And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
Come ... and I will advertise thee, х 'iy`aatsªkaa (H3289)]. This verb signifies both to give and to take counsel; and so some regard this as signifying, 'I will give thee counsel' - i:e., as to a certain way of ruining this people by stratagem (cf. Numbers 25:1; Numbers 31:16; Revelation 2:14). Here it is supposed there is a sudden break, leaving by an unfinished sentence, the rest to be supplied (as in Exodus 4:5; Exodus 13:9); and then Balaam directs attention to a disclosure of future events.
But it is evident that this verb is inseparably connected with the following words, and therefore must be taken in the sense which, with reference to future things, it bears elsewhere (Isaiah 41:28). 'I will inform, or predict to thee.' In this respect it was substantially a counsel of great importance, because it showed Balak the utter hopelessness of succeeding in his meditated policy of resistance.
One important and pious counsel he did give to Balak-whether on his first arrival or at this final moment is not known-but which is not recorded here, though it is elsewhere. When the king of Moab, terror-stricken by the fact that the whole Eastern region had fallen into the hands of the victorious invaders, was driven to the last extremities, and in an agony of despair inquired whether the terrible Deity of Israel could be propitiated by hecatombs of animal sacrifices or by the immolation of his oldest son and heir, Balaam gave him the advice recorded (Micah 6:6-8).
What this people shall do to thy people. This is a new feature that distinguishes the last prophetic utterance of Balaam; because, while in the three former prophecies Balaam had spoken of Israel's ascendancy over their enemies generally, in this fourth nª'um (H5002) he announces the ruin they shall bring upon the Moabite kingdom in particular. "Thy people" means, of course, Balak's subjects in Moab, 'and the children of Sheth;' and yet, as the overthrow of Edom, Amalek, and Ken is included in this remarkable prophecy, there must have been (as shall be shown afterward) some real or supposed ground on which all these could be included among the people of whom Balak was the hereditary chief.
In the latter days, х bª'achªriyt (H319) hayaamiym (H3117)] - in the end of the days; in future time (Genesis 49:1; Isaiah 2:2; Daniel 10:14; Micah 4:1). Havernick says that this phrase usually denotes 'the horizon of a prophetic announcement;' and Hengstenberg proves that it has a stronger signification than futurity, and that it is used to denote literally 'the end of days'-the close of something as to which there is no subsequent announcement; the destruction, the last of a people.
`Balaam the son of Beor prophesies, The man unclosed of eye prophesies He prophesies who heard the words of God, And knows the knowledge of the most High, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Prostrate, but having his eyes open.
I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh; A star comes forth from Jacob. A sceptre arises out of Israel, And smites the two sides of Moab, And destroys all the tumultuous people And Edom becomes a possession, And Seir becomes a possession-his enemies; For Israel achieves deeds of valour.
He who descendeth from Jacob Shall destroy whoever escapes from the city.'
Numbers 24:20. And when he saw Amalek, he took up his parable, and said --
`Chief of the nations is Amalek, But his end is-to perish forever?
Numbers 24:21. When he looked upon the Kenites, he took up his parable, and said --
`Perpetual is thy habitation, And thou puttest thy nest in the rock; Nevertheless Ken shall be for a desolation, Until Asshur shall carry thee away captives.'
Numbers 24:23. And he took up his parable, and said --
`Ah! who shall live when God shall have done this? Ships from the coast of Chittim - They humble Asshur, and they humble Eber;
And he also shall perish forever.'