--- title: "Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah" author: "Adam Clarke" languages: [en] shelf: "Commentaries" section: 176 of 914 url: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/176/ cite: "Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah, section 176. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/176/" --- # Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah *Adam Clarke* Clarke's learned notes on the Hebrew and Greek, verse by verse, from Genesis to Revelation: volume 1 of 2. ## 176. Numbers · 25 of 34 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/176/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/176/#p-N [¶0] Roushen Akhter bood, aknoon mah shud̀ [¶1] Yousef az zendan ber amd shah shud. "He was a bright star, but is now become a moon. [¶2] Joseph is brought out of prison, and is become a glorious king." ### Verse 20 [¶4] Amalek was the first of the nations - The most ancient and most powerful of all the nations or states then within the view of Balaam; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever, or his posterity אחריתו acharitho, shall be destroyed, or shall utterly fail. This oracle began to be fulfilled by Saul, [1Sam 15:7], [1Sam 15:8], who overthrew the Amalekites, and took their king, Agag, prisoner. Afterwards they were nearly destroyed by David, [1Sam 27:8], and they were finally exterminated by the sons of Simeon in the days of Hezekiah, [1Chr 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. The marginal reading does not appear to give the proper sense. ### Verse 21 [¶6] He looked on the Kenites - Commentators are not well agreed who the Kenites were. Dr. Dodd's opinion is, I think, nearest to the truth. Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, is called a priest or prince of Midian, [Exo 3:1], and in [Jdg 1:16] he is called a Kenite; we may infer, therefore, says he, that the Kenites and the Midianites were the same, or at least that the Kenites and the Midianites were confederate tribes. Some of these we learn from Judges 1, followed the Israelites, others abode still among the Midianites and Amalekites. When Saul destroyed the latter, we find he had no commission against the Kenites, [1Sam 15:6], for it appears that they were then a small and inconsiderable people; they had doubtless been wasted, as the text says, though by what means does not appear from history. On the other hand, it may be observed that the Midianites mentioned here lived close to the Dead Sea, at a great distance from the Midian where Jethro lived, which was near Horeb. Perhaps they were a colony or tribe that had migrated from the vicinity of Mount Sinai. It seems that at this time the Kenites occupied a very strong position: Strong is thy dwelling place, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock; where there is a play on the original word קי, which signifies both a Kenite and a nest. High rocks in these countries were generally used as their strong places. ### Verse 22 [¶8] Until Asshur shall carry thee away captive - The Assyrians and Babylonians who carried away captive the ten tribes, [2Kgs 17:6], and the Jews into Babylon, 2 Kings 25, 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, [1Chr 2:55]. ### Verse 23 [¶10] Who shall live when God doeth this! - There are two senses in which these words may be taken: - [¶11] 1. That the event is so distant that none then alive could possibly live to see it. [¶12] 2. That the times would be so distressing and desolating that scarcely any should be able to escape. [¶13] The words are very similar to those of our Lord, and probably are to be taken in the same sense: "Wo to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days." ### Verse 24 [¶15] Ships shall come from the coast of Chittim - Some think by Chittim the Romans, others the Macedonians under Alexander the Great, are meant. It is certain that the Romans did conquer the Assyrians, including all the people of Syria, Mesopotamia, etc., but Calmet strongly contends that by Chittim Macedonia is meant, and that the prophecy refers to the conquests of Alexander. Chittim was one of the sons of Javan, the son of Japheth, the son of Noah, [Gen 10:4]; and his posterity, according to Josephus, Antiq., 1. iii., c. 22, settled in Cilicia, Macedonia, Cyprus, and Italy also; and therefore, says Mr. Ainsworth, the prophecy may imply both the troubles that befell the Assyrians and Jews by the Greeks and Seleucidae, in the troublous days of Antiochus. [¶16] And shall afflict Eber - Probably not the Hebrews, as some think, but the people on the other side the Euphrates, from עבר abar, to pass over, go beyond; all which people were discomfited, and their empire destroyed by Alexander the Great. ### Verse 25 [¶18] And Balaam - returned to his place - Intended to have gone to Mesopotamia, his native country, (see [Deu 23:4]), but seems to have settled among the Midianites, where he was slain by the Israelites; see [Num 31:8]. [¶19] Though the notes in the preceding chapters have been extended to a considerable length, yet a few additional remarks may be necessary: the reader's attention is earnestly requested to the following propositions: - [¶20] 1. It appears sufficiently evident from the preceding account that Balaam knew and worshipped the true God. [¶21] 2. That he had been a true prophet, and appears to have been in the habit of receiving oracles from God. [¶22] 3. That he practiced some illicit branches of knowledge, or was reputed by the Moabites as a sorcerer, probably because of the high reputation he had for wisdom; and we know that even in our own country, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, persons who excelled their contemporaries in wisdom were reputed as magicians. [¶23] 4. That though he was a believer in the true God, yet he was covetous; he loved the wages of unrighteousness. [¶24] 5. That it does not appear that in the case before us he wished to curse Israel when he found they were the servants of the true God. [¶25] 6. That it is possible he did not know this at first. Balak told him that there was a numerous people come out of Egypt; and