Albert Barnes

Then the Israelites set out and camped at Oboth.

“The earlier stations in this part of their journey were Zalmonah and Punon Num 33:41-42. Oboth was north of Punon, east of the northern part of Edom, and is pretty certainly the same as the present pilgrim halting-place el-Ahsa.”

From there they moved on and camped on the other side of the Arnon, in the wilderness that extends into the Amorite territory.

“The Arnon, now the Wady Mojeb, an impetuous torrent, divided the territory which remained to the Moabites from that which the Amorites had wrested from them, Num 21:26.”

even the slopes of the wadis that extend to the site of Ar and lie along the border of Moab.”

“To the dwelling of Ar - Ar (compare Num 21:28; Isa 15:1) was on the bank of the Arnon, lower down the stream than where the Israelites crossed.”

Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, O well, all of you sing to it!

“This song, recognized by all authorities as dating from the earliest times, and suggested apparently by the fact that God in this place gave the people water not from the rock, but by commanding Moses to cause a well to be dug, bespeaks the glad…”

and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth,

“Nahaliel - i. e. “brook of God;” the modern Wady Enkheileh. The Israelites must have crossed the stream not much above Ar. Bamoth - Otherwise Bamoth-baal, “the high places of Baal” Num 22:41: mentioned as near Dibon (Dhiban) in Jos 13:17, and Isa 15:2.”

and from Bamoth to the valley in Moab where the top of Pisgah overlooks the wasteland.

“In the country of Moab - Rather, in the field of Moab: the upland pastures, or flat downs, intersected by the ravine of Wady Waleh. Pisgah, which looketh toward Jeshimon - Or, “toward the waste.” See Num 33:47.”

And Israel put him to the sword and took possession of his land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok—but only up to the border of the Ammonites, because it was…

“Jabbok (now Wady Zerka: compare Gen 32:22) runs eastward under Rabbah of the children of Ammon, thence westward, and reaches the Jordan, 45 miles north of the Arnon. It was between Rabbah and Gerasa that it formed the Ammonite boundary.”

Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites and occupied them, including Heshbon and all its villages.

“Heshbon - Now Heshban, a ruined city, due east of the point where the Jordan enters the Dead Sea; conspicuous from all parts of the high plateau on which it stands, but concealed, like the rest of the plateau, from the valley beneath.”

That is why the poets say: “Come to Heshbon, let it be rebuilt; let the city of Sihon be restored.

“They that speak in proverbs - The original word is almost equivalent to “the poets.” The word supplies the title of the Book of Proverbs itself; and is used of the parable proper in Eze 17:2; of the prophecies of Balsam in Num 23:7-10; Num…”

Woe to you, O Moab! You are destroyed, O people of Chemosh! He gave up his sons as refugees, and his daughters into captivity to Sihon king of the Amorites.

“Chemosh - The national God of the Moabites (compare the marginal references). The name probably means “Vanquisher,” or “Master.” The worship of Chemosh was introduced into Israel by Solomon 1Ki 11:7; 2Ki 23:13.”

After Moses had sent spies to Jazer, Israel captured its villages and drove out the Amorites who were there.

“Jaazer - To he identified probably with the ruins Sir or es-Sir 10 miles north of Heshbon. The occupation of it by the Israelites virtually completed their conquest of the Amorite kingdom; and prepared the way for the pastoral settlements in it which they not…”

Then they turned and went up the road to Bashan, and Og king of Bashan and his whole army came out to meet them in battle at Edrei.

“In these apparently unimportant words is contained the record of the Israelite Num 32:39 occupation of Gilead north of the Jabbok; a territory which, though populated, like southern Gilead, by the Amorites (Deu 3:9; Jos 2:10, etc.), formed part of the domain of Og king…”

Then the Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan, across from Jericho.

“The plains - Hebrew ערבה ‛ărābâh; the word is the plural of that which is used to denote the whole depressed tract along the Jordan and the Dead Sea, and onward, where it is still called the Arabah (compare Num 21:4 note), to the Elanitic…”

Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,

“Balak the son of Zippor - The comparison of Num 22:4 with Num 21:26 suggests that Balak was not the hereditary king but a Midianite, and that a change of dynasty had taken place.”

he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people.

“Balaam the son of Beor was from the first a worshipper in some sort of the true God; and had learned some elements of pure and true religion in his home in the far East, the cradle of the ancestors of Israel.”

Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first messengers.

“Balak, like the ancient pagan world generally, not only believed in the efficacy of the curses and incantations of the soothsayers, but regarded their services as strictly venal.”

So now, please stay here overnight as the others did, that I may find out what else the LORD has to tell me.”

“Ye also - i. e., as the other envoys before you. Had Balaam possessed a sincere spirit of obedience, he would have found in the first instructions Num 22:12 a final decision upon the matter.”

Then God’s anger was kindled because Balaam was going along, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him.

“The angel - i. e., the Angel that led the Israelites through the wilderness (compare Num 20:16 and references), and subsequently appeared as the Captain of the Lord’s host to Joshua Jos 6:13. In desiring to curse Israel, Balaam was fighting against Israel’s Leader.”

Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow passage between two vineyards, with walls on either side.

“In a path of the vineyards - i. e., in a path shut in by vineyard-walls on each side. The progress from the road through the open field Num 22:23 to that walled in, and thence to the strait place, where there was no room…”

But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you are to speak only what I tell you.”

“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.”

So Balaam accompanied Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.

“Kirjath-buzoth - i. e., “city of streets,” within Balak’s dominions, south of the Arnon, and identified either with the ruins of Shihan, 4 miles west by south of the site assigned to Ar or Ir, or with Kirjathaim (Kureivat).”

Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.”

“Balaam, after the general custom of the pagan, prefaced his divinations by sacrifice. In the number of the altars regard was probably had to the number of the then known planets. Yet Balaam evidently intended his sacrifice as an offering to the true God.”

“Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone,” Balaam said to Balak. “Perhaps the LORD will meet with me.

“Balaam apparently expected to mark some phenomenon in the sky or in nature, which he would be able, according to the rules of his art, to interpret as a portent.”

and God met with him. “I have set up seven altars,” Balaam said, “and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”

“God met Balaam - God served His own purposes through the arts of Balaam, and manifested His will through the agencies employed to seek it, dealing thus with Balaam in an exceptional manner. To God’s own people auguries were forbidden Lev 19:26.”

And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east.

“Aram - Or, “highland.” This term denotes the whole elevated region, from the northeastern frontier of Palestine to the Euphrates and the Tigris.”