John Calvin Commentary Numbers 23
John Calvin Commentary
Numbers 23
John Calvin Commentary
Numbers 23
"And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams." — Numbers 23:1 (ASV)
Build me here seven altars. We more positively conclude from this that this degenerate prophet had by no means been accustomed to prophesy in accordance with pure revelations from God, but that the art of divination, in which he boasted, had some affinity with magical exorcisms and was infected with many errors and deceptions.
Still, this did not prevent him from sometimes being a true prophet by the inspiration of God’s Spirit. As has already been said, while the world was plunged in darkness, it was God’s will that some small sparks of light should still shine, in order to render even the most ignorant inexcusable. Therefore, since Balaam was only endowed with a special gift, he borrowed practices from various sources. These practices resembled nothing but the illusions of the devil and were utterly foreign to the true and legitimate method of consulting God.
From this came the seven victims and the seven altars. For although God, by consecrating the seventh day to Himself, and also in the seven lamps and other things, indicated that there was some perfection in that number, nevertheless, afterwards, many strange superstitions were invented. Under this pretext, Satan cunningly deluded wretched men by persuading them that secret virtues were contained in this number seven.
This frivolous subtlety also prevailed among secular writers, so that they sought confirmation of the error throughout all nature. Thus, they allege the seven planets, as many Pleiades, the Septemtriones,153 and as many circles or zones; and again, that infants do not come into the world alive until the seventh month. They heap together many such things to prove that some hidden mystery is implied in the number seven.
This contagion also reached the Christians. For on this point, the ancients154 sometimes philosophize too subtly and have generally preferred to corrupt Scripture rather than not restrict the gifts of the Spirit to this number and establish the sevenfold grace of the Holy Ghost.
It is plain that Balaam was infected by this fanciful notion when he endeavors to draw down God by seven altars and twice seven sacrifices. Let us, however, learn from Balak’s prompt compliance that the superstitious neither spare expense nor refuse anything demanded by the masters of their errors.
Therefore, we must beware lest we be rashly credulous. At the same time, we must take care that, when it is clear what we ought to do, we are not withheld by shameful passivity while unbelievers hasten so eagerly and speedily to their own destruction.
153 “The seven stars, or Charles’s wain.” — Ainsworth. “Sed ego quidem cum L. Aelio, et M. Varrone sentio, qui triones rustico certo vocabulo boves appellatos scribunt, quasi quosdam rustico certo vocabulo boves appellatos scribunt, quasi quosdam terriones, hoc est, arandae colendaeque terrae idoneos. Itaque hoc sidus, quod a figura posituraque ipsa, quia simile plaustro videtur, antiqui Graecorum, hoc est, arandae colendaeque terrae idoneos. Itaque hoc sidus, quod a figura posituraque ipsa, quia simile plaustro videtur, antiqui Graecorum, αμαξαν dixerunt, nostri quoque veteres a bubus junctis dixerunt, nostri quoque veteres a bubus junctis septemtriones appellarunt; id est, a septem stellis, ex quibus quasi juncti appellarunt; id est, a septem stellis, ex quibus quasi juncti triones figurantur.” — A. Gell. 2:21.figurantur.” — A. Gell. 2:21.
154 “Les anciens docteurs.” — Fr.
"And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt-offering, and I will go: peradventure Jehovah will come to meet me; and whatsoever he showeth me I will tell thee. And he went to a bare height." — Numbers 23:3 (ASV)
And Balaam said to Balak. In this respect, also, he imitates the true servants of God, for he seeks retirement, because God has almost always appeared to His servants when they have been separated from the company of men. You would say that he was another Moses when he exhorts the king to persevering prayer and, so that he might be more earnest in supplication, instructs him to remain perfectly still by the altars. Meanwhile, he withdraws from the crowd and the eyes of the witnesses, so that he might be more ready to receive the revelation.
Since, however, there was no sincerity in him, we may probably conclude that in vain ostentation he imitated the servants of God, so that, like one of God’s counselors, he might bring forth the secrets from the shrines of heaven. I do not know why some render the word שפי as shephi, alone, others as sad;155 it is more suitable to take it as a high place, which other similar passages confirm.
The impostor, therefore, retired to a higher place, or summit, so that he might come forth from there more surely established as a prophet by his close communication with God.
155 A.V. “an high place.” “an high place.” Margin, “he went solitary.” “Onkelos explains the word “he went solitary.” “Onkelos explains the word שפי as as יחידי alone; but Kimchi interprets it as but Kimchi interprets it as גכוח a a high place. Rabbi Jehuda expounds is it as Rabbi Jehuda expounds is it as נשבר affected with grief; etc.” —— S.M. There is a curious error in the There is a curious error in the Fr., evidently arising from its dictation to an amanuensis, “le mot que j’ay translate evidently arising from its dictation to an amanuensis, “le mot que j’ay translate Amen,” i.e., “a mont,” as it stands in the as it stands in the Fr. Text.. Text.
"And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar." — Numbers 23:4 (ASV)
And God met Balaam. It is astonishing that God should have determined to have anything in common with the pollutions of Balaam, since there is no communion between light and darkness, and He detests all association with demons; but, however hateful Balaam's impiety was to God, this did not prevent Him from making use of him in this particular act. This meeting him, then, was by no means a proof of His favor, as if He approved of the seven altars and sanctioned these superstitions. Instead, just as He knows well how to apply corrupt instruments to His use, so by the mouth of this false prophet, He promulgated the covenant He had made with Abraham to foreign and heathen nations.
