18 And Edom shall be a possession, and Seir a possession, -- they, his enemies; but Israel will do valiantly.
that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the nations upon whom my name is called, saith Jehovah who doeth this.
Let peoples serve thee, And races bow down to thee. Be lord over thy brethren, And let thy mother's sons bow down to thee. Cursed be they that curse thee, And blessed be they that bless thee.
And by thy sword shalt thou live; And thou shalt serve thy brother; And it shall come to pass when thou rovest about, That thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.
And Jacob sent messengers before his face to Esau his brother, into the land of Seir, the fields of Edom.
{To the chief Musician. On Shushan. Testimony. Michtam of David; to teach: when he strove with the Syrians of Mesopotamia, and the Syrians of Zobah, and Joab returned, and smote the Edomites in the valley of salt, twelve thousand.} O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased: restore us again.
Moab is my wash-pot; upon Edom will I cast my sandal; Philistia, shout aloud because of me. Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me unto Edom? [Wilt] not thou, O God, who didst cast us off? and didst not go forth, O God, with our armies? Give us help from trouble; for vain is man's deliverance. Through God we shall do valiantly; and he it is that will tread down our adversaries.
For my sword is bathed in the heavens; behold, it shall come down upon Edom, and upon the people of my ban, to judgment.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Numbers 24
Commentary on Numbers 24 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 24
This chapter continues and concludes the history of the defeat of the counsels of Balak and Balaam against Israel, not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts; and as great an instance it is of God's power over the children of men, and his favour towards his own children, as any of the victories recorded in the book of the wars of the Lord. What preparation was made the third time for the cursing of Israel we read of in the close of the foregoing chapter. In this chapter we are told,
Num 24:1-9
The blessing itself which Balaam here pronounces upon Israel is much the same with the two we had in the foregoing chapter; but the introduction to it is different.
Num 24:10-14
We have here the conclusion of this vain attempt to curse Israel, and the total abandonment of it.
Num 24:15-25
The office of prophets was both to bless and to prophesy in the name of the Lord. Balaam, as a prophet, per force had blessed Israel; here he foretels future events.