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Selected Verse: Numbers 24:7 - Strong Concordance
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
Nu 24:7 |
Strong Concordance |
He shall pour [05140] the water [04325] out [05140] of his buckets [01805], and his seed [02233] shall be in many [07227] waters [04325], and his king [04428] shall be higher [07311] than Agag [090], and his kingdom [04438] shall be exalted [05375]. |
|
King James |
He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
his king shall be higher than Agag--The Amalekites were then the most powerful of all the desert tribes, and "Agag" a title common to their kings. |
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Balaam's native soil was ordinarily irrigated by water fetched from the neighboring Euphrates, and carried in buckets suspended from the two ends of a pole. Thus the metaphor would import that Israel should have his own exuberant and unfailing channels of blessing and plenty. Some take the word to be predictive of the future benefits which, through the means of Israel, were to accrue to the rest of the world.
Agag - The name, apparently hereditary (compare 1 Sam. 15) to the chieftains of Amalek, means "high." The words point to the Amalekite kingdom as highly prosperous and powerful at the time (compare Num 24:20); but also to be far excelled by the future glories of Israel. The Amalekites never in fact recovered their crushing defeat by Saul (Sa1 15:2 ff), though they appear again as foes to Israel in the reign of David (Sa1 27:1-12 and 30). The remnant of them was destroyed in the reign of Hezekiah Ch1 4:43. |
Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
And not only its dwellings, but Israel itself would also prosper abundantly. It would have an abundance of water, that leading source of all blessing and prosperity in the burning East. The nation is personified as a man carrying two pails overflowing with water. דּליו is the dual דּליים. The dual is generally used in connection with objects which are arranged in pairs, either naturally or artificially (Ges. 88, 2). "His seed" (i.e., his posterity, not his sowing corn, the introduction of which, in this connection, would, to say the least, be very feeble here) "is," i.e., grows up, "by many waters," that is to say, enjoys the richest blessings (comp. Deu 8:7 and Deu 11:10 with Isa 44:4; Isa 65:23). ירם (optative), "his king be high before (higher than) Agag." Agag (עגג, the fiery) is not the proper name of the Amalekite king defeated by Saul (Sa1 15:8), but the title (nomen dignitatis) of the Amalekite kings in general, just as all the Egyptian kings had the common name of Pharaoh, and the Philistine kings the name of Abimelech.
(Note: See Hengstenberg (Dissertations, ii. 250; and Balaam, p. 458). Even Gesenius could not help expressing some doubt about there being any reference in this prophecy to the event described in Sa1 15:8., "unless," he says, "you suppose the name Agag to have been a name that was common to the kings of the Amalekites" (thes. p. 19). He also points to the name Abimelech, of which he says (p. 9): "It was the name of several kings in the land of the Philistines, as of the king of Gerar in the times of Abraham (Gen 20:2-3; Gen 21:22-23), and of Isaac (Gen 26:1-2), and also of the king of Gath in the time of David (Psa 34:1; coll. Sa1 21:10, where the same king of called Achish). It seems to have been the common name and title of those kings, as Pharaoh was of the early kings of Egypt, and Caesar and Augustus of the emperors of Rome.")
The reason for mentioning the king of the Amalekites was, that he was selected as the impersonation of the enmity of the world against the kingdom of God, which culminated in the kings of the heathen; the Amalekites having been the first heathen tribe that attacked the Israelites on their journey to Canaan (Exo 17:8). The introduction of one particular king would have been neither in keeping with the context, nor reconcilable with the general character of Balaam's utterances. Both before and afterward, Balaam predicts in great general outlines the good that would come to Israel; and how is it likely that he would suddenly break off in the midst to compare the kingdom of Israel with the greatness of one particular king of the Amalekites? Even his fourth and last prophecy merely announces in great general terms the destruction of the different nations that rose up in hostility against Israel, without entering into special details, which, like the conquest of the Amalekites by Saul, had no material or permanent influence upon the attitude of the heathen towards the people of God; for after the defeat inflicted upon this tribe by Saul, they very speedily invaded the Israelitish territory again, and proceeded to plunder and lay it waste in just the same manner as before (cf. Sa1 27:8; Sa1 30:1.; Sa2 8:12).
(Note: Even on the supposition (which is quite at variance with the character of all the prophecies of Balaam) that in the name of Agag, the contemporary of Saul, we have a vaticinium ex eventu, the allusion to this particular king would be exceedingly strange, as the Amalekites did not perform any prominent part among the enemies of Israel in the time of Saul; and the command to exterminate them was given to Saul, not because of any special harm that they had done to Israel at that time, but on account of what they had done to Israel on their way out of Egypt (comp. Sa1 15:2 with Exo 17:8).)