In truth, Balaam boasts of his seven altars, as if he had duly propitiated God. Thus hypocrites arrogantly trust that they deserve well from God when they only provoke His anger. God, however, passes over this corrupt worship and proceeds with what He had determined, for He sends Balaam to be a proclaimer and witness of the sureness of His grace toward His chosen people.
Indeed, God supplies His servants with what they speak and controls their tongues, for they would not be sufficient to think anything unless He bestowed the ability; and no one can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost.
Still, the holy Prophets were organs of the Spirit in such a way that they brought forth from the heart the treasures God had deposited with them. In this view, Jeremiah says that he did eat the words of God (Jeremiah 15:16), and Ezekiel, that he ate the roll on which his prophecies were written (Ezekiel 3:1).
For we must not conceive an inspiration (ἐνθουσιασμὸς) like that by which the heathens supposed their diviners to be carried away, so that the heavenly afflatus transported them or threw them into ecstasies. Rather, what took place in them is what David declares of himself: I believed, therefore have I spoken (Psalms 116:10). God illuminated their senses before He guided their tongues. The case of Balaam was different: his mind was alienated while he delivered the words put into his mouth.156
156 Addition in Fr.; “comme une pie en cage, ainsi qu’on dit;” like pie in a cage, as they say. “comme une pie en cage, ainsi qu’on dit;” like pie in a cage, as they say.
"And he took up his parable, and said, From Aram hath Balak brought me, The king of Moab from the mountains of the East: Come, curse me Jacob, And come, defy Israel." — Numbers 23:7 (ASV)
And he took up his parable and said.
The word משל, mashal, signifies all weighty and notable sayings, especially when expressed in exalted language. The meaning, therefore, is that Balaam began to speak eloquently and in an extraordinary manner.
Nor can it be doubted that he aroused Balak’s attention with this grandeur of language through God’s secret influence. This was so that the wretched man might acknowledge that Balaam now spoke not as a mere human, but that there was something of divine inspiration in his words, causing his mind to be more deeply affected by the revelation.
The sum of what he said was to this effect: there was not merely perversity and foolishness in Balak’s design to curse the people, but whatever he attempted would be vain and useless, since he was fighting against God.
At the same time, Balaam renounces for himself that power which Balak was persuaded he eminently possessed. For Moses has already recorded the words of Balak previously spoken: I know that he whom thou cursest is cursed, as if the power of God were transferred to him, so that he might exercise it according to his will. But what was this, if not to depose God from His supremacy?
Consequently, this abominable notion is refuted by the mouth of Balaam when he attributes the right of blessing to God alone: How (he says) should I curse except according to God’s command?
This is not to say that God always restrains the wicked from declaring what is opposed to His truth. For we know that they often talk foolishly at random, vomit forth their blasphemies by the mouthful, obscure the light with their falsehoods, and endeavor, as much as they can, to overthrow the faithfulness of God.
But because Balaam was compelled to play a different part, namely, to proclaim the revelation suggested to him by God, he confesses that his tongue was tied, so that he could not utter a single syllable against God’s command.
Since Syria is mentioned, some have supposed that Balaam was brought from Mesopotamia. This mistake gained some plausibility because the art of divination originated among the Chaldeans.
But, as has been said before, it is not credible that the man’s fame could have extended so far. Again, in the short time during which the people remained there, how could an embassy have been twice sent to such a distant country? Such a journey would have taken at least six months. Besides, we shall soon see that he was slain among the Midianites.
However, it is very probable that the country was included under the name of Aram or Syria, which even secular authors describe as adjacent to Arabia, towards the Red Sea.
Now, since, in relation to the land of Moab, Midian was to the east and, moreover, was high and mountainous, it is rightly added that he was called from the mountains of the east. Thus he designates a place well known to the Moabites because of its proximity to them.
"For from the top of the rocks I see him, And from the hills I behold him: lo, it is a people that dwelleth alone, And shall not be reckoned among the nations." — Numbers 23:9 (ASV)
For from the top of the rocks I see him. Unless I am mistaken, the meaning is that although he only saw the people from a distance, so that he could not accurately perceive their power from such a high and distant spot, they still indicated to him something great and formidable. A closer view generally intimidates people; besides, a body of twenty thousand men then dazzles our sight, as if the number were five times as great, while the real extent of a thing is also more accurately determined. But Balaam declares, in the spirit of prophecy, that he sees far more in the people of God than their distance from him would allow; for, positioned as he was on a high eminence, he would have only beheld them as dwarfs with the ordinary vision of men.
He says that the people shall dwell alone, as being not at all in need of external support: for לבדד, lebadad, is equivalent to solitarily or separately. It is said of the people, therefore, that they shall dwell in such a manner as to be content with their own condition, neither desiring the wealth or power of others, nor seeking their aid. The fact that the people resorted at one time to the Egyptians, at another to the Assyrians, and entangled themselves in improper alliances, is not contrary to this prophecy, in which the question is not about the virtue of the people, but only about the blessing of God, which is again celebrated in the same words in Deuteronomy 33:28.
What follows, that they shall not be reckoned among the nations, must not be understood as devaluing them, as if it were said that they should be of no credit or position. Instead, the elect people are exalted above all others in dignity and excellence, as if he had said that there would be no nation under heaven equal to or comparable with them. And, although there were other kingdoms more illustrious for the flourishing condition of their people, and superior both in the number of their inhabitants and in all kinds of prosperity, still this people never forfeited their pre-eminence, since they were distinguished not so much by wealth and external endowments as by the adoption of God. Thus, Mount Sion is called noble above all other mountains, because God had chosen to make His abode there.
Others explain it that the people should be alone, so as not to be brought into comparison with the Gentiles, since its religion should be separate from the whole world and unmingled with heathen corruptions. The exposition which I have given is, however, more simple.
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