John Wesley

Edom will become a possession, as will Seir, his enemy; but Israel will perform with valor.

“A possession - Which was also foretold, Gen. xxv, 23, and in part fulfilled, 2 Sam. viii, 14; 1 Chron. xviii, 13, but more fully by Christ, Amos ix, 12 Obad.”

Then Balaam saw Amalek and lifted up an oracle, saying: “Amalek was first among the nations, but his end is destruction.”

“He looked on Amalek - From the top of Pisgah, which was exceeding high, and gave him the prospect of part of all these kingdoms. The first - Hebrew.”

Next he saw the Kenites and lifted up an oracle, saying: “Your dwelling place is secure, and your nest is set in a cliff.

“Thy nest - Thy dwelling-place, so called, either because it was in an high place, as nests commonly are: or in allusion to their name, for ken in Hebrew signifies a nest.”

Ships will come from the coasts of Cyprus; they will subdue Asshur and Eber, but they too will perish forever.”

“Eber - The posterity of Eber, the Hebrew, who were the chief and flower of Eber's children. He also - Not the Hebrew: they shall have a better end; all Israel shall be saved; but the afflicter or scourge of Ashur and Eber, namely, the…”

Then Balaam arose and returned to his homeland, and Balak also went on his way.

“To his place - To Mesopotamia; tho' afterwards he returned to the Midianites, and gave them that devilish counsel which was put in practice, chap. xxv, 16-18.”

who also invited them to the sacrifices for their gods. And the people ate and bowed down to these gods.

“Unto the sacrifices - Unto the feasts which were made of their parts of the sacrifices, after the manner of the Jews and Gentiles too, the participation whereof, was reckoned a participation in the worship of that God to whom the sacrifices were offered.”

It will be a covenant of permanent priesthood for him and his descendants, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the Israelites.”

“But this promise was conditional, and therefore might be made void, by the miscarriages of Phinehas's sons, as it seems it was, and thereupon a like promise was made to Eli of the line of Ithamar, that he and his should walk before the Lord…”

“Attack the Midianites and strike them dead.

“The Midianites - And why not the Moabites. It is probable the Midianites were most guilty, as in persuading Balak to send for Balaam, chap. xxii, 4, 7. So in the reception of Balaam after Balak had dismissed him, chap.”

And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire consumed 250 men. They serve as a warning sign.

“With Korah - According to this translation Korah was not consumed by fire with his two hundred and fifty men, but swallowed up by the earth.”

These were the clans of Simeon, and there were 22,200 men.

“For Zimri, a ring-leader in that iniquity, was a prince of that tribe. Simeon is not mentioned in Moses's blessing, Deut. xxxiii, 1-29. And the lot of that tribe in Canaan was inconsiderable, only a canton out of Judah's lot, Josh. xix, 9.”

These were the clans of Manasseh, and their registration numbered 52,700.

“Fifty two thousand and seven hundred - Whereas they were but thirty two thousand and two hundred, in chap. i, 35. So they are now increased above twenty thousand, according to that prophecy, Gen. xlix, 22.”

These were the descendants of Benjamin by their clans: The Belaite clan from Bela, the Ashbelite clan from Ashbel, the Ahiramite clan from Ahiram,

“The sons of Benjamin - Who were ten, Gen. xlvi, 21, whereof only five are here mentioned, the rest probably, together with their families, being extinct.”

All of them were Shuhamite clans, and their registration numbered 64,400.

“Threescore and four thousand and four hundred - All from one son and family, whereas of Benjamin who had ten sons, and five families, there were only forty five thousand and six hundred, to shew that the increase of families depends singly upon God's blessing…”

These men of Israel numbered 601,730 in all.

“These were the numbered - Very nigh as many as there were before, chap. i, 46. So wisely and marvelously did God at the same time manifest his justice in cutting off so vast a number; his mercy in giving such a speedy and numerous…”

“The land is to be divided among the tribes as an inheritance, according to the number of names.

“The land shall be divided - The land was divided into nine parts and an half, respect being had in such division to the goodness as well as to the largeness of the several portions, and the lot gave each tribe their part.”

For the LORD had told them that they would surely die in the wilderness. Not one was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

“Not left a man - Only of the Levites, who being not guilty of that sin did not partake of their judgment.”

Why should the name of our father disappear from his clan because he had no sons? Give us property among our father’s brothers.”

“Be done away - As it will be, if it be not preserved by an inheritance given to us in his name and for his sake.”

If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.

“No brethren -- nor sisters, as appears from ver. 8. A statute of judgment - A statute or rule, by which the magistrates shall give judgment in such cases.”

who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like…

“Go out before them - That is, who may wisely conduct them in all their affairs, both when they go forth to war, or upon other occasions, and when they return home and live in peace.”

He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the LORD by the judgment of the Urim.

“Who shall ask counsel for him - When he requires him to do so, and in important and difficult matters. Of Urim - Urim is put for both Urim and Thummim.”

Moses did as the LORD had commanded him. He took Joshua, had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation,

“And Moses did as the Lord commanded him - It had been little to resign his honour to a son of his own.”

On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, you are to hold a sacred assembly; you must not do any regular work, and you shall observe a feast to the…

“Seven days - Not by abstaining so long from all servile work, but by offering extraordinary sacrifices each day. This was the Feast of Tabernacles. And all the days of their dwelling in booths, they must offer sacrifices.”

But if her father prohibits her on the day he hears about it, then none of the vows or pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand.

“The Lord shall forgive - Or, will forgive her not performing it. But this should be understood only of vows which could not be performed without invading the father's right; for if one should vow to forbear such, or such a sin, and all occasions…”

And Nobah went and captured Kenath and its villages and called it Nobah, after his own name.

“Nobah - Who, though not else where named, was doubtless an eminent person of the tribe of Manasseh. 'Tis observable, that these tribes, as they were placed before the other tribes, so they were displaced before them.”

who were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had struck down among them; for the LORD had executed judgment against their gods.

“On their gods - Their false gods, namely those beasts which the brutish Egyptians worshipped as gods, which were killed with the rest, for the first-born both of men and beasts were then killed.”