Verse:
Numbers 24:7
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 (kingdom / malkuwth) shall be exalted.
Commentary by Baker
Throughout the Old Testament the people of Israel in particular were exalted by God. As early as the time of Balaam, when Israel was about to conquer Canaan, God announced that their kingdom would be exalted (Num 24:7). This prediction was fulfilled during the reign of David, when Israel's king was "the most exalted of the kings of the earth" (Psalm 89:27). David acknowledged that the Lord "had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel" (2 Sam 5:12). David knew that his rise to the throne was part of God's redemptive program for Israel launched when the Abrahamic covenant was established (Gen 12:1-3). After the death of David, the Lord highly exalted Solomon and gave him unparalleled splendor as the head of a powerful empire (1 Chron 29:25). According to Proverbs 14:34 "righteousness exalts a nation"; the days of David and Solomon were characterized by just and wise decisions that contributed to the peace and prosperity of their realms.
Scripture ReferenceSource
Psalm 89:27 2 Sam 5:12
27 I will also appoint him my firstborn,
the most exalted of the kings of the earth.
Gen 12:1-3
12 And David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
1 Chron 29:25
1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.
2 "I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."
Proverbs 14:34
25 The LORD highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him royal splendor such as no king over Israel ever had before.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a disgrace to any people.
Commentary by Easton
Peor - Source
Opening.
A mountain peak (Numbers 23:28) to which Balak led Balaam as a last effort to induce him to pronounce a curse upon Israel. When he looked on the tribes encamped in the acacia groves below him, he could not refrain from giving utterance to a remarkable benediction (24:1-9). Balak was more than ever enraged at Balaam, and bade him flee for his life. But before he went he gave expression to that wonderful prediction regarding the future of this mysterious people, whose "goodly tents" were spread out before him, and the coming of a "Star" out of Jacob and a "Sceptre" out of Israel (24:14-17).
A Moabite divinity, called also "Baal-peor" (Numbers 25:3,5,18; Compare Deuteronomy 3:29)
Commentary by John Gill
Numbers 24:7 Scripture References
He shall pour the water out of his buckets and his seed [shall be] in many waters;
That is, God shall plentifully send down rain out of the clouds upon these valleys, gardens, and trees, and make them fruitful; and this may be a figure of the grace of God, with which his churches are watered, and become fruitful by means of the word and ordinances, which is conveyed through them out of the fulness which is in Christ: and his king shall be higher than Agag;
the seed and offspring of Israel shall be in a place of many waters, in a land of brooks and waters, shall dwell in a well watered land, the land of Canaan, (Deuteronomy 8:7) or shall be like seed sown near water, or in well watered places, which springs up and brings forth much fruit, see (Isaiah 32:20) or shall become, or be over many waters, to which people, kingdoms, and nations, are sometimes compared; and so may denote the multitude of Israel, and the large extent of their dominions, see (Revelation 17:1,15) : and his kingdom shall be exalted;
who might be the then present king of Amalek, reckoned one of the greatest kings on earth; and this name, some think, was common to all the kings of Amalek, as Pharaoh to the kings of Egypt; and according to Jarchi and Aben Ezra, this is a prophecy of the first king of Israel, Saul, and of his conquering Agag king of Amalek, for there was one of this name in his time, (1 Samuel 15:7,8) :
that is, the kingdom of the people of Israel, as it was more especially in the days of David and Solomon; and will be abundantly more in the days of the Messiah, when his kingdom shall be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth, and the kingdoms of this world shall become his, and he shall reign over all the earth; and so the Jerusalem Targum,
``and the kingdom of the King Messiah shall become very great;''
and so other Jewish writers refer this prophecy to the days of the Messiah.
Deuteronomy 8:7 1 Samuel 15:7,8
7 For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land-a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; Isaiah 32:20
7 Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, to the east of Egypt.
8 He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword.Revelation 17:1,15
20 how blessed you will be,
sowing your seed by every stream,
and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.
1 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters.
15 Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.
Commentary by John Wesley
He shall pour the water His seed shall be in many waters
- 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 King
- This also may be literally understood of their seed, which shall be sown in waterish ground, and therefore bring forth a better increase. Than Agag
- That is, the King of Israel, or their chief governor.
- 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.
Commentary by Matthew Henry
Now Balaam spake not his own sense, but the language of the Spirit that came upon him. Many have their eyes open who have not their hearts open; are enlightened, but not sanctified.
That knowledge which puffs men up with pride, will but serve to light them to hell, whither many go with their eyes open. The blessing is nearly the same as those given before. He admires in Israel, their beauty. The righteous, doubtless, is more excellent than his neighbour.
Their fruitfulness and increase. Their honour and advancement. Their power and victory. He looks back upon what had been done for them. Their power and victory. He looks back upon what had been done for them. Their courage and security. The righteous are bold as a lion, not when assaulting others, but when at rest, because God maketh them to dwell in safety. Their influence upon their neighbours. God takes what is done to them, whether good or evil, as done to himself.
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Prepared by William C. Barman for George Young Memorial United Methodist Church -- Palm Harbor, FL on 9/8/03; 7:19:15 AM