מלכּו, his king, is not any one particular king of Israel, but quite generally the king whom the Israelites would afterwards receive. For מלכּו is substantially the same as the parallel מלכתו, the kingdom of Israel, which had already been promised to the patriarchs (Gen 17:6; Gen 35:11), and in which the Israelites were first of all to obtain that full development of power which corresponded to its divine appointment; just as, in fact, the development of any people generally culminates in an organized kingdom. - The king of Israel, whose greatness was celebrated by Balaam, was therefore neither the Messiah exclusively, nor the earthly kingdom without the Messiah, but the kingdom of Israel that was established by David, and was exalted in the Messiah into an everlasting kingdom, the enemies of which would all be made its footstool (Psa 2:1-12 and Psa 110:1-7). |
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
He shall pour the water - That is. God will abundantly water the valleys, gardens, and trees, which represent the Israelites; he will wonderfully bless his people, not only with outward blessings, of which a chief one in those parts was plenty of water, but also with higher gifts and graces, with his word and spirit, which are often signified by water, and at last with eternal life, the contemplation whereof made Balaam desire to die the death of the righteous. His seed shall be in many waters - This also may be literally understood of their seed, which shall be sown in waterish ground, and therefore bring forth a better increase. His King - That is, the King of Israel, or their chief governor. Than Agag - Than the King of the Amalekites, which King and people were famous and potent in that age, as may be guessed by their bold attempt upon so numerous a people as Israel. And it is probable, that Agag was the common name of the Amalekitish Kings, as Abimelech was of the Philistines, and Pharaoh of the Egyptians, and Caesar of the Romans. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
He shall pour the water out of his buckets, etc. - Here is a very plain allusion to their method of raising water in different parts of the East. By the well a tall pole is erected, which serves as a fulcrum to a very long lever, to the smaller end of which a bucket is appended. On the opposite end, which is much larger, are many notches cut in the wood, which serve as steps for a man, whose business it is to climb up to the fulcrum, in order to lower the bucket into the well, which, when filled, he raises by walking back on the opposite arm, till his weight brings the bucket above the well's mouth: a person standing by the well empties the bucket into a trench, which communicates with the ground intended to be watered.
His seed shall be in many waters - Another simple allusion to the sowing of rice. The ground must not only be well watered, but flooded, in order to serve for the proper growth of this grain. The rice that was sown in many waters must be the most fruitful. By an elegant and chaste metaphor all this is applied to the procreation of a numerous posterity.
His king shall be higher than Agag - This name is supposed to have been as common to all the Amalekitish kings as Pharaoh was to those of Egypt. But several critics, with the Septuagint, suppose that a small change has taken place here in the original word, and that instead of מאגג meagag, than Agag, we should read מגוג miggog, than Gog. As Gog in Scripture seems to mean the enemies of God's people, then the promise here may imply that the true worshippers of the Most High shall ultimately have dominion over all their enemies. |
43 And they smote [05221] the rest [07611] of the Amalekites [06002] that were escaped [06413], and dwelt [03427] there unto this day [03117].
1 And David [01732] said [0559] in his heart [03820], I shall now perish [05595] one [0259] day [03117] by the hand [03027] of Saul [07586]: there is nothing better [02896] for me than that [03588] I should speedily [04422] escape [04422] into the land [0776] of the Philistines [06430]; and Saul [07586] shall despair [02976] of me, to seek [01245] me any more in any coast [01366] of Israel [03478]: so shall I escape [04422] out of his hand [03027].
2 And David [01732] arose [06965], and he passed over [05674] with the six [08337] hundred [03967] men [0376] that were with him unto Achish [0397], the son [01121] of Maoch [04582], king [04428] of Gath [01661].
3 And David [01732] dwelt [03427] with Achish [0397] at Gath [01661], he and his men [0582], every man [0376] with his household [01004], even David [01732] with his two [08147] wives [0802], Ahinoam [0293] the Jezreelitess [03159], and Abigail [026] the Carmelitess [03762], Nabal's [05037] wife [0802].
4 And it was told [05046] Saul [07586] that David [01732] was fled [01272] to Gath [01661]: and he sought [01245] no more again [03254] [03254] for him.
5 And David [01732] said [0559] unto Achish [0397], If I have now found [04672] grace [02580] in thine eyes [05869], let them give [05414] me a place [04725] in some [0259] town [05892] in the country [07704], that I may dwell [03427] there: for why should thy servant [05650] dwell [03427] in the royal [04467] city [05892] with thee?
6 Then Achish [0397] gave [05414] him Ziklag [06860] that day [03117]: wherefore Ziklag [06860] pertaineth unto the kings [04428] of Judah [03063] unto this day [03117].
7 And the time [04557] [03117] that David [01732] dwelt [03427] in the country [07704] of the Philistines [06430] was a full year [03117] and four [0702] months [02320].
