Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Numbers
Book: Numbers
Chapter: 22
Overview:
Balak's fear of
Israel, He sends for
Balaam.
(1-14) Balaam
goes to
Balak.
(15-21) The opposition to
Balaam By the way.
(22-35) Balaam and
Balak meet.
(36-41)
1-14 The
King of
Moab formed a plan to get the people of
Israel
cursed; that is, to set
God against them, who had hitherto
fought for them. He had a false notion, that if he could get
some
Prophet to pray for evil upon them, and to pronounce a
blessing upon himself and his
Forces, that then he should be
able to
Deal with them. None had
So great a reputation as
Balaam; and
Balak will employ him, though he send a great way
for him. It is not known whether the
Lord had ever spoken to
Balaam, or
By him, before this; though it is probable he had,
and it is certain he did afterwards. Yet we have abundant proof
that he lived and died a wicked
Man, an enemy to
God and his
people. And the
Curse shall not come upon us if there is not a
cause, even though men utter it. To prevail with
Balaam, they
took the
Wages of unrighteousness, but
God laid restraint upon
Balaam, forbidding him to
Curse Israel.
Balaam was
No Stranger
to
Israel's cause;
So that he ought to have answered the
messengers at once, that he would never
Curse a people whom
God
had blessed; but he takes a night's time to consider what he
should do. When we parley with temptations, we are in great
danger of being overcome.
Balaam was not
Faithful in returning
God's answer to the messengers. Those are a fair
Mark for
Satan's
Temptation, who lessen Divine restraints; as if to go
against
God's
Law were only to go without his leave. The
messengers also are not
Faithful in returning
Balaam's answer to
Balak. Thus many are abused
By the flatteries of those about
them, and are prevented from seeing their own faults and
follies.
15-21 A second embassy was sent to
Balaam. It were
Well for us,
if we were as
Earnest and constant in prosecuting a good work,
notwithstanding disappointments.
Balak laid a bait, not only for
Balaam's
Covetousness, but for his pride and ambition. How
earnestly should we
Beg of
God daily to mortify such desires in
us! Thus sinners stick at
No pains, spare
No cost, and care not
how low they stoop, to gratify their luxury, or their malice.
Shall we then be unwilling to do what is right?
God forbid!
Balaam's convictions charged him to keep to the command of
God;
nor could any
Man have spoken better. But many
Call God theirs,
who are not his, not truly because not only his. There is
No
judging men
By their words;
God knows the
Heart.
Balaam's
corruptions at the same time inclined him to go contrary to the
command. He seemed to refuse the
Temptation; but he expressed
No
abhorrence of it. He had a strong desire to accept the offer,
and hoped that
God might give him leave to go. He had already
been told what the will of
God was. It is a certain evidence of
the ruling of corruption in the
Heart, to
Beg leave to
Sin.
God
gave
Balaam up to his own
Heart's lusts. As
God sometimes denies
the prayers of his people in
Love,
So sometimes he grants the
desires of the wicked in wrath.
22-35 We must not think, that because
God does not always
By
his
Providence restrain men from
Sin, therefore he approves of
it, or that it is not hateful to him. The holy angels oppose
Sin, and perhaps are employed in preventing it more than we are
aware. This
Angel was an
Adversary to
Balaam, because
Balaam
counted him his
Adversary; those are really our best friends,
and we ought
So to reckon them, who stop our progress in sinful
ways.
Balaam has notice of
God's displeasure
By the
Ass. It is
common for those whose hearts are fully set in them to do evil,
to push
On violently, through the difficulties
Providence lays
in their way. The
Lord opened the mouth of the
Ass. This was a
great
Miracle wrought
By the power of
God. He who made
Man
speak, could, when he pleased, make the
Ass to speak with
Man's
voice. The
Ass complained of
Balaam's cruelty. The righteous
God
does not allow the meanest or weakest to be abused; but they
shall be able to speak in their own defence, or he will some way
or other speak for them.
Balaam at length has his eyes opened.
God has many ways to bring down the hard and unhumbled
Heart.
When our eyes are opened, we shall see the danger of sinful
ways, and how much it was for our advantage to be crossed.
Balaam seemed to relent; I have sinned; but it does not appear
that he was sensible of this wickedness of his
Heart, or willing
to own it. If he finds he cannot go forward, he will be content,
since there is
No remedy, to go back. Thus many leave their
sins, only because their sins have left them. The
Angel declared
that he should not only be unable to
Curse Israel, but should be
forced to
Bless them: this would be more for the
Glory of
God,
and to his own confusion, than if he had turned back.
36-41 Balak has now nothing to complain of, but that
Balaam did
not come sooner.
Balaam bids
Balak not depend too much upon him.
He seems to speak with vexation; but is really as desirous to
please
Balak, as ever he had pretended to be to please
God. See
what need we have to pray every
Day, Our
Father which art in
Heaven, lead us not into
Temptation. Let us be jealous over our
own hearts, seeing how far men may go in the knowledge of
God,
and yet come short of Divine
Grace.