Through the counsel of Balaam— We have, in the course of the former Chapter s, spoken of this evil counsel. As the Moabites and Midianites, strongly infected with the ideas of local and tutelary gods, conceived Jehovah to be only the tutelary God of the Jews; we may well account, from this persuasion, for their proceedings, and for their rather choosing to entice the Israelites to their idolatry, than to embrace with them the worship of Jehovah.
Related Commentaries of Numbers 31:16
Numbers 31:16
16 Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.