13 : מִשְׁס: 14 ST 2 אִיְבַי לְקַחְתִּיךְ וְהִנֵּה בֵּרַכְתָּ בָרֵךְ : 12 וַיַּעַן וַיֹּאמַר הֲלֹא חמישי אֵת אֲשֶׁר יָשִׁים יְהוָה בְּפִי אֹתוֹ אֶשְׁמַר לְדַבֵּר: 13 וַיֹּאמֶר לָיו בָּלָק לְךְ־נָא אִתִּי אֶל־מָקוֹם אַחֵר אֲשֶׁר תִּרְאֶנּוּ מִשָּׁם אֶפֶס קָצֵהוּ תִרְאֶה וְכְלִוֹ לֹא תִרְאֶה וְקָבְנוֹ־־לי וַיִּקְחֵהוּ שְׂדֵה אֹפִים אֶל־רֹאשׁ הַפִּסְגָּה וַיִּבֶן שִׁבְעָה מִזְבְּחֹת וַיַּעַל פָּר וָאַיִל בַּמִּזְבֵּחַ : 15 וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־בָּלָק הִתְיצב כה עַל־עלתךְ וְאָנֹכִי אִקְרֶה כְּה : 16 ויקר יְהוָה אֶל־בִּלְעָם וַיָּשֶׂם דָּבָר בְּפִיו וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁוּב אֶל־בָּלָק וְכָה תְדַבֵּך : 17 וַיָּבא אֵלָיו וְהִכָּן נִשָׁב עַל־ עלָתוֹ וְשָׂרֵי מוֹאָב אִתּוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ בָּלָק מַה־דִּבֶּר יְהוָה: 18 וַיִּשָּׂא מְשָׁלְוֹ וַיֹּאמַר קָוּם בָּלָק וּשָׁמַע הַאֲזִינָה עָרֵי בְּנוֹ צַפָּר: 19 לֹא אִישׁ אֵל וִיכַב וּבֶן־־אָדָם וְיִתְנֶחָם הַהוּא אָמַר וְלָא יַעֲשֶׂה וְדִבֶּר וְלֹא יְקִימֶנָּה: 20 הִנֵּה בָרֵךְ לֶקַחְתִּי וּבָרֵךְ וְלֹא אֲשִׁיבֶנָּה: 21 לֹא־הִבִּיט אָוֶן בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא־־רָאָה עָמָל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהָיו עָמוֹ וּתְרוּעַת מֶלֶךְ בּוֹ: 22 אֵל מְוֹצִיאָס מִמִּצְרָיִם כְּתוֹעֲפַת רְאֵם לְוֹ : 23 כִּי לֹא־נַחַשׁ בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא-קֶסֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כָּעֵת אָמַר לְיַעֲקב וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל מַה־פָּעָל אֵל: 24 הֶן־עָם כְּלָבִיא יָקוּם וְכַארִי יִתְנַשָׂא לֹא יִשְׁכַּב עַד־יאכַל טֶרֶף וְדָם חֲלָלִים יִשְׁתֶּה: 25 וַיֹּאמֶר בָּלָק אֶל־בִּלְפָס גַּם־קֹב לֹא תְקֶבֶנּוּ גַם־בָּרֶךְ לֹא תִבְרַכְנוּ : 26 וַיַּעַן בִּלְעָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־־בָּלֶק הֵלֹא דִּבַּרְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ לֵאמֹר כָּל אֲשֶׁר־־יְדַבֵּר ששי יהוה אתו אעשה : : 27 וַיֹּאמֶר בָּלָק אֶל־־בִּלְעָם לְכָחי־נָא אֶקָּחֵךְ אֶל־־מָקוֹם אַחֵר אוּלַי יִישָׁר בְּעֵינֵי הָאֱלֹהִים וְקִבְתוֹ לִי מִשָּׁם : 28 ויקח בָּלָק אֶת־בִּלְעָם רֹאשׁ הַפְּעוֹר הַנִּשְׁקָף עַל־־פְּנֵי הַיְשִׁימָן : הַיְשִׁימָן : 29 וַיֹּאמֶר בְּלְעָם אֶל־־בָּלָק בְּנֶה־־לֵי בָזֶה שִׁבְעָה מִזְבְּחֵת וְהָכֵן בָּזֶה שִׁבְעָה פָּרִים וְשִׁבְעָה אֵילִם : בָּלָק כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר בִּלְעָם וַיָּעַל פָּר וָאֵיִל בַּמִּזְבֵּחַ : : 25 1:, :IT שביעי 1:1 30 וַיַּעַשׂ 35 And the angel of the Lord offered on every altar a bullock said unto Balaam, Go with the and a ram. men : but only the word that I 3 And Balaam said unto Balak, shall speak unto thee, that thou Stand by thy burnt-offering, and shalt speak : So Balaam went with I will go : peradventure the LORD the princes of Balak. will come to meet me: and what36 [ And when Balak heard soever he sheweth me, I will tell that Balaam was come, he went thee. And he went to 'an high out to meet him, unto a city of place. Moab, which