John Calvin Commentary Numbers 22
John Calvin Commentary
Numbers 22
John Calvin Commentary
Numbers 22
"And the children of Israel journeyed, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho." — Numbers 22:1 (ASV)
And the children of Israel set forward. This narrative contains many circumstances worthy of record.
First, it shows that there is no stone Satan does not turn for the destruction of the Church. After he has assailed her in vain by force of arms, he attacks her by snares and secret artifices, while the ungodly also work under his impulse, as much as they can, to overthrow her by deceit and to make the promises of God and His unchangeable decree for the preservation of the Church He has chosen of no effect.
But God shows, on the other hand, that He so watches over His own as to turn to their salvation whatever plots their enemies may devise for their destruction.
He likewise represents, as in a mirror, how foolish and vain are the attempts of those who endeavor to undermine the grace of God.
Especially, He demonstrates that God’s truth will always be so completely victorious as to receive testimony even from its professed enemies, just as Balaam was made to proclaim it.
These and other observations, however, will be better made in their appropriate places.
We have already seen that there was no reason why Balak should devise any evil against God’s people, since he had no inconvenience to fear from them. Their good faith had been voluntarily pledged; security had been promised him, and a treaty proposed. When, therefore, he and all the Moabites prepare themselves and arouse their neighbors for resistance, they were ungrateful to God as well as to men.
In his very alarm, we see the truth of what Scripture declares, namely, that the reprobate are always agitated by groundless terrors. This is the just reward of those who do not seek peace with God: that they should be constantly harassed by wretched disquietude.
By special privilege, God had exempted the Moabites from any interference. But they invent causes of anxiety for themselves because they see that God’s people had overcome great and powerful kings. For as the brightness of the sun is painful and injurious to those who have weak eyes, so the blessings God bestows upon the Church, as a token of His paternal favor, torment the reprobate and stir them up to envy.
If the Moabites had prudently considered their own advantage, they might have easily arranged with their old connections to provide for their own tranquility. But now, by provoking their ill-will, they make the worst possible bargain for themselves.
Nor is it only Balak’s unwise alarm that is described, but that of the whole nation of Moab. At first, indeed, the king’s name is introduced alone, but immediately afterwards, Moses includes them all without exception. Hence, it is clear that this error was universal, and by its contagion, they soon corrupted others also, for they invited the Midianites to join them in the work of repulsing the Israelites.
The pretext alleged was that, as oxen consume the grass of the field, so there was imminent danger that if the people of Israel were not resisted, they would, as it were, lick up and devour all the nations. Yet they had experienced the complete opposite, for the people had turned aside of their own accord into circuitous paths to avoid injuring them.
This forbearance would have delivered them from all anxiety, unless their own malignity had taught them to entertain foul suspicions. For why had the Israelites not made a direct aggression upon their territories, except because they desired to leave them safe and intact? Otherwise, they would have boldly made a way for themselves by force of arms.
"And he sent messengers unto Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me." — Numbers 22:5 (ASV)
He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam. This passage shows us, like many others, that the errors in which Satan entangles unbelievers are derived from good principles. The modesty of king Balak appears to be worthy of praise, because, conscious of his own weakness and placing no confidence in human aid, he proceeds to implore the help of God. For this is our only safe refuge: although earthly aids may fail us, still to maintain our courage and to rely upon God, who is all-sufficient in Himself and independent of external means.
To this extent, then, Balak acts rightly, for he seeks nothing more than to conciliate God’s favor, nor places his confidence of victory in anything but God’s good-will; but, when he seeks for God wrongly by indirect ways, he departs far from Him. And this is a common error with all hypocrites and unbelievers: that, while they aspire to God, they wander into their own indirect paths.
Balak desires Divine deliverance from his danger, but the means are of his own devising when he would purchase incantations from a mercenary prophet; thus it is that he binds God and subjects Him to his own inventions. He knows, he says, that the power of blessing and cursing belonged to Balaam; but from where did this persuasion arise, unless,142 by grasping at the rather empty name of Prophet, he separates God from Himself?
