John Calvin Commentary Numbers 23:3

"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.