rewards of divination not sufficient encouragement; and therefore promises to advance him to some high preferment in his court. From the moment Balaam received this message, he seems to have given himself up entirely to views of ambition. He had no need to consult God a second time about going for he had already had his answer: "Thou shalt not go with them," &c.

20.-rise up, and go with them;] Since thou hast such a mind to go, follow thy inclinations. This permission was much such a one as our Saviour gave to Judas, "That thou doest, do quickly." John xiii. 27. After God's first prohibition, a wise man would have absolutely refused to treat with any ambassadors on the same errand. But Balaam had set his heart upon the bribes. So God permitted him to follow his inclination, and to run his utmost length of folly and madness. Since he would not retreat in time, though God had given him sufficient intimations, he was at length permitted to proceed in his own way, and to his own destruction.

22.—God's anger was kindled because he went:] If it appear strange, that God should be angry with him for going, when He had bidden him "rise up and go;" it should be remembered, that God, in the first instance, had positively forbidden his going; and he ought therefore to have made no further inquiry. The permission which God afterwards gave him to go, was given in His anger, and because Balaam was so bent on following his own covetous inclinations. God also was angry with Balaam because he went with a wrong disposition, and with the evil hope and design of cursing the people whom God had pronounced to be blessed.

23.-the ass saw the angel] Which was more than Balaam or his servants did; God thinking fit to restrain their sight.

28. the Lord opened the mouth of the ass,] God caused the ass miraculously to speak with the voice of man, to reprove the foolishness of the prophet. This miracle was very proper to convince Balaam that the mouth and tongue were under God's direction; and that the same Divine Power, which caused the dumb ass to speak contrary to its nature, could make him utter blessings upon Israel contrary to his inclination. It may be thought strange, perhaps, that Balaam should express no surprise on this extraordinary occasion: but it is most probable that he was greatly astonished at it, (as Josephus the Jewish historian affirms he was) though Moses, in his short history, does not inform us of the circumstance.

29.- hast mocked me:] Exposed me to scorn and laughter.

30. And the ass said unto Balaam.] We are not to suppose from this that the ass understood what Balaam said, and thereupon returned this

appropriate answer: but that the same power, which made the ass speak at first, continued to form such an answer, as might convince Balaam of his error.

31. Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam,] He was not blind before; but his eyes were withholden from seeing the angel.

32-Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times?] The Angel of God takes notice of the cruelty of Balaam to his beast: his first words to the unmerciful prophet are an expostulation for this wrong. God will certainly call us to an account for the cruel usage of His dumb creatures. He hath made us lords, not tyrants; owners, not tormentors: He that hath given us leave to kill them for our use, hath not given us leave to abuse them at our pleasure.

-thy way is perverse before me:] Thy intentions are not sincere before me: for thou designest to serve Balak, and so to gain thy covetous and ambitious ends, rather than to serve me.

38.-to say any thing?] Besides what God shall direct me.

41.-the high places of Baal,] The high places set apart for the worship of the idol Baal. Thither Balak brings Balaam, as to a place most advantageous for his purpose, both as it was a place dedicated to Baal, and for its height, giving him a prospect of the camp of Israel.

CHAP. XXIII.

Verse 3.-and I will go:] By myself into some private place, where I hope the Lord will meet me and reveal Himself to me.

7.- he took up his parable, and said,] He lifted up his voice, and delivered in an audible manner this his prophetical speech. The word parable, as used in Scripture, has different significations. Sometimes it means a proverbial saying; sometimes a short comparison or similitude; or a continued relation of feigned but possible facts, such as the parables of our Saviour. In the present instance the word parable signifies, a weighty and solemn speech, delivered in figurative and majestick language.

9.-from the top of the rocks I see him,-lo, the people shall dwell alone,] I am set upon this high rock, on purpose that, upon the sight of Israel, I might curse him. I do indeed behold him, but I have no power to curse. Lo, this people shall be an entire nation within themselves; and shall be a peculiar people, separated and set apart to God, from all other nations upon earth.

10.- the dust of Jacob,] The posterity of Jacob, which for multitude are as the dust of the earth.

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Let me die the death of the righteous,] Such a death as those die, who are in covenant with God, and obey His precepts. This vain wish of Balaam's, was probably recorded, that the account of his immature death in battle, Chap. xxxi. 8. might make the stronger impression on the serious reader, to warn him against the impiety and folly of expecting the reward of virtue after a life spent in the gratification of every corrupt appetite. The words seem also to have a reference to the future happy state of the Israelites when obedient to God.

13.- and shalt not see them all:] He imagined perhaps, that Balaam was frightened at the sight of their multitude, and therefore durst not meddle with them.

