23 Surely there is no enchantment with Jacob; Neither is there any divination with Israel: Now shall it be said of Jacob and of Israel, What has God done!
Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel kill with the sword among the rest of their slain.
He said to them, "I saw Satan having fallen like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will in any way hurt you.
For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, And redeemed you out of the house of bondage. I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal, That you may know the righteous acts of Yahweh."
When Balaam saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel, he didn't go, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
Please come now therefore curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may strike them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed. The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.
More believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.
The great dragon was thrown down, the old serpent, he who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
For from you has sounded forth the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth; so that we need not to say anything. For they themselves report concerning us what kind of a reception we had from you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God,
but they only heard: "He who once persecuted us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy." And they glorified God in me.
And the God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
Oh how great is your goodness, Which you have laid up for those who fear you, Which you have worked for those who take refuge in you, Before the sons of men!
saying, "What shall we do to these men? Because indeed a notable miracle has been done through them, as can be plainly seen by all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we can't deny it.
The chief priests therefore and the Pharisees gathered a council, and said, "What are we doing? For this man does many signs.
Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.
"As in the days of your coming forth out of the land of Egypt, I will show them marvelous things."
In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bore them, and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled, and grieved his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, [and] himself fought against them. Then he remembered the days of old, Moses [and] his people, [saying], Where is he who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? where is he who put his holy Spirit in the midst of them? who caused his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses? who divided the waters before them, to make himself an everlasting name?
Who has worked and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, Yahweh, the first, and with the last, I am he.
To him who divided the Red Sea apart; For his loving kindness endures forever; And made Israel to pass through the midst of it; For his loving kindness endures forever; But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea; For his loving kindness endures forever: To him who led his people through the wilderness; For his loving kindness endures forever: To him who struck great kings; For his loving kindness endures forever; And killed mighty kings; For his loving kindness endures forever: Sihon king of the Amorites; For his loving kindness endures forever; Og king of Bashan; For his loving kindness endures forever;
Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, "Yahweh has done great things for them." Yahweh has done great things for us, And 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,