14 So he took him into the country of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and there they made seven altars, offering an ox and a male sheep on every altar. 15 Then he said to Balak, Take your place here by your burned offering, while I go over there to the Lord. 16 And the Lord came to Balaam, and put words in his mouth, and said, Go back to Balak, and this is what you are to say. 17 So he came to him where he was waiting by his burned offering with the chiefs of Moab by his side. And Balak said to him, What has the Lord said? 18 And in the words which the Lord had given him he said, Up! Balak, and give ear; give attention to me, O son of Zippor: 19 God is not a man, to say what is false; or the son of man, that his purpose may be changed: what he has said, will he not do? and will he not give effect to the words of his mouth? 20 See, I have had orders to give blessing: and he has given a blessing which I have no power to take away. 21 He has seen no evil in Jacob or wrongdoing in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the glad cry of a king is among them. 22 It is God who has taken them out of Egypt; his horns are like those of the mountain ox. 23 No evil power has effect against Jacob, no secret arts against Israel; at the right time it will be said of Jacob and of Israel, See what God has done! 24 See, Israel comes up like a she-lion, lifting himself up like a lion: he will take no rest till he has made a meal of those he has overcome, drinking the blood of those he has put to death. 25 Then Balak said to Balaam, If you will not put a curse on them, at all events do not give them a blessing. 26 But Balaam in answer said to Balak, Did I not say to you, I may only do what the Lord says? 27 Then Balak said to Balaam, Come now, I will take you to another place; it may be that God will let you put a curse on them from there. 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, looking down over the waste land. 29 And Balaam said to Balak, Make me seven altars here and get seven oxen and seven male sheep ready for me. 30 And Balak did as Balaam said, offering an ox and a male sheep on every altar.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 23:14-37
Commentary on Numbers 23:11-30
(Read Numbers 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, Luke 18:1.