He should first have inquired what the will of God was and have addressed prayer in earnest faith to Him, to propitiate Him; whereas, omitting the main thing, he is satisfied with a mere venal blessing. We gather, therefore, from his anxiety to obtain peace and pardon from God, that there was some seed of religion implanted in his mind. The reverence which he pays to the Prophet is also a sign of his piety. But that he desires to win over God by his own vain inventions is a proof of foolish superstition, and that he seeks to place Him under obligation to himself, of impious pride.143
I do not know how it came into the mind of the Chaldee interpreter to suppose that Pether was on the banks of the Euphrates; nor is it probable that Balaam was brought from such a great distance. Nor would his fame have extended from so distant a place to these nations. I am convinced that it is the proper name of a place, because the termination of the word Petorah does not allow it to be an epithet, such as “the soothsayer,” as Jerome has rendered it. Although the country is not specified, it is likely gathered from the context that Balaam was a Midianite; and for this reason I believe the Midianites were sought as allies, so that they might win over their fellow countrymen.
It is a poor exposition of what follows in verse 7, that they had the divinations in their hand,144 to interpret this as referring to the art of divination, or even that they were accompanied by those who were skilled in the same practice. It is simpler to interpret it as their commission, as if Moses said that the messengers were instructed as to what they sought from Balaam, namely, that he should curse the people of Israel. For it is not absurd to suppose that Moses again repeats what he had related in the preceding verse.
Still, I am not unwilling to accept the view which others take, namely, that they took with them the reward or price of divination. For there have been in all ages hireling prophets who sold their revelations; and since even among the Israelites many impostors thus offered their services for hire, this abuse was very common among them. This is why Saul and his servant hesitated to go to Samuel, because they had no gift at hand to offer him, until the servant replied that he had a quarter of a shekel of silver, as if Samuel offered his prophecies for sale, as was commonly the case (1 Samuel 9:7, 8). Ezekiel, indeed, charges the false prophets with this: that they sold themselves for a trifling bribe.
142 “Si ce n’est qu’en prenant a la volee le titre vain de Prophete sans son effet, il separe Dieu de soy-mesme, ou le veust couper par pieces?” unless it be that, laying hold at random of the empty title of Prophet without its essence, he separates God from himself, and would cut him in pieces? — Fr..
143 “D’un orgueil diabolique; “of diabolical arrogance. — Fr.
144 A.V. “The rewards of divination;” Ainsworth says, “So Targum Jonathan expoundeth it, “The rewards of divination;” Ainsworth says, “So Targum Jonathan expoundeth it, The fruits of divination sealed in their hand; and thus and thus Besorah, i.e., i.e., good tidings, is used for is used for the reward of good tidings, in in 2 Samuel 4:10.” “Non raro Hebraei rem ponunt pro pretio rei; ut .” “Non raro Hebraei rem ponunt pro pretio rei; ut Exodus 21:10, , humiliatio, i.e., pretium pudicitiae.” — Bonfrerius in Poole.i.e., pretium pudicitiae.” — Bonfrerius in Poole.
"And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as Jehovah shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam." — Numbers 22:8 (ASV)
And he said unto them, Lodge here this night. Since he waits for a revelation from the true God, it is probable that he was not a magician or sorcerer, whose only power to divine arose from superstition or evil arts.
We will, indeed, see later that he was accustomed to use many impostures and deceptions; but it will be plain, from the evidence of facts, that he was given the gift of prophecy.
He is not to be counted among the true prophets whom God set over His Church, because neither was the perpetual office of prophesying conferred upon him, nor was it combined with that of teaching.
For those servants of His, to whom God entrusted the office of prophesying, He so directed by His Spirit that they never spoke except from His mouth. And although they did not foresee all that was to happen, but only according to the measure of their revelation, still He concealed nothing from them which it was profitable for them to know. Hence the expression of Amos,
“Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).