19.-God is not a man, that he should lie;] God will make good His promises, and particularly that of bringing this people into the promised land; for He is not like a man, who for want of veracity or power fails in the performance of his promises.

21. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob,] That is, they were a people of virtue and piety, so far as not to have drawn down by their iniquity that curse, which Balaam was soliciting leave to pronounce upon them. The words " iniquity" and "perverseness" here mean idolatry. So that the reason which Balaam gives, why God had blessed and he could not curse them, is, because they were free from idolatry: unto which unless they could be seduced, there was no hope that God would deliver them into the power of their enemies. For which reason Balaam afterwards counselled Balak to entice them to this sin, as the only way to move God's anger against them.

the Lord his God is with him,] The meaning of the whole verse is this: since they do not worship idols, but cleave to the Lord their God, and serve Him alone, He is present with them, not only to preserve them from their enemies, but, as a king, to crown them with victories.

the shout of a king] He alludes to the shouts made, when a king or great captain returns victo rious with the spoils of his vanquished enemies.

22. he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.] He, that is, Israel, hath the strength, &c. It is uncertain what is the animal here meant, probably it is the Rhinoceros.

23.- according to this time it shall be said &c.] The time is now at band, when God shall do great things for Israel. Or, on all occasions it shall be said of Israel, "What has God wrought for them!"

21. Behold, the people shall rise up as a great hon,] This is a prophecy of the victories which the Israelites should gain over their enemies. See also verse 8, 9. of the next chapter. God here puts into the mouth of Balaam much the same

things which Jacob had before predicted of Judah, Gen. xlix. 9.

CHAP. XXIV.

Verse 1.- he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments,] He went not, as the two former times, to some private place, in hopes of effecting his wicked designs against Israel, by euchantments, but only looked towards the wilderness where they lay encamped.

3. whose eyes are open] Who when he was awake, received revelations from God, which was an extraordinary favour; for commonly He appeared to men in dreams.

4.-falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:] Falling into a trance, so that all his outward senses were shut up; yet the eyes of his mind were opened, to behold the visions of God. perhaps the words may allude to Balaam's having his eyes opened, Chap. xxii. 31. after falling with

his ass.

which the Lord hath planted,] Which grow naturally of themselves, without the labour of man, It may refer to the garden of Eden, which the Lord planted.

7. He shall pour the water out of his buckets, &c.] He shall have a plentiful progeny, which shall spread abroad over fruitful regions; and the kings, that shall come of his loins, shall be more mighty than the most flourishing kings of the Amelekites. The increase of posterity is in the Scripture represented by the flowing out of waters. Is. xlviii. 1. Prov. v. 15-18. And " many waters" in the Scripture phrase are put for many people, Rev. xvii. 15. Ps. cxliv. 7. Or the words "He shall pour water out of his buckets," may be understood to mean that God would pour down plentiful showers out of the clouds, on the country of the Israelites.

his king shall be higher than Agag,] This was accomplished by Saul the first king of Israel, who subdued Agag. The kingdom of Israel was also afterwards greatly exalted by David and Solomon. But the prophecy hath its full completion in the Messiah.

9. he lay down as a lion,-who shall stir him up?] See Gen. xlix. 9. This comparison signifies that the Israelites should have such secure possession of Canaan, that none should dare to assault them.

general sin of unbelief, for which all died that were then above twenty and guilty of it, Chap. xxvi. 64, 65. This is called a man's own sin, because God was pleased not to punish the children of the said sinners, but only the persons themselves who were guilty of it.

12. mount Abarim,] A tract of mountains in the plains of Moab, one of which was called Nebo, and the top of it Pisgah.

18.— a man in whom is the spirit,] A man, whom I have endued with more than an ordinary measure of My spirit of wisdom and courage.

-lay thine hand upon him;] By that rite set him apart for the office.

20.-thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him,] Communicate some of thy authority to him at present; and not let him be any longer as thy minister, but as an associate in the government.

21.—he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, &c.] The high priest shall, upon all weighty occasions, ask counsel of God for him; and he shall receive directions from "the breastplate of judgment" in all his doubts. See note on Exod. xxviii. 30.

CHAP. XXVIII.

Verse 2. Command the children of Israel, &c.] Moses, having numbered the new generation of men, who were to inherit the land, and received warning of his own death, is commanded to put them in mind of the ordinances which they were to observe in that land; and the rather, because in their journeys in the wilderness, they had not practised the rites which they had received.

CHAP. XXIX.

