Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, and so he decided he’s not going to resort to divination as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness, Numbers:24:1. When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe the Spirit of the Lord came upon Balaam, Numbers 24:2, he then prophesied what God’s plans and will were for Israel.
Remember it’s been estimated that there were around three million Israelites at this point in time and we can only imagine what Balaam was thinking as he saw Israel living in tents according to their tribes. Little did Balak or Balaam understand that God was going to bring about the Messiah of the world, through the Israelites.
The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly, the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened, Numbers 24:3-4. Note the KJV says he fell into a trance, Numbers 24:4.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘There is no indication in the Hebrew that he fell into a trance; these words are added by our translators, but they are not in the original.’
How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel! Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the LORD, like cedars beside the waters, Numbers 24:5-6. Water will flow from their buckets and their seed will have abundant water. Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted, Numbers 24:7.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following concerning, Agag.
‘The name Agag can scarcely refer to any other than Agag the king of the Amalekites known from the Saul story, 1 Samuel 15:8-35. On this account, this discourse must be dated in the time of Saul.’
God brought them out of Egypt, and they have the strength of a wild ox, Numbers 24:8 / Numbers 23:22. They devour hostile nations and break their bones in pieces with their arrows they pierce them. Like a lion they crouch and lie down, like a lioness, who dares to rouse them? Numbers 24:8-9 / Numbers 23:24. In other words, there wasn’t any nation which existed that would be able to stand against them.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘These oracles, delivered by Balaam, are evident prophecies of the victories which the Israelites should gain over their enemies, and of their firm possession of the promised land. They may also refer to the great victories to be obtained by the Lord Jesus Christ, that Lion of the tribe of Judah, over sin, death, and Satan, the grand enemies of the human race and to that most numerous posterity of spiritual children which should be begotten by the preaching of the Gospel.’
Notice the text says, ‘may those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!’ Numbers 24:9. Balak had no idea or couldn’t understand that God Himself was working in and through Israel to bring about the Messiah, Genesis 3:15.
Balak’s anger burned against Balaam and he struck his hands together and said to him, he summoned Balaam to curse Balak’s enemies, but Balaam has blessed them these three times, Numbers 24:10. Balak now asks Balaam to leave at once and go home and reminds him that he would reward Balaam handsomely, Numbers 22:17, but the LORD has kept him from being rewarded, Numbers 24:11.
Balaam says to Balak, did he not tell the messengers he sent him, even if he gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, Numbers 22:18, Balaam could not do anything of his own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD, and he must say only what the LORD says? Numbers 24:12-13.
Despite Balak’s very justifiable anger against Balaam and the threatening manner of his abrupt dismissal, it appears that Balaam did not actually return to his ‘own people’ at all, Numbers 24:14, for it was not long until he died in the defeat of the Midianites, Numbers 31:8. Anyone who supported Israel in God’s plan to settle the nation in the land of Canaan would be blessed, but those who didn’t support Israel would soon discover they were actually working against God Himself.
Balaam once again spoke his message and says, the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly, the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened, Numbers 24:15-16.
Here we read that Balaam told Balak what Israel would do to Moab. I see him, but not now I behold him, but not near and he says, ‘a star’, that is, a king would come out of Israel and He will bring judgment upon Moab, Numbers 24:17. Although Balaam was speaking of earthly events among nations, some commenters suggest that this is a reference to ‘the star’ that appeared during the time of the birth of the Messiah, Matthew 2:2-10.
‘The sceptre’, Numbers 24:17, implies a king who rules, and this ruler would crush the rule of Moab and He would have dominion over his enemies. Edom will be conquered, 2 Samuel 8:14, Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, Obadiah 1:21, but Israel will grow strong, Numbers 24:18. A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city, Numbers 24:19 / Genesis 49:10.
In the immediate context of these events, the kings of Israel would eventually rule over Moab in the centuries to come. Some commentators also suggest this is speaking of the kingship and rulership of Christ, Genesis 49:10 / Daniel 2:44 / Daniel 7:13-14 / Philippians 2:5-11 / Revelation 2:2 / Revelation 3:21.
Leon Morris, in his commentary, says the following concerning, the city.
