seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Numbers 24:20 Then Balaam saw Amalek and spoke his message:
“Amalek was first among the nations,
but their end will be utter destruction.”
21 Then he saw the Kenites and spoke his message:
“Your dwelling place is secure,
your nest is set in a rock;
22 yet you Kenites will be destroyed
when Ashur takes you captive.”
23 Then he spoke his message:
“Alas! Who can live when God does this?[e]
24 Ships will come from the shores of Cyprus;
they will subdue Ashur and Eber,
but they too will come to ruin.”
25 Then Balaam got up and returned home, and Balak went his own way.
“Amalek was first among the nations,
but their end will be utter destruction.”
21 Then he saw the Kenites and spoke his message:
“Your dwelling place is secure,
your nest is set in a rock;
22 yet you Kenites will be destroyed
when Ashur takes you captive.”
23 Then he spoke his message:
“Alas! Who can live when God does this?[e]
24 Ships will come from the shores of Cyprus;
they will subdue Ashur and Eber,
but they too will come to ruin.”
25 Then Balaam got up and returned home, and Balak went his own way.
e. Numbers 24:23 Masoretic Text; with a different word division of the Hebrew The people from the islands will gather from the north
I'm sure that Balaam, the prophet for hire, never was paid for his services. Balak, the king of the Moabites, must have finally realized his plan to have the Israelites cursed was a failure.
The commentary this morning in from the easy English site.
Balaam finished his prophecies with these short messages about what would happen to other nations.
Amalek was not the oldest or the most powerful nation in that area. However, it was the first nation to attack Israel in the desert (Exodus 17:8-15). After this, the Amalekites were Israel’s enemies always. But, in the future, that whole nation would not exist.
The Kenites lived near to the Amalekites, among the hills south west of the Dead Sea. They were not enemies of Israel. Hobab, a relative of Moses, was a Kenite (Judges 1:16; 4:11). The *Kenites felt safe from attack among the hills. But, in the future, an enemy would defeat the Kenites completely.
The country called Assyria would become powerful and rule many nations. In fact, this happened several hundred years later. But Assyria would not rule always. Another enemy would defeat them and it would rule instead. But this enemy would not rule always.
However, the word that we have translated ‘Assyria’ is actually ‘Asshur’. And there was a tribe called Asshur. This tribe lived near to the Kenites. Some experts think that the people from Cyprus were the Philistines. The Philistines were one of Israel’s most fierce enemies. King David defeated the Philistines (1 Samuel chapter 17; 2 Samuel 5:17-25).
But these details are not important really. Balaam was emphasising that God controls all events on earth. Nations become strong and powerful only if God allows this. God uses rulers and nations for his purposes.
After Balaam had finished his prophecies, he began his journey home. He was unable to do what Balak had wanted. Balaam could not curse the nation that God had blessed.
Although Balaam could not curse the Israelites, he had another plan to oppose them. We will read about that plan in chapter 25. Chapter 25 does not mention Balaam. But Numbers 31:16 shows us that this was Balaam’s plan.
Amalek was not the oldest or the most powerful nation in that area. However, it was the first nation to attack Israel in the desert (Exodus 17:8-15). After this, the Amalekites were Israel’s enemies always. But, in the future, that whole nation would not exist.
The Kenites lived near to the Amalekites, among the hills south west of the Dead Sea. They were not enemies of Israel. Hobab, a relative of Moses, was a Kenite (Judges 1:16; 4:11). The *Kenites felt safe from attack among the hills. But, in the future, an enemy would defeat the Kenites completely.
The country called Assyria would become powerful and rule many nations. In fact, this happened several hundred years later. But Assyria would not rule always. Another enemy would defeat them and it would rule instead. But this enemy would not rule always.
However, the word that we have translated ‘Assyria’ is actually ‘Asshur’. And there was a tribe called Asshur. This tribe lived near to the Kenites. Some experts think that the people from Cyprus were the Philistines. The Philistines were one of Israel’s most fierce enemies. King David defeated the Philistines (1 Samuel chapter 17; 2 Samuel 5:17-25).
But these details are not important really. Balaam was emphasising that God controls all events on earth. Nations become strong and powerful only if God allows this. God uses rulers and nations for his purposes.
After Balaam had finished his prophecies, he began his journey home. He was unable to do what Balak had wanted. Balaam could not curse the nation that God had blessed.
Although Balaam could not curse the Israelites, he had another plan to oppose them. We will read about that plan in chapter 25. Chapter 25 does not mention Balaam. But Numbers 31:16 shows us that this was Balaam’s plan.
