23 No evil power has effect against Jacob, no secret arts against Israel; at the right time it will be said of Jacob and of Israel, See what God has done!
And Balaam, the son of Beor, the prophet, the children of Israel put to death with the sword.
And he said, I was watching for Satan, falling from heaven like a star. See, I have given you power to put your feet on snakes and evil beasts, and over all the strength of him who is against you: and nothing will do you damage.
For I took you up out of the land of Egypt and made you free from the prison-house; I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. O my people, keep in mind now what was designed by Balak, king of Moab, and the answer which Balaam, son of Beor, gave him; the events, from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may be certain of the upright acts of the Lord.
Now when Balaam saw that it was the Lord's pleasure to give his blessing to Israel, he did not, as at other times, make use of secret arts, but turning his face to the waste land,
Come now, in answer to my prayer, and put a curse on this people, for they are greater than I: and then I may be strong enough to overcome them and send them out of the land: for it is clear that good comes to him who has your blessing, but he on whom you put your curse is cursed. So the responsible men of Moab and Midian went away, taking in their hands rewards for the prophet; and they came to Balaam and said to him what Balak had given them orders to say.
And a great number of men and women had faith, and were joined to the Lord;
And the great dragon was forced down, the old snake, who is named the Evil One and Satan, by whom all the earth is turned from the right way; he was forced down to the earth, and his angels were forced down with him.
For not only was the word of the Lord sounding out from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God is made clear; so that we have no need to say anything. For they themselves give the news of how we came among you; and how you were turned from images to God, to the worship of a true and living God,
Only it came to their ears that he who at one time was cruel to us is now preaching the faith which before had been attacked by him; And they gave glory to God in me.
And the God of peace will be crushing Satan under your feet before long. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
About Jesus of Nazareth, how God gave the Holy Spirit to him, with power: and how he went about doing good and making well all who were troubled by evil spirits, for God was with him.
O how great is your grace, which you have put in store for your worshippers, and which you have made clear to those who had faith in you, before the sons of men!
Saying, What are we to do with these men? for certainly it is clear to all who are living in Jerusalem that a most important sign has been done by them, and it is not possible to say that it is not so.
Then the high priests and the Pharisees had a meeting and said, What are we doing? This man is doing a number of signs.
And having knowledge of their thoughts he said to them, Every kingdom having division in itself is made waste, and every town or house having division in itself will come to destruction.
As in the days when you came out from the land of Egypt, let us see things of wonder.
It was no sent one or angel, but he himself who was their saviour: in his love and in his pity he took up their cause, and he took them in his arms, caring for them all through the years. But they went against him, causing grief to his holy spirit: so he was turned against them, and made war on them. Then the early days came to their minds, the days of Moses his servant: and they said, Where is he who made the keeper of his flock come up from the sea? where is he who put his holy spirit among them, He who made the arm of his glory go at the right hand of Moses, by whom the waters were parted before them, to make himself an eternal name;
Whose purpose and work was it? His who sent out the generations from the start. I the Lord, the first, and with the last, I am he.
To him who made a way through the Red Sea: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: And let Israel go through it: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: By him Pharaoh and his army were overturned in the Red Sea: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. To him who took his people through the waste land: for his mercy is unchanging for ever. To him who overcame great kings: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: And put noble kings to death: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: Sihon, king of the Amorites: for his mercy is unchanging for ever: And Og, king of Bashan: for his mercy is unchanging for ever:
Then our mouths were full of laughing, and our tongues gave a glad cry; they said among the nations, The Lord has done great things for them. The Lord has done great things for us; because of which we are glad.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Numbers 23
Commentary on Numbers 23 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 23
In this chapter we have Balak and Balaam busy at work to do Israel a mischief, and, for ought that appears, neither Moses nor the elders of Israel know any thing of the matter, nor are in a capacity to break the snare; but God, who keeps Israel, and neither slumbers nor sleeps, baffles the attempt, without any intercession or contrivance of theirs. Here is,
Num 23:1-12
Here is,
Num 23:13-30
Here is,