‘It is urban civilization in organized rebellion against God.’ It is the City of Mankind, that entire organization of rebellious Adam against his God, referred to in the plural in Revelation as ‘the cities of the Gentiles,’ Revelation 16:19. It is called ‘Mystery, Babylon the Great’. The message of Numbers 24:19 is simple enough. Even the remnant of Adam’s rebellious race shall, at last, perish in the final holocaust that shall terminate God’s Operation Adam, that occasion being depicted frequently in Holy Writ as the Judgment.’
‘Then Balaam saw Amalek and spoke his message: “Amalek was first among the nations, but their end will be utter destruction.” Numbers 24:20
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘This oracle began to be fulfilled by Saul, 1 Samuel 15:7-8, who overthrew the Amalekites, and took their king, Agag, prisoner. Afterwards they were nearly destroyed by David, 1 Samuel 27:8, and they were finally exterminated by the sons of Simeon in the days of Hezekiah, 1 Chronicles 4:41-43, since that time they have ceased to exist as a people, and now no vestige of them remains on the face of the earth; so completely is their posterity cut off, according to this prophecy.’
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Amalek was the first of the nations. Rather, is pre-eminent among the neighbouring nations, compare the same expression in Amos 6:1. Hence, the force of the words, Numbers 24:7 ‘higher than Agag’, i.e., than the king of this powerful nation, Numbers 14:45 / Exodus 17:8. This rank, due to the warlike prowess of the tribe, Balaam contrasts with its approaching downfall and extinction.’
Gill, in his commentary, says the following concerning Amalek’s end.
‘This was threatened to them by the Lord upon that battle and is confirmed by this prophecy of Balaam and after this, orders were given to Israel to blot out their remembrance, Deuteronomy 25:19, and which, in a good measure, though not completely, was done in the times of Saul, 1 Samuel 15:8, and after that, they were distressed by David, 1 Samuel 27:9, and the rest of them were smitten by the sons of Simeon, in the days of Hezekiah, 1 Chronicles 4:41, after which we hear of them no more.’
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘First mentioned, Genesis 15:19, as one of the tribes whose territory was promised to Abraham. In Judges 1:16, where we read of them as moving with the children of Judah, to establish themselves in the pastures south of Arad, Moses’ father-in-law is spoken of as a Kenite, Judges 4:11. It appears, therefore, since Moses’ father-in-law was a prince or priest of Midian, Exodus 2:15-20, that the Kenites must have been of Midianite extraction, and so descended from Abraham through Keturah, Genesis 25:2.’
Gill, in his commentary, says the following concerning the Kenites.
‘Though they were so strongly fortified, and closely immured and surrounded with rocks and mountains, yet they should gradually waste away, as they were but few in Saul’s time, 1 Samuel 15:6.’
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The Assyrians and Babylonians who carried away captive the ten tribes, 2 Kings 17:6, and the Jews into Babylon, 2 Kings 25:1 / 2 Kings 25:11, probably carried away the Kenites also. Indeed this seems pretty evident, as we find some Kenites mentioned among the Jews after their return from the Babylonish captivity, 1 Chronicles 2:55.’
In this final message, Balaam turned his prophecy toward the nations. He asks, who can live when God does this? Numbers 24:23.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
There are two senses in which these words may be taken.
1. That the event is so distant that none then alive could possibly live to see it.
2. That the times would be so distressing and desolating that scarcely any should be able to escape.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following concerning Cyprus, Numbers 24:24.
‘Cyprus, the nearest of the western islands, the only one visible from Palestine, and so the representative to Balsam and to Israel of all those unknown western regions across the Mediterranean Sea, from which were at length to come the conquerors of the mighty empires of the East, Isaiah 23:1 / Isaiah 23:12 / Jeremiah 2:10.’
The Kenites would be taken into captivity, and Ashur and Eber would become like the Edomites, that is, they would perish forever, Numbers 24:24.
And so, this ends the final message of God through Balaam, after which both Balak and Balaam went their way, Numbers 24:25. Balak no doubt, went to come up with some ideas of how to get rid of the Israelites, but in the end he would die, Numbers 31:8 / Numbers 31:16 / Revelation 2:14.