17 For I will promote H3513 thee unto very H3966 great H3513 honour, H3513 and I will do H6213 whatsoever thou sayest H559 unto me: come H3212 therefore, I pray thee, curse H6895 me this people. H5971
Therefore now flee H1272 thou to thy place: H4725 I thought H559 to promote H3513 thee unto great H3513 honour; H3513 but, lo, the LORD H3068 hath kept thee back H4513 from honour. H3519
Come H3212 now therefore, I pray thee, curse H779 me this people; H5971 for they are too mighty H6099 for me: peradventure I shall prevail, H3201 that we may smite H5221 them, and that I may drive them out H1644 of the land: H776 for I wot H3045 that he whom thou blessest H1288 is blessed, H1288 and he whom thou cursest H779 is cursed. H779
And Balak H1111 did H6213 as Balaam H1109 had spoken; H1696 and Balak H1111 and Balaam H1109 offered H5927 on every altar H4196 a bullock H6499 and a ram. H352 And Balaam H1109 said H559 unto Balak, H1111 Stand H3320 by thy burnt offering, H5930 and I will go: H3212 peradventure the LORD H3068 will come H7136 to meet H7125 me: and whatsoever H1697 he sheweth H7200 me I will tell H5046 thee. And he went H3212 to an high place. H8205
And Balaam H1109 said H559 unto Balak, H1111 Build H1129 me here seven H7651 altars, H4196 and prepare H3559 me here seven H7651 bullocks H6499 and seven H7651 rams. H352 And Balak H1111 did H6213 as Balaam H1109 had said, H559 and offered H5927 a bullock H6499 and a ram H352 on every altar. H4196
And Haman H2001 told H5608 them of the glory H3519 of his riches, H6239 and the multitude H7230 of his children, H1121 and all the things wherein the king H4428 had promoted H1431 him, and how he had advanced H5375 him above the princes H8269 and servants H5650 of the king. H4428
And Harbonah, H2726 one H259 of the chamberlains, H5631 said H559 before H6440 the king, H4428 Behold also, the gallows H6086 fifty H2572 cubits H520 high, H1364 which Haman H2001 had made H6213 for Mordecai, H4782 who had spoken H1696 good H2896 for the king, H4428 standeth H5975 in the house H1004 of Haman. H2001 Then the king H4428 said, H559 Hang H8518 him thereon.
Again, G3825 the devil G1228 taketh G3880 him G846 up G3880 into G1519 an exceeding G3029 high G5308 mountain, G3735 and G2532 sheweth G1166 him G846 all G3956 the kingdoms G932 of the world, G2889 and G2532 the glory G1391 of them; G846 And G2532 saith G3004 unto him, G846 All G3956 these things G5023 will I give G1325 thee, G4671 if G1437 thou wilt fall down G4098 and worship G4352 me. G3427
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Numbers 22
Commentary on Numbers 22 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 22
At this chapter begins the famous story of Balak and Balaam, their attempt to curse Israel, and the baffling of that attempt; God's people are long afterwards told to remember what Balak the king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, that they might know the righteousness of the Lord, Mic. 6:5. In this chapter we have,
Num 22:1-14
The children of Israel have at length finished their wanderings in the wilderness, out of which they went up (ch. 21:18), and are now encamped in the plains of Moab near Jordan, where they continued till they passed through Jordan under Joshua, after the death of Moses. Now we have here,
Num 22:15-21
We have here a second embassy sent to Balaam, to fetch him over to curse Israel. It were well for us if we were as earnest and constant in prosecuting a good work, notwithstanding disappointments, as Balak was in pursuing this ill design. The enemies of the church are restless and unwearied in their attempts against it; but he that sits in heaven laughs at them. Observe,
Num 22:22-35
We have here an account of the opposition God gave to Balaam in his journey towards Moab; probably the princes had gone before, or gone some other way, and Balaam had pointed out where he would meet them, or where they should stay for him, for we read nothing of them in this part of our narrative, only that Balaam, like a person of some quality, was attended with his two men-honour enough, one would think, for such a man, he needed not be beholden to Balak for promotion.
Num 22:36-41
We have here the meeting between Balak and Balaam, confederate enemies to God's Israel; but here they seem to differ in their expectations of the success.