Numbers 22:36

And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(36) A city of Moab.—Better, the city of Moab. (Comp. Numbers 21:15.)

Which is in the utmost coast.—Or, which flows at the extremity of the border. Sihon, the Amorite, had taken possession of the Moabitish territory as far as the Arnon.

Benson Commentary

Numbers 22:36-38. In the utmost coast — Not far from the camp of the Israelites, whom he desired him to curse. Have I now any power at all, &c. — He here lets Balak know he was under the overruling power of God, whose commands he could not gainsay.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

22:36-41 Balak has now nothing to complain of, but that Balaam did not come sooner. Balaam bids Balak not depend too much upon him. He seems to speak with vexation; but is really as desirous to please Balak, as ever he had pretended to be to please God. See what need we have to pray every day, Our Father which art in heaven, lead us not into temptation. Let us be jealous over our own hearts, seeing how far men may go in the knowledge of God, and yet come short of Divine grace.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Go with the men - A command, not a permission merely. Balaam, no longer a faithful servant of God, was henceforth overruled in all his acts so that he might subserve the divine purpose as an instrument.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

36, 37. when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him—Politeness requires that the higher the rank of the expected guest, greater distance is to be gone to welcome his arrival.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

That by this great honour he might give him a taste and earnest of those great rewards he designed him, and thereby oblige him to use his utmost skill and interest for him.

The utmost coast; not far from the camp of the Israelites, whom he desired him to curse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And when Balak heard that Balaam was come,.... Messengers being sent to acquaint him with it, either by Balaam, or by the princes:

he went out to meet him; overjoyed at the news that his princes had succeeded, and to show him respect, and do him honour, and all to encourage him to do his utmost for him:

unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast; by the situation of it, being on the border of the river Arnon, which river was in the extreme parts of Moab, and divided between the Moabites and Amorites, it is generally thought to be the city Ar, called "Ar of Moab", see Numbers 21:13, and the king coming to meet Balaam so far as the uttermost border of his dominions showed the greater respect to him.

Geneva Study Bible

And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the {r} border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.

(r) Near the place where the Israelites camped.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

36. unto the City of Moab] unto Ir of Moab. The Heb. form of the name Ar of Moab (Numbers 21:28).

which is on the border of Arnon] i.e. the border or boundary formed by the Arnon. Moab at this time possessed no land north of the Arnon; Ir (Ar) of Moab thus lay on their northern border. The following clause defines the locality further.

which is at the end of the border] Since Balaam was coming from the east, ‘the end’ must be the eastern end; that is to say Ir (Ar) of Moab lay somewhere on the upper, eastern, course of the Arnon.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 36. - Unto a city of Moab, or, "unto Ir-Moab" (אֶל־עִיר מואָב), probably the same as the Ar mentioned in chapter Numbers 21:15 as the boundary town of Moab at that time. Numbers 22:36

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Reception of Balaam by the King of the Moabites. - Numbers 22:36, Numbers 22:37. As soon as Balak heard of Balaam's coming, he went to meet him at a city on the border of the Arnon, which flowed at the extreme (north) boundary (of the Moabitish territory), viz., at Areopolis (see at Numbers 21:15), probably the capital of the kingdom at one time, but now reduced to a frontier town, since Sihon the Amorite had taken all the land as far as the Arnon; whilst Rabbah, which was farther south, had been selected as the residence of the king. By coming as far as the frontier of his kingdom to meet the celebrated soothsayer, Balak intended to do him special honour. But he would not help receiving him with a gentle reproof for not having come at his first invitation, as if he, the king, had not been in a condition to honour him according to his merits.