23 For no enchantment `is' against Jacob, Nor divination against Israel, At the time it is said of Jacob and Israel, What hath God wrought!
And Balaam, son of Beor, the diviner, have the sons of Israel slain with the sword, among their wounded ones.
and he said to them, `I was beholding the Adversary, as lightning from the heaven having fallen; lo, I give to you the authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and on all the power of the enemy, and nothing by any means shall hurt you;
For I brought thee up from the land of Egypt, And from the house of servants I have ransomed thee, And I send before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. O My people, remember, I pray you, What counsel did Balak king of Moab, What answer him did Balaam son of Beor, (From Shittim unto Gilgal,) In order to know the righteous acts of Jehovah.'
And Balaam seeth that `it is' good in the eyes of Jehovah to bless Israel, and he hath not gone as time by time to meet enchantments, and he setteth towards the wilderness his face;
and now, come, I pray thee, curse for me this people, for it `is' mightier than I; it may be I prevail -- we smite it -- and I cast it out from the land; for I have known -- that which thou blessest is blessed, and that which thou cursest is cursed.' And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian go, and divinations in their hand, and they come in unto Balaam, and speak unto him the words of Balak,
(and the more were believers added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women,)
and the great dragon was cast forth -- the old serpent, who is called `Devil,' and `the Adversary,' who is leading astray the whole world -- he was cast forth to the earth, and his messengers were cast forth with him.
for from you hath sounded forth the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God did go forth, so that we have no need to say anything, for they themselves concerning us do declare what entrance we had unto you, and how ye did turn unto God from the idols, to serve a living and true God,
and only they were hearing, that `he who is persecuting us then, doth now proclaim good news -- the faith that then he was wasting;' and they were glorifying God in me.
and the God of the peace shall bruise the Adversary under your feet quickly; the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ `be' with you. Amen!
Jesus who `is' from Nazareth -- how God did anoint him with the Holy Spirit and power; who went through, doing good, and healing all those oppressed by the devil, because God was with him;
How abundant is Thy goodness, That Thou hast laid up for those fearing Thee,
saying, `What shall we do to these men? because that, indeed, a notable sign hath been done through them, to all those dwelling in Jerusalem `is' manifest, and we are not able to deny `it';
the chief priests, therefore, and the Pharisees, gathered together a sanhedrim, and said, `What may we do? because this man doth many signs?
And Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said to them, `Every kingdom having been divided against itself is desolated, and no city or house having been divided against itself, doth stand,
According to the days of thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt, I do shew it wonderful things.
In all their distress `He is' no adversary, And the messenger of His presence saved them, In His love and in His pity He redeemed them, And He doth lift them up, And beareth them all the days of old. And they have rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit, And He turneth to them for an enemy, He Himself hath fought against them. And He remembereth the days of old, Moses -- his people. Where `is' He who is bringing them up from the sea, The shepherd of his flock? Where `is' He who is putting in its midst His Holy Spirit? Leading by the right hand of Moses, the arm of His glory, Cleaving waters from before them, To make to Himself a name age-during.
Who hath wrought and done, Calling the generations from the first? I, Jehovah, the first, and with the last I `am' He.
To Him cutting the sea of Suph into parts, For to the age `is' His kindness, And caused Israel to pass through its midst, For to the age `is' His kindness, And shook out Pharaoh and his force in the sea of Suph, For to the age `is' His kindness. To Him leading His people in a wilderness, For to the age `is' His kindness. To Him smiting great kings, For to the age `is' His kindness. Yea, He doth slay honourable kings, For to the age `is' His kindness. Even Sihon king of the Amorite, For to the age `is' His kindness. And Og king of Bashan, For to the age `is' His kindness.
Then filled `with' laughter is our mouth, And our tongue `with' singing, Then do they say among nations, `Jehovah did great things with these.' Jehovah did great things with us, We have been joyful.
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,