John Calvin Commentary Numbers 22:1

"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.