In a word, they were the organs of the Holy Spirit for all necessary predictions, and the credit due to their prophecies was of a consistent and constant character, so that they never spoke absurdly or in vain.
Besides, they were endowed with the power of adapting their prophecies to a just object and use. Thus, after the Law was proclaimed, they were its interpreters.
In prosperity they bore witness to the grace of God; in adversity, to His judgments. In summary, their business was to ratify God’s covenant, by which He reconciles men to Himself through Christ.
Far different was the case with Balaam and others like him, who were only endowed with a particular gift,145 so that they truly foretold some things and were mistaken in others; indeed, they only uttered bare revelations without any mixture of doctrine.
God willed, indeed, that such individuals should exist even among Gentile nations, so that some sparks of light might shine among their darkness, and thus the excuse of ignorance would be removed.
Indeed, all those who have dared to delude the world by their deceptions have usurped the name of prophet. Although the word divination is honorable and sacred, it has been improperly applied to the art of deception and the liberty to lie, as it is the custom of the devil to profane God’s name by its impious abuse.
Still, there were some among the Gentiles who occasionally predicted future events by divine inspiration. This was especially the case before the Law was given, since God had not then distinguished His elect people from others by this mark. At that time, it is true, the promise had been given,
“The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee prophets,”146 and so forth, (Deuteronomy 18:15).
But it was not yet generally known, and therefore God was unwilling that the nations should be deprived of their soothsayers, who still were very different from those true prophets, whose call was clear and legitimate.
I have said this much briefly with reference to Balaam, whom God addresses in a vision by night, or dream, no less familiarly than any of His own servants, but only on a particular point.
By the inquiry, “What men are these with thee?” He indirectly reproves his improper desires.
At first sight, he pretends a holy anxiety to obey, when he dares to attempt nothing without God’s permission and refuses to stir a foot until he has received His answer.
Yet secret covetousness influences him to obtain from God, by bargaining as it were, what he still feels is not right.
God alludes to this astuteness when He inquires about the men, as if to say that there was no reason why he should detain them a moment, since their demand should have been peremptorily refused.
And, assuredly, if he had been free, he would have hastened at once to obey the wishes of King Balak, even contrary to the will of God.
He now requests that permission be given to him, as if he desired to have the reins, which withheld him from his evil purposes, loosened, when he would have willingly shaken them off completely if he were not well aware that he could do nothing beyond what God would permit.
Nor, indeed, does he regard what is lawful and right, but only seeks that his mouth may be opened to curse with impunity.
145 “Pour predire ceci ou cela;” to predict this or that. — Fr.
146 A.V. “A Prophet.” See “A Prophet.” See C.’s Comment. Comment. in loco, vol. 1, p. 433..
"And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people; for they are blessed." — Numbers 22:12 (ASV)
You shall not go with them. If there were any room for doubt, God peremptorily removes it and confirms the prohibition, because it was unlawful to curse those whom He had blessed. For prophets are permitted to be nothing more than witnesses, ambassadors (internuntii), or heralds of the grace God freely chooses to bestow at His own pleasure on whomever He wills.
Moreover, God is said to bless those whom He has embraced with His favor, and to whom He demonstrably shows Himself to be favorable when He displays His liberality toward them. Regarding this blessing, He willed that the prophets should be His ministers in such a way that the power would still remain entirely in His own hands. If, therefore, they usurp for themselves the prerogative of blessing without His commission, their act is not merely frivolous and ineffective, but even blasphemous.
Justly, then, does Ezekiel convict of falsehood and deception those false prophets who, by their flatteries, encourage the souls that were doomed to die, while they slay by their terrors and threats those to whom God had promised life (Ezekiel 13:2, 22). From this we gather how futile it is for hypocrites, as they usually do, to purchase pardon from men in order to propitiate God. We also learn that we need not be afraid of those degenerate ministers,147 who desire to domineer tyrannically by virtue of their office, even though they launch their denunciations against the innocent.
