Balaam's Fourth Oracle. In this it is predicted that Israel, previously declared to be formidable to its foes in general, will bring destruction upon Moab and Edom in particular.
Numbers 24:17. not now. not nigh: i.e. the prediction relates to the distant future. a star: a figure for an illustrious king (cf. Isaiah 14:12; Revelation 22:16). The passage possibly influenced the belief that the birth of the Messiah would be heralded by a star (Matthew 2:2); and the name of Bar-cochba, son of a star, was assumed by a pretended Messiah in A.D. 120. In the last two lines read, And shall smite through the temples of Moab, And the crown of the head of the sons of tumult (i.e. the people of Moab). But some, instead of the last four words, would read the sons of pride, the pride of Moab being notorious (Isaiah 16:6; Jeremiah 48:29; Zephaniah 2:10).
Numbers 24:18 f. The repetitions and ellipses make it probable that the text is very corrupt. It has been proposed to read, And Edom shall be a possession, And the remnant shall perish from Seir; While Israel doeth valiantly, And Judah shall have dominion over his enemies. The subjugation by Israel of Moab and Edom, which is here contemplated, took place in the reign of David (2 Samuel 8:2; 2 Samuel 8:13 mg., 2 Samuel 8:14). The predicted overthrow of Edom (or Seir, cf. Genesis 36:8) is irrelevant to Balaam's purpose as stated in Numbers 24:14; and some have thought that these verses are a later addition.