is in the border of 4 And God met Balaam; and Arnon, which is in the utmost he said unto him, I have prepared coast. seven altars, and I have offered 37 And Balak said unto Balaam, upon every altar a bullock and a Did I not earnestly send unto thee, ram. to call thee : wherefore camest 5 And the LORD put a word in thou not unto me? Am I not able Balaam's mouth, and said, Return indeed to promote thee to honour? unto Balak, and thus thou shalt 38 And Balaam said unto Balak, speak. Lo, I am come unto thee: have 6 And he returned unto him, I now any power at all to say any and lo, he stood by his burntthing? the word that God putteth sacrifice, he, and all the princes in my mouth, that shall I speak of Moab. 39 And Balaam went with Balak, 7 And he took up his parable, and they came unto Kirjath and said, Balak the king of Moab huzoth, hath brought me from Aram, out 40 And Balak offered oxen and of the mountains of the east, saysheep, and sent to Balaam, and to ing, Come, curse me Jacob, and the princes that were with him. come, defy Israel. 41 And it came to pass on the 8 How shall I curse, whom God morrow, that Balak took Balaam, hath not cursed *? or how shall I and brought him up into the high defy, whom the Lord hath not places of Baal, that thence he defied ? might see the utmost part of the 9 For from the top of the rocks people. I see him, and from the hills I CHAP. XXIII. behold him; lo, the people shall 1, 13, 28, Balak's sacrifices. 7, 18, dwell alone, and shall not be Balaam's parable. reckoned among the nations. 10 Who can count the dust of AND Balaam said unto Balak, Jacob, and the number of the Build me here seven altars, and fourth part of Israel? Let me die prepare me here seven, oxen, and the death of the righteous, and seven rams. let my last end be like his. 2 And Balak did as Balaam had 11 And Balak said unto Balaam, spoken, and Balak and Balaam What hast thou done unto me? they neither heard nor saw any thing of the matter, save Balaam himself: which is frequently the case with those that see visions, as we may perceive by Daniel, “ And I, Daniel, alone saw the " vision, for the men that were with me saw not the vision." Daniel, chap. x. ver. 7. The generality of commentators explain it thus, How shall I curse, whom God bath not cursed ? i e, although when they were deserving of being cursed, as when they committed the sin of making and worshipping the molten calf, yet did he not curse them, or withdraw bis loving kindness from them : for the pillar of the cloud departed not from them, nor was the manna or water withheld from them; as mentioned, in Nehem. chap. ix. ver. 18, 19, 20. And therefore says he, how can we expect that God would curse them now, when they have not signed or rebelled against him. This can by no means be expected. He then proceeds to observe, that 35 ששי : וַיֹּאמֶר מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה אֶל־בִּלְעָם לֵךְ עִם־־הָאֲנָשִׁים וְאֶפֶס אֶת־הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־אֲדַבֵּר אֵלֶיךְ אֹתוֹ תְדַבֵּר וַיֵּלֶךְ בִּלְעָם עִם-שָׂרֵי בָלֶק : 36 וַיִּשְׁמַע בָּלָק כִּי בָא בִלְעָם ויצא לִקְרָאתוֹ אֶל־עִיר מוֹאָב אֲשֶׁר עַל־גְּבוּל אַרְכן אֲשֶׁר בִּקְצֵה הַגְּבוּל : 37 וַיֹּאמֶר בָּלָק אֶל-בִּלְעָם הֲלֹא שָׁלה שָׁלַחְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ לִקְרָא־לָךְ לָמָּה לֹא־הָלַכְתָּ אֵלַי הֵאָמְנָס לֹא אוּכַל כַּבְּדֶךְ : 38 וַיֹּאמֶר בִּלְעָם אֶל־בָּלָק הִנֵּה־ בָאתִי אֵלֶיךְ עַתָּה הֲיָכַל אוּכַל דַבֵּר מְאוּמָה הַדָּבָר רביעי אֲשֶׁר יָשִׂים אֱלֹהִים בְּפִי אֹתוֹ אֲדַבֵּר : 39 וַיֵּלֶךְ בִּלְעֶס עם־בָּלָק וַיָּבִאוּ קִרְיַת חֶצְוֹת : 40 וַיִּזְבַּח בָּלָק בֶּקֶר יָצְאן וַיִּשְׁלַח לְבִלְעָם וְלַשָׂרִים אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ : 41 וַיְהִי בַבּקֶר וַיִּקְח בָּלָק אֶת־בִּלְעָם וַיַּעֲלֵהוּ בָּמְוֹת בַּעַל וַיַּרְא מִשָּׁם : כג קְצֵה הָעֶס וַיֹּאמֶר, בִּלְעָם אֶל־־בָּלָק בְּנֶה־לִי בָזֶה שִׁבְעָה מִזְבְּחֹת וְהָכֵן לִי בָּזֶה שִׁבְעָה פָרִים וְשָׁבְעָה אֵילִים: 2 וַיַּעַשׂ בָּלָק כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר בִּלְעָם וַיעל בָּלָק וּבִלְעָם פַּר וָאַיִל בַּמִּזְבֵּחַ : 3 וַיֹּאמֶר בִּלְעָם לְבָלָק הִתְיַצֵב עַל־עָלָתֵךְ וְאֵלְכָה אוּלַי יִקְרֶה יְהוָה לִקְרָאתי וּדְבַר מַה־־יִרְאֵנִי וְהִגַּדְתִּי לָךְ וַיֵּלֶךְ שֶׁפִי : 4 ויקר אֱלֹהִים אֶל־בִּלְעָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֶת־שִׁבְעַת הַמִזְבְּחת עָרַכְתִּי וָאַעַל פָּר וָאַיִל בַּמִּזְבֵּחַ : 5 וַיָּשֶׂם יְהוָה דֶבֶר בְּפִי בִלְעָם וַיֹּאמֶר שֶׁוּב אֶל־בָּלָק וְכָה תְדַבֵּר: 6 וַיָּשָׁב אֵלָיו וְהִנֵּה נְצָב עַל־עָלָתוֹ הוּא וְכָל-שָׂרֵי מוֹאָב: 7 וַיִּשְׂא מְשָׁלָו וַיֹּאמַר מִן־אֲרָם יַנְחֵנִי בָלָק מֶלֶךְ־מוֹאָב מֵהַרְרֵי־ קֶדֶם לְכָה אָרָה-לִי יַעֲקֹב וּלְכָה וְעַמָה יִשְׂרָאֵל: 8 מָה אֶלָּב לֹא קַבָּה אֶל וּמָה אֶזְעם לֹא זָעַם יְהוָה: 9 כִּי־ מֵרֹאשׁ צְרִים אֶרְאֶנּוּ וּמִגְבָעוֹת אֲשׁוּרְבוּ הֶן־עָם לְבָדֶר יִשְׁכֹּן וּבַגּוֹיִם לֹא יִתְחַשָׁב: 10 מִי מָנָה עֲפַר יַעֲקֹב וּמִסְפָּר אֶת־רְבַע יִשְׂרָאֵל תָּמָת נַפְשִׁי מִוֹת יְשָׁרִים וּתְהִי אַחֲרִיתִי כָּמְהוּ : ה וַיֹּאמֶר בָּלָק אֶל-בִּלְעָם מה עשית לי לָקֶב :1 for an at night, and said unto him, If ass with a staff. the men come to call thee, rise 28 And the LORD opened the up, and go with them, but yet mouth of the ass $, and she said the word which I shall say unto unto Balaam, What have I done thee, that shalt thou do. unto thee, that thou hast smitten 21 And Balaam rose up in the me these three times ? morning, and saddled his ass, and 29 And Balaam said unto the ass, went with the princes of Moab *. Because thou hast mocked me : I 22 And God's anger was kindled would there were a sword in mine because he went: and the angel of hand, for now would I kill thee. the LORD stood in the way 30 And the ass said unto Balaam, adversary against him: Now he Am not I thine ass, upon which was riding upon his ass, and his thou hast ridden ever since I was two servants were