag (1 Samuel 15:8).

"It is clear from Numbers 23:24 that Balaam is speaking about the people of Israel and the exodus from Egypt. In Numbers 24:8, however, Balaam repeats the same line and applies it, using singular forms, to the king he has introduced in Numbers 24:7: ’God brought him [singular] out of Egypt; he has the strength of a wild ox.’

"The writer’s purpose appears to be to view the reign of the future king in terms taken from God’s great acts of salvation in the past. The future is going to be like the past. What God did for Israel in the past is seen as a type of what he will do for them in the future when he sends his promised king." [Note: ibid., p. 408.]

"The stunning climax is in the blessing of God on all who bless Israel [Numbers 23:9; cf. Numbers 23:17; Genesis 12:3; Genesis 27:29; Genesis 49:9]. This, of course, takes us back to the original promise of God to Abram. The irony cannot be missed by Balaam or by any who hear his words. In his actions he brings a curse on his own head, even as he speaks blessing!" [Note: Allen, p. 907.]

Balak sent Balaam home without pay because he failed to produce the curse Balak had hired him to deliver.

This oracle is even stronger than the preceding two. As Balaam had alluded to other aspects of the Abrahamic promises previously (Numbers 23:10; Numbers 23:24) here the blessing aspect concludes this oracle (Numbers 23:9; cf. Genesis 12:3; Genesis 27:29).

"Like Pharaoh before him, Balak also made three attempts to thwart God’s blessing for Israel (Numbers 23:1-26; Numbers 23:27 to Numbers 24:9), and each attempt was turned into a blessing (Numbers 23:11-12; Numbers 23:25-26; Numbers 24:10-11)." [Note: Sailhamer, The Pentateuch . . ., p. 406.]