Numbers 23:18

And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Numbers 23:18. Rise up, Balak — In these words Balaam calls on the king to receive the message of the great God with reverence and diligent attention; as if he had said, Rouse up thyself and carefully mind what I say.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

23:11-30 Balak was angry with Balaam. Thus a confession of God's overruling power is extorted from a wicked prophet, to the confusion of a wicked prince. A second time the curse is turned into a blessing; and this blessing is both larger and stronger than the former. Men change their minds, and break their words; but God never changes his mind, and therefore never recalls his promise. And when in Scripture he is said to repent, it does not mean any change of his mind; but only a change of his way. There was sin in Jacob, and God saw it; but there was not such as might provoke him to give them up to ruin. If the Lord sees that we trust in his mercy, and accept of his salvation; that we indulge no secret lust, and continue not in rebellion, but endeavour to serve and glorify him; we may be sure that he looks upon us as accepted in Christ, that our sins are all pardoned. Oh the wonders of providence and grace, the wonders of redeeming love, of pardoning mercy, of the new-creating Spirit! Balak had no hope of ruining Israel, and Balaam showed that he had more reason to fear being ruined by them. Since Balaam cannot say what he would have him, Balak wished him to say nothing. But though there are many devices in man's heart, God's counsels shall stand. Yet they resolve to make another attempt, though they had no promise on which to build their hopes. Let us, who have a promise that the vision at the end shall speak and not lie, continue earnest in prayer, Lu 18:1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The field of Zophim - Or, "of watchers." It lay upon the top of Pisgah, north of the former station, and nearer to the Israelite camp; the greater part of which was, however, probably concealed from it by an intervening spur of the hill. Beyond the camp Balaam's eye would pass on to the bed of the Jordan. It was perhaps a lion coming up in his strength from the swelling of that stream (compare Jeremiah 49:19) that furnished him with the augury he awaited, and so dictated the final similitude of his next parable.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

18, 19. Rise up—As Balak was already standing (Nu 23:17), this expression is equivalent to "now attend to me." The counsels and promises of God respecting Israel are unchangeable; and no attempt to prevail on Him to reverse them will succeed, as they may with a man.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Rise up: this word implies, either,

1. The reverence wherewith he should hear and receive God’s message, as Eglon did, Judges 3:20, which might have been probable, if Balak had been now sitting, as Ehud there was; but he was standing, Numbers 23:15: or rather,

2. The diligent attention required; Rouse up thyself, and carefully mind what I say.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he took up his parable,.... Pronounced the word put into his mouth:

and said, rise up Balak, and hear; not from his seat, as Eglon a successor of his did, Judges 3:20 for he was now standing by his burnt offering; but the sense is, that he would raise his attention, and stir up himself with all diligence to hear what he was about to say:

hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor; or to his word, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, which follow.

Geneva Study Bible

And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

18–24. Balaam’s second prophetic message. This consists of eleven, or (see on Numbers 23:23) more probably ten, couplets. Balaam declares that God will never change His mind (as Balak had thought, Numbers 23:13), and that He had bidden him to bless and not curse (Numbers 23:18 b–20). Israel is without calamity, and is victorious (Numbers 23:21). God brings him triumphantly from Egypt, and all men must tell of His doings (Numbers 23:22 a, Num 23:23b). Israel is as strong as the wild ox, and as fierce as a lion (Numbers 23:22 b, Num 23:24).

Numbers 23:18

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The second saying. - "Up, Balak, and hear! Hearken to me, son of Zippor!" קוּם, "stand up," is a call to mental elevation, to the perception of the word of God; for Balak was standing by his sacrifice (Numbers 23:17). האזין with עד, as in Job 32:11, signifies a hearing which presses forward to the speaker, i.e., in keen and minute attention (Hengstenberg). בּנו, with the antiquated union vowel for בּן; see at Genesis 1:24.