with him. thine, unto this day? was I ever 23 And the ass saw the angel of wont to do so unto thee? And he the Lord standing in the way, said, Nay. and his sword drawn in his hand : 31 Then the LORD opened the and the ass turned aside out of eyes of Balaam, and he saw the the way, and went into the field : angel of the LORD standing in the and Balaam smote the ass to turn way, and his sword drawn in his her into the way. hand : and he bowed down his 24 But the angel of the LORD head, and fell flat on his face. stood in a path of the vineyards, 32 And the angel of the LORD a wall being on this side, and a said unto him, Wherefore hast wall on that 'side. thou smitten thine ass these three 25 And when the ass saw the times ? behold, I went out to withangel of the LORD, she thrust stand thee, because thy way is herself unto the wall, and crushed perverse before me. Balaam's foot against the wall: 33 And the ass saw me, and and he smote her again. turned from me these three times : 26 And the angel of the LORD unless she had turned from me, went further, and stood in a narrow surely now also I had slain thee, place, where was no way to turn and saved her alive. either to the right hand or to the 34 And Balaam said unto the left. angel of the LORD, I have sinped; 27 And when the ass saw the for I knew not that thou stoodest angel of the LORD, she fell down in the way against me : now thereunder Balaam: and Balaam's anger fore if it displease thee, I will get was kindled, and he smote the me back again. * It is the opinion of several expositors, that these are only the particulars of his vision, or dream, in verse 20, where Scripture tells us the final result of it, it being usual to conclude a subject, and then to give us the particular circumstances that preceded such final conclusions. So that all that is narrated as far as verse 35, is only the particular of his vision, by which the word accounting for such an extraordinary miracle as making the ass to speak, which could answer no particular purpose, as the discourse was only between Baalam and the ass, for, the princes of Moab are not mentioned, and we are not informed that they were hindered in their journey, neither do they relate any thing of it to Balak. Ø I bave observed in the puceding note, it is the opinion, that this is only a vision, or dream, otherwise, it would appear to be a matter of surprise, that Balaam through his astonishment, which must undoubtedly have been great at hearing the ass speak, had yet the power to answer the ast; and that he was not disınayed at the miracle as he ought to have considered that it was from God, in order to frustrate his design. To which Rabbi Bechaya answers, that on account of the great wickedness of his heart and his determined resolution of injuring Israel, he took it to be the more act of chance, and did not consider that it was the finger of God that wrought all this. But still it is