as marauders, wandering hordes, freebooters, etc., were frequent in those days, he might take them at first for such spoilers, and the more readily go at Balak's request to consult God concerning them. [¶26] 7. That so conscientiously did he act in the whole business, that as soon as he found it displeased God he cheerfully offered to return; and did not advance till he had not only the permission, but the authority of God to proceed. [¶27] 8. That when he came in view of the Israelitish camp he did not attempt to make use of any means of sorcery, evocation of spirits, necromantic spells, etc., to accomplish the wish of Balak. [¶28] 9. That he did seek to find out the will of the true God, by using those means which God himself had prescribed, viz., supplication and prayer, and the sacrifice of the clean beasts. [¶29] 10. That though he knew it would greatly displease Balak, yet he most faithfully and firmly told him all that God said on every occasion. [¶30] 11. That notwithstanding his allowed covetous disposition, yet he refused all promised honors and proffered rewards, even of the most extensive kind, to induce him to act in any respect contrary to the declared will of God. [¶31] 12. That God on this occasion communicated to him some of the most extraordinary prophetic influences ever conferred on man. [¶32] 13. That his prophecies are, upon the whole, clear and pointed, and have been fulfilled in the most remarkable manner, and furnish a very strong argument in proof of Divine revelation. [¶33] 14. That notwithstanding the wicked counsel given to the Midianites, the effects of which are mentioned in the following chapter, on which account he probably lost his life, ([Num 31:8]), the badness of this man's character has been very far overrated; and that it does not appear that he was either a hypocrite, false prophet, or a sorcerer in the common acceptation of the term, and that he risked even life itself in following and fulfilling the will of the Lord! [¶34] 15. That though it is expressly asserted, [Num 31:16], and [Rev 2:14], that Israel's committing whoredom with the daughters of Moab was brought about by the evil counsel given by Balaam to cast this stumbling-block in their way, yet it does not appear from the text that he had those most criminal intentions which are generally attributed to him; for as we have already seen so much good in this man's character, and that this, and his love of money (and who thinks this a sin?) are almost the only blots in it, it must certainly be consistent with candour and charity to suggest a method of removing at least some part of this blame. [¶35] 16. I would therefore simply say that the counsel given by Balaam to Balak might have been "to form alliances with this people, especially through the medium of matrimonial connections; and seeing they could not conquer them, to endeavor to make them their friends." Now, though this might not be designed by Balaam to bring them into a snare, yet it was a bad doctrine, as it led to the corruption of the holy seed, and to an unequal yoking with unbelievers; which, though even in a matrimonial way, is as contrary to sound policy as to the word of God. See the notes on [Num 25:3] and [Num 25:6] (note). [¶36] 17. That it was the Moabitish women, not Balaam, that called the people to the sacrifice of their gods; and it argued great degeneracy and iniquity in the hearts of the people on so slight an invitation to join so suddenly so impure a worship, and so speedily to cast off the whole form of godliness, with every portion of the fear of the Almighty; therefore the high blame rests ultimately with themselves. ### Introduction [¶38] While Israel abode in Shittim the people commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab, [Num 25:1]. They become idolaters, [Num 25:2]. The anger of the Lord is kindled against them, and he commands the ringleaders to be hanged, [Num 25:3], [Num 25:4]. Moses causes the judges to slay the transgressors, [Num 25:5]. Zimri, one of the Israelitish princes of the tribe of Simeon, brings a Midianitish princess, named Cozbi, into his tent, while the people are deploring their iniquity before the tabernacle, [Num 25:6]. Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, incensed by this insult to the laws and worship of God, runs after them and pierces them both with a javelin, [Num 25:7], [Num 25:8]. Twenty-four thousand die of the plague, sent as a punishment for their iniquity, [Num 25:9]. The Lord grants to Phinehas a covenant of peace and an everlasting priesthood, [Num 25:10-13]. The name and quality of the Israelitish man and Midianitish woman, [Num 25:14], [Num 25:15]. God commands the Israelites to vex and smite the Midianites, who had seduced them to the worship of Baal-peor, [Num 25:16-18]. ### Verse 3 [¶40] Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor - The same as the Priapus of the Romans, and worshipped with the same obscene rites as we have frequently had occasion to remark. [¶41] The joining to Baal-peor, mentioned here, was probably what St. Paul had in view when he said, [2Cor 6:14] : Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. And this joining, though done even in a matrimonial way, was nevertheless fornication, (see [Rev 2:14]), as no marriage between an Israelite and a Midianite could be legitimate, according to the law of God. See the propositions at the close of the preceding chapter [Num 24:25] (note). ### Verse 4 [¶43] Take all the heads of the people, etc. - Meaning the chiefs of those who had transgressed; as if he had said, "Assemble the chiefs and judges, institute an inquiry concerning the transgressors, and hang them who shall be found guilty before the Lord, as a matter required by his justice." Against the sun - in the most public manner, and in daylight. Dr. Kennicott has remarked that the Samaritan and Hebrew texts must be both taken together, to make the sense here complete: And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto all the heads of the people; And Let Them Slay The Men That Were Joined To Baal-Peor; and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, etc.