It is plain, however, that Balaam’s obedience to God’s command does not come from the heart. His words, indeed, might deceive the simple with their appearance of humility: 'I will not go, because God forbids it.' But there is no doubt that, driven by ambition and avarice to gratify them, he indicates he would be willing to undertake the journey unless forbidden by God.
If his heart had been sincere, the honest reply he should have given was obvious: namely, that it was futile to send for him or anyone else so that Balak might resist the inviolable decree of God. If he had thus heartily and unequivocally given glory to God, another delegation would not have been sent to him. But by his hesitant excuse, he seemed to inflame the desire of the foolish king in order to sell his curse at a higher price. For we know that this is the usual way with impostors: they obtain higher pay for themselves in proportion to the difficulty of the matter.
Still, if we compare the mercenary prophets of the Pope with Balaam, his servile and enforced submission will deserve considerable praise when compared to their detestable and indomitable folly. For they, in defiance of God, do not hesitate to burst forth in impious curses. The truth, which they oppose, is conspicuous. That terrible judgment, which God denounces through the mouth of Isaiah, rings in their ears: Woe unto them that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, (Isaiah 5:20). Nevertheless, they persist and, in their brutal madness, vomit forth their blasphemies not only to the destruction of the Church but, if it were possible, to the extinction of all religion.
147 “Les ministres masques;” the masked ministers. — Fr..
"And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they." — Numbers 22:15 (ASV)
And Balak sent yet again princes. Here we see that, however humbly ungodly men implore God’s grace, they still do not lay aside their pride; as if their grandeur could serve to dazzle the eyes of God. Therefore, to make Him comply with their wishes, they think it is enough to display their magnificent ceremonies. Indeed, whatever modesty superstition may pretend, it always swells with secret confidence. Thus Balak, to obtain favor, makes a show of his dignity and power, and considers that Balaam will thereby be at his service.
However, although the impostor shows much more spirit in his second reply than before, his hypocrisy is soon discovered, and he betrays the duplicity of his mind. It is, indeed, a noble speech and indicative of much magnanimity: “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I will not disobey the command of God”: but why does he not instantly banish from him altogether these unholy traffickers, who are instigating him to transgression? We see, then, that he speaks more in a spirit of boasting than to ascribe to God the glory due to Him, for his desire was to acquire for himself the title and credit of a holy Prophet by this parade of obedience.
In the meantime, when he begs that some delay should be granted him to inquire what God’s will was, he is convicted of impious rebellion. He does not dare openly, and in flagrant contempt of God, to put himself forward to curse God’s people; and that, so far, is good. But why does he not acquiesce in the divine decision? Why, when he has been assured whether a matter was lawful or not, does he still inquire with doubt? For so he deliberates and questions whether that which God has once prescribed ought to be certain and unchangeable; indeed, he endeavors to force God to alter His determination. From the time that he had heard, “Thou shalt not go,” upon what pretext was it permissible to continue the controversy? This, then, is Balaam’s aim: that God, by withdrawing the decision He had pronounced, should deny Himself. And this was an act of most blasphemous impiety.
Still, many such persons will be found nowadays who, though fully assured of the will of God, nevertheless do not cease to undermine it, so that they may eventually attain the end toward which they are hurried by their lawless cupidity.
At the outset, it is anything but their desire to know what is right, or, when they know it, to follow it. Instead, ambition instigates some, lust inflames others, and others are urged forward by avarice; in a word, evil desires preside over every deliberation. Immediately, God interposes some obstacle and compels them, whether they want to or not, to understand what they ought to do.
They proceed, however, regardless. Since the way is closed, they endeavor by subterfuges, by crooked paths, or evasions to elude the sure word of God. And although they appear to do this modestly, because they hesitate until permission has been obtained from God, yet in this their impudence reveals itself: they do not cease to importune God and His prophets until they have extorted what they have already heard to be unlawful.
It is clear, therefore, that all those are disciples of Balaam who try the indulgence of God, that He may eventually permit them to attempt what He has once refused.
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