John Gill Commentary Numbers 23:9

"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, and from the hills I
behold him
That is, Israel in their camps; Balaam being at this time on the top of a rock, or on an high hill, from where he had a view of Israel, encamped in the plains of Moab below him:

lo, the people shall dwell alone ;
this certainly respects their dwelling in the land of Canaan, where they dwelt a separate people from all others, distinguished by their language, religion, laws, customs, and manner of living, being different both in their clothing, and in their food, from other people; nor had they dealings, nor did they company with those of other nations; see (Esther 3:8) (John 4:9) (Acts 10:28) "or shall dwell safely" ^F26 , or securely, not so much because of the situation of their country, but because of the protection of the Almighty; see (Deuteronomy 33:28)

and shall not be reckoned among the nations ;
as belonging to them, shall not be made of any account by them, but be despised and reproached for their religion chiefly; nor reckon themselves of them, nor mix with them; so the Targum of Jerusalem,

``they shall not be mixed;''

or, as Jonathan,

``they shall not be led in the laws of the people;''

and though they are now scattered among the people and nations of the world, yet they are not mixed with them, nor reckoned to be a part of them; nor do they reckon themselves to be of them, but are a separate distinct people from them.

Thus Israel, or the people of God in a spiritual sense, dwell alone; not solitarily, or without company, in every sense, for they have the company of Father, Son, and Spirit, of angels and saints; but they dwell in God, in Christ, in the house of God, and with one another, separately and distinctly from the world: they are a separate people in the love of God; in the choice of them in Christ; in the covenant of grace made with them in him; in redemption by him; in his intercession for them; in effectual calling; as they will be in the resurrection morn, and in heaven to all eternity: and they shall dwell safely, God being around them; Christ the rock and fortress of them; the Spirit in them being greater than he that is in the world; angels their guardians, and they in a strong city, whose walls and bulwarks are salvation: nor are they reckoned among the nations; they are chosen, redeemed, and called out of them, and are not accounted of by them any other than the refuse and offscouring of all things; nor do they reckon themselves to be of the world, but as pilgrims and strangers in it. Baal Hatturim refers this prophecy to the days of the Messiah; see (Jeremiah 23:5Jeremiah 23:6) .

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FOOTNOTES:

• F26:
  z (rdbl) "confidenter", Pagninus; "securus", Vatablus.