surprising that the princes of Moab, and his two servants made no enquiry of him concerning the matter; neither did the princes lay this great wonder to heart. To this it may be answered, that 48 : 1: 26 :I- : לַיְלָה וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ אִם־לִקְרָא לְךְ בָּאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים קְוּם לֵךְ אִתָּם וְאַךְ אֶת־הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־אֲדַבֵּר אֵלֶיִךְ אֹתוֹ תַּעֲשֶׂה : שלישי 21 וַיָּקָם בִּלְעָם בַּבּקֶר וַיִּחַבְשׁ אֶת־אֲתְנוֹ וַיֵּלֶךְ עס־שָרֵי מוֹאָב: 22 וַיִּחַר־אַף אֱלֹהִים כִּי־־הוֹלֵךְ הוּא וַיִּתְיַצב מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה בַּדֶּרֶךְ לְשָׂטָן לִי וְהוּא רֹכֶב עַל־־אֲתנו וּשְׁנֵי נְעָרָיו עִמּוֹ : 23 וַתִּרֶא הָאָתוֹן אֶת־מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה נצב בַּדֶרֶךְ וְחַרְבּוֹ שְׁלוּפָה בְּיָדִוֹ וְפֵט הָאָתוֹן מִן־הַדֶּרֶךְ וַתֵּלֶךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה וַיַּךְ בִּלְעָם אֶת־הָאָרוֹן לְהַשׂתָהּ הַדָּרֶךְ : 24 וַעֲמֹד מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה בְּמִשְׁעֶל הַכְּרָמִים נֶדֶר מה וְנֶדֶר מִזֶּה: 25 וַתֵּרֶא הָאָתוֹן אֶת־מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה וַתִּלָּחֵץ אֶל־הַקִּיר וַתִּלְחַץ אֶת־־רֶגֶל בִּלְעָם אֶל־־הַקִּיר וַיֹּסֶף לְהַכֹּתָהּ: 26 וַיּוֹסֶף מַלְאַךְ־יְהוָה עֲבוֹר וַעֲמֹד בְּמָקוֹם בָּר אֲשֶׁר אֵין־בֶּרֶךְ לִנְטוֹת יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאול : 27 וַתֵּרֶא הָאָתוֹן אֶת־מַלְאָךְ יְהוָה וַתִּרְבַּץ תַּחַת בִּלְעָם וַיִּחַר־ אַף בִּלְעָם וַיַּךְ אֶת־הָאָתוֹן בַּמַקְל : 28 וַיִּפְתַּח יְהוָה אֶת־פִּי הָאָתוֹן וַתֹּאמֶר לְבִלְעָם מֶה עָשִׂיתִי לְךְ כִּי הִכִּיתָנִי זֶה שָׁלְשׁ רְגָלִים: 29 ויאמֶר בִּלְעָם לָאָתוֹן כִּי הִתְעַלַּלְתָּ בִּי לִי יֶשׁ־־חֶרֶב בְּיָדִי כִּי עַתָּה הֲרַגְתִּיךְ : 30 וַתֹּאמֶר הָאָתוֹן אֶל־בִּלְעָם הֲלוֹא אָנֹכִי אֲתְנְךְ אֲשֶׁר־ רָכַבְתָּ עָלַי מֵעוֹרְךְ עַד־הַיוֹם הַזֶּה הַהַסְכֵּן הִסְכַּנְתִּי לעֲשׂוֹת לָךְ כֹּה וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא : 31 וַיָּגֶל יְהוָה אֶת־עֵינֵי בִלְעָם וַיַּרְא אֶת־מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה נִצָּב בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְחַרְבּוֹ שְׁלְפָה בְּיָדוֹ וַיִּכַּד וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ לְאַפּיו : 32 וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה עַל־מָה הִכִּיתָ אֶת־אֲהִנְךָ זֶה שָׁלוֹשׁ רְנָלִים הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי יָצָאתִי לְשָׂטָן כִּי־יָרֵט הַדֶּרֶךְ לְנֶגְדִּי : 33 וַתִּרְאַנִי הָאָרוֹן וַתֵּט לְפָנַי זֶה שָׁלְשׁ רְגָלִים אוּלַי נָטְתָה מִפָּנֵי כִּי עַתָּה גַם־אָתְכָה הָרַגְתִּי וְאוֹתָהּ הֶחְיַיִתִי : 34 וַיֹּאמֶר בִּלְעָם אֶל־מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה חָטָאתִי כִּי לֹא יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אַתָּה נִצָּב לִקְרָאתִי בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְעַתָּה אִם־רָע בְּעֵינֶיךְ אָשָׁוּבָה לִי: 29 : 31 32 1":1 |