8 And David [01732] and his men [0582] went up [05927], and invaded [06584] the Geshurites [01651], and the Gezrites [01511], and the Amalekites [06003]: for those [02007] nations were of old [05769] the inhabitants [03427] of the land [0776], as thou goest [0935] to Shur [07793], even unto the land [0776] of Egypt [04714].
9 And David [01732] smote [05221] the land [0776], and left neither man [0376] nor woman [0802] alive [02421], and took away [03947] the sheep [06629], and the oxen [01241], and the asses [02543], and the camels [01581], and the apparel [0899], and returned [07725], and came [0935] to Achish [0397].
10 And Achish [0397] said [0559], Whither [0408] have ye made a road [06584] to day [03117]? And David [01732] said [0559], Against the south [05045] of Judah [03063], and against the south [05045] of the Jerahmeelites [03397], and against the south [05045] of the Kenites [07017].
11 And David [01732] saved [02421] neither man [0376] nor woman [0802] alive [02421], to bring [0935] tidings to Gath [01661], saying [0559], Lest they should tell [05046] on us, saying [0559], So did [06213] David [01732], and so will be his manner [04941] all the while [03117] he dwelleth [03427] in the country [07704] of the Philistines [06430].
12 And Achish [0397] believed [0539] David [01732], saying [0559], He hath made his people [05971] Israel [03478] utterly [0887] to abhor [0887] him; therefore he shall be my servant [05650] for ever [05769].
2 Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635], I remember [06485] that which Amalek [06002] did [06213] to Israel [03478], how he laid [07760] wait for him in the way [01870], when he came up [05927] from Egypt [04714].
20 And when he looked [07200] on Amalek [06002], he took up [05375] his parable [04912], and said [0559], Amalek [06002] was the first [07225] of the nations [01471]; but his latter [0319] end shall be that he perish [08] for ever [05703].
1 A Psalm [04210] of David [01732]. The LORD [03068] said [05002] unto my Lord [0113], Sit [03427] thou at my right hand [03225], until I make [07896] thine enemies [0341] thy footstool [01916] [07272].
2 The LORD [03068] shall send [07971] the rod [04294] of thy strength [05797] out of Zion [06726]: rule [07287] thou in the midst [07130] of thine enemies [0341].
3 Thy people [05971] shall be willing [05071] in the day [03117] of thy power [02428], in the beauties [01926] of holiness [06944] from the womb [07358] of the morning [04891]: thou hast the dew [02919] of thy youth [03208].
4 The LORD [03068] hath sworn [07650], and will not repent [05162], Thou art a priest [03548] for ever [05769] after the order [01700] of Melchizedek [04442].
5 The Lord [0136] at thy right hand [03225] shall strike [04272] through kings [04428] in the day [03117] of his wrath [0639].
6 He shall judge [01777] among the heathen [01471], he shall fill [04390] the places with the dead bodies [01472]; he shall wound [04272] the heads [07218] over many [07227] countries [0776].
7 He shall drink [08354] of the brook [05158] in the way [01870]: therefore shall he lift up [07311] the head [07218].
1 Why do the heathen [01471] rage [07283], and the people [03816] imagine [01897] a vain thing [07385]?
2 The kings [04428] of the earth [0776] set [03320] themselves, and the rulers [07336] take counsel [03245] together [03162], against the LORD [03068], and against his anointed [04899], saying,
3 Let us break [05423] their bands [04147] asunder [05423], and cast away [07993] their cords [05688] from us.
4 He that sitteth [03427] in the heavens [08064] shall laugh [07832]: the Lord [0136] shall have them in derision [03932].
5 Then shall he speak [01696] unto them in his wrath [0639], and vex [0926] them in his sore displeasure [02740].
6 Yet have I set [05258] my king [04428] upon my holy [06944] hill [02022] of Zion [06726].
7 I will declare [05608] the decree [02706]: the LORD [03068] hath said [0559] unto me, Thou art my Son [01121]; this day [03117] have I begotten [03205] thee.
8 Ask [07592] of me, and I shall give [05414] thee the heathen [01471] for thine inheritance [05159], and the uttermost parts [0657] of the earth [0776] for thy possession [0272].
9 Thou shalt break [07489] them with a rod [07626] of iron [01270]; thou shalt dash them in pieces [05310] like a potter's [03335] vessel [03627].
10 Be wise [07919] now therefore, O ye kings [04428]: be instructed [03256], ye judges [08199] of the earth [0776].
11 Serve [05647] the LORD [03068] with fear [03374], and rejoice [01523] with trembling [07461].
12 Kiss [05401] the Son [01248], lest he be angry [0599], and ye perish [06] from the way [01870], when his wrath [0639] is kindled [01197] but a little [04592]. Blessed [0835] are all they that put their trust [02620] in him.