Verse 39. These things ye shall do &c.] It appears that there were every year to be sacrificed at the stated national charge, the following num. bers of beasts; namely

1,101 lambs,

132 bullocks,

72 rams, 21 kids,

2 goats. Besides these, were a vast number of "voluntary, vow, and trespass-sacrifices," which would swell the account to a much greater degree. This troublesome and expensive way of serving God must bave made the best men among the Jews groan and long for the coming of the Messiah; in whose days, their own doctors say, no sacrifices shall remain, but those of thanksgiving, and praise, and prayer.

CHAP. XXX.

Verse 5.-the Lord shall forgive her, because her

Verse 2. Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites:] Moses is commanded here to "avenge the Israelites;" but at verse 3. he requires the people to" avenge the Lord." The Midianites had brought destruction upon the people of Israel, by causing them to sin, and had drawn them from God into idolatry; they were therefore to be punished as offenders against God, and against Israel.

8.- Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.] He is here mentioned because it was he that advised Balak to tempt Israel to sin: he is therefore among those that suffer for it. The women also who had committed sin with the Israelites were ordered to be put to death, verse 17. and their male children, lest hereafter they should attempt to avenge themselves on the Israelites.

This

28. And levy a tribute unto the Lord &c.] The soldiers, out of their half, were to offer a 500th part of every kind of spoil, to God, in acknowledgement of Him, as the Author of their success. was to be presented to the priests. But out of the half belonging to the people, who had borne no fatigue in the war, a much larger proportion of the spoil was to be taken, namely a 50th part, and to be offered to the Levites, the other branch of God's ministry.

49. there lacketh not one man of us.] The Israelites, though far inferior in numbers to their enemies, did not lose a single man! An evident proof that God was with them.

50.-tablets,] Some ornaments worn upon the

breasts.

-to make an atonement for our souls] The officers were sensible that they ought to have put the captive women to death; and therefore they now presented a great quantity of rich spoil as an expiatory offering, to atone for their offence.

54.-for a memorial] A memorial at once of God's mercy in preserving their number entire; and of their gratitude and piety in offering up their tribute of praise.

CHAP. XXXII.

Verse 6.-and shall ye sit here?] Shall ye sit down in peace without assisting your brethren to conquer Cauaan?

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15.-ye shall destroy all this people.] That is, will by this means cause them to be destroyed. 23.-your sin will find you out.] You will certainly be punished for it.

34.-built Repaired and fortified.

38.-(their names being changed,)] Nebo, as well as Baal, was the name of a false god. It is probable therefore, that the Israelites changed the names of these cities, that they might abolish all remains of idolatry in the country.

CHAP. XXXIII.

Verse 52.-destroy all their pictures,] All those images and representations of all kinds, which were used as objects of idolatrous worship.

high places: That is, all groves or build ings for worship, which were generally in high places. See Deut. xii. 2.

55.-if ye will not drive out the inhabitants] At first they could not drive them out, for it was not God's design. Therefore Joshua left several nations, or parts of them unsubdued, warning the Israelites at the same time to have nothing to do with them, and promising that God would in time expel them quite. But when the Israelites grew slothful and cowardly, and negligently suffered the people of Canaan to dwell among them, and make friendship with them, as they did after Joshua and all that generation were dead, then followed what is here threatened in the next words.

-shall be pricks in your eyes, &c.] Bring very sore calamities upon you; as grievous as a wound made in the eye, which is a most tender part; or in the side when a thorn sticks and festers in it.

56.—I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them. As I proposed to do unto them: that is, I will make you their slaves, as the Israelites became to several people, whom they served many years. Or, make you flee before them; and at last, expel from the land which I give you.

you

Verse 2. suburbs] That is, lands lying imme diately round the cities, to a certain distance. 12.that the manslayer die not,] By a sudden heat of passion in the nearest kinsman to the deceased.

-until he stand before the congregation] Until he be tryed by the proper court of justice. The city of refuge protected the innocent, and such as were not condemned, but it did not protect them from giving an account before the judges.

19. The revenger of blood] That is, the next of kin to the person slain, who had a right to call the murderer to account for the blood he had shed.

25.-and he shall abide in it &c.] This restraint was very proper to make persons more cautious of killing any body even by chance.

30.-shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: That is, when convicted on the evidence of more witnesses than one; one witness only, not being sufficient for this purpose.

CHAP. XXXVI.

Verse 4. And when the jubilee of the children of Israel shall be, &c.] The jubilee, which was intended to preserve estates in the families to which they originally belonged, would not serve the purpose in this case, because the inheritances were transferred to another tribe, by the right of marriage. Heiresses therefore were not allowed to marry, except to persons of their own family, that their estates might not be alienated.