11 And God [0430] said [0559] unto him, I am God [0410] Almighty [07706]: be fruitful [06509] and multiply [07235]; a nation [01471] and a company [06951] of nations [01471] shall be of thee, and kings [04428] shall come [03318] out of thy loins [02504];
6 And I will make [06509] thee exceeding [03966] [03966] fruitful [06509], and I will make [05414] nations [01471] of thee, and kings [04428] shall come out [03318] of thee.
8 Then came [0935] Amalek [06002], and fought [03898] with Israel [03478] in Rephidim [07508].
2 Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635], I remember [06485] that which Amalek [06002] did [06213] to Israel [03478], how he laid [07760] wait for him in the way [01870], when he came up [05927] from Egypt [04714].
12 Of Syria [0758], and of Moab [04124], and of the children [01121] of Ammon [05983], and of the Philistines [06430], and of Amalek [06002], and of the spoil [07998] of Hadadezer [01909], son [01121] of Rehob [07340], king [04428] of Zobah [06678].
1 And it came to pass, when David [01732] and his men [0582] were come [0935] to Ziklag [06860] on the third [07992] day [03117], that the Amalekites [06003] had invaded [06584] the south [05045], and Ziklag [06860], and smitten [05221] Ziklag [06860], and burned [08313] it with fire [0784];
8 And David [01732] and his men [0582] went up [05927], and invaded [06584] the Geshurites [01651], and the Gezrites [01511], and the Amalekites [06003]: for those [02007] nations were of old [05769] the inhabitants [03427] of the land [0776], as thou goest [0935] to Shur [07793], even unto the land [0776] of Egypt [04714].
8 Then came [0935] Amalek [06002], and fought [03898] with Israel [03478] in Rephidim [07508].
10 And David [01732] arose [06965], and fled [01272] that day [03117] for fear [06440] of Saul [07586], and went [0935] to Achish [0397] the king [04428] of Gath [01661].
1 A Psalm of David [01732], when he changed [08138] his behaviour [02940] before [06440] Abimelech [040]; who drove him away [01644], and he departed [03212]. I will bless [01288] the LORD [03068] at all times [06256]: his praise [08416] shall continually [08548] be in my mouth [06310].
1 And there was a famine [07458] in the land [0776], beside [0905] the first [07223] famine [07458] that was in the days [03117] of Abraham [085]. And Isaac [03327] went [03212] unto Abimelech [040] king [04428] of the Philistines [06430] unto Gerar [01642].
2 And the LORD [03068] appeared [07200] unto him, and said [0559], Go not down [03381] into Egypt [04714]; dwell [07931] in the land [0776] which I shall tell [0559] thee of:
22 And it came to pass at that time [06256], that Abimelech [040] and Phichol [06369] the chief captain [08269] of his host [06635] spake [0559] unto Abraham [085], saying [0559], God [0430] is with thee in all that thou doest [06213]:
23 Now therefore swear [07650] unto me here [02008] by God [0430] that thou wilt not deal falsely [08266] with me, nor with my son [05209], nor with my son's son [05220]: but according to the kindness [02617] that I have done [06213] unto thee, thou shalt do [06213] unto me, and to the land [0776] wherein thou hast sojourned [01481].
2 And Abraham [085] said [0559] of [0413] Sarah [08283] his wife [0802], She is my sister [0269]: and Abimelech [040] king [04428] of Gerar [01642] sent [07971], and took [03947] Sarah [08283].
3 But God [0430] came [0935] to Abimelech [040] in a dream [02472] by night [03915], and said [0559] to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man [04191], for the woman [0802] which thou hast taken [03947]; for she is a man's [01167] wife [01166].
8 And he took [08610] Agag [090] the king [04428] of the Amalekites [06002] alive [02416], and utterly destroyed [02763] all the people [05971] with the edge [06310] of the sword [02719].
8 And he took [08610] Agag [090] the king [04428] of the Amalekites [06002] alive [02416], and utterly destroyed [02763] all the people [05971] with the edge [06310] of the sword [02719].
23 They shall not labour [03021] in vain [07385], nor bring forth [03205] for trouble [0928]; for they are the seed [02233] of the blessed [01288] of the LORD [03068], and their offspring [06631] with them.
4 And they shall spring up [06779] as among [0996] the grass [02682], as willows [06155] by the water [04325] courses [02988].
10 For the land [0776], whither thou goest in [0935] to possess [03423] it, is not as the land [0776] of Egypt [04714], from whence ye came out [03318], where thou sowedst [02232] thy seed [02233], and wateredst [08248] it with thy foot [07272], as a garden [01588] of herbs [03419]:
7 For the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] bringeth [0935] thee into a good [02896] land [0776], a land [0776] of brooks [05158] of water [04325], of fountains [05869] and depths [08415] that spring out [03318] of valleys [01237] and hills [02022];