SEV Biblia, Chapter 22:20
Y vino Dios a Balaam de noche, y le dijo: Si vinieren a llamarte estos varones, levántate y ve con ellos; pero harás lo que yo te dijere.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Numbers 22:20
Verse 20. If the men come-go with them] This is a confirmation of what was observed on the twelfth verse; though we find his going was marked with the Divine displeasure, because he wished, for the sake of the honours and rewards, to fulfill as far as possible the will of the king of Moab. Mr. Shuckford observes that the pronoun awh hu is sometimes used to denote a person's doing a thing out of his own head, without regard to the directions of another. Thus in the case of Balaam, when God had allowed him to go with the messengers of Balak, if they came in the morning to call him; because he was more hasty than he ought to have been, and went to them instead of staying till they should come to him, it was said of him, not űlh yk ki halach, that he went, but awh űlwh yk ki holech hu, i. e., he went of his own head-without being called; and in this, Mr. Shuckford supposes, his iniquity chiefly lay. - Connex., vol. iii., p. 115. How many are restrained from sinning, merely through the fear of God! They would gladly do the evil, but it is forbidden on awful penalties; they wish the thing were not prohibited for they have a strong desire to do it.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 20. And the Lord came unto Balaam at night , etc.] As before, ( Numbers 22:9) it may be in a dream; the Targum of Jonathan is as there, “a word came from the Lord:” and said unto him, if the men come and call thee, rise up, and go with them ; this was said, as some think, not seriously, but sarcastically, or rather in an angry manner, bidding him go, if he would; so giving him up to his own heart’s lusts, or, at most; only permitting him to go with them, but not to curse Israel; and this permission to go seems to be on this condition, if the princes first called him, and were urgent on him to go with them: this was a trial of Balaam, whether he would be eager and forward to go, or patiently wait until he should be called; or the words may be rendered, “seeing”, or because f340 , they are come to call thee: but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shall thou do ; whether he would or not, he should be forced to do it, as Jarchi; and therefore go not with any intention to curse Israel, which shall never be done; wherefore to go would be vain and fruitless, since he would never be able to answer the design of Balak: but still Balaam hoped, it not being so fully and clearly expressed as before, that he should not curse Israel; that God would say something else unto him, though he had no reason at all for it, but all the reverse; so blinded was he with a greedy desire of riches and honour.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 15-21 - A second embassy was sent to Balaam. It were well for us, if we were a earnest and constant in prosecuting a good work, notwithstandin disappointments. Balak laid a bait, not only for Balaam's covetousness but for his pride and ambition. How earnestly should we beg of God daily to mortify such desires in us! Thus sinners stick at no pains spare no cost, and care not how low they stoop, to gratify their luxury, or their malice. Shall we then be unwilling to do what is right? God forbid! Balaam's convictions charged him to keep to the command of God; nor could any man have spoken better. But many call God theirs, who are not his, not truly because not only his. There is n judging men by their words; God knows the heart. Balaam's corruption at the same time inclined him to go contrary to the command. He seeme to refuse the temptation; but he expressed no abhorrence of it. He ha a strong desire to accept the offer, and hoped that God might give his leave to go. He had already been told what the will of God was. It is certain evidence of the ruling of corruption in the heart, to beg leav to sin. God gave Balaam up to his own heart's lusts. As God sometime denies the prayers of his people in love, so sometimes he grants the desires of the wicked in wrath.
Original Hebrew
ויבא 935 אלהים 430 אל 413 בלעם 1109 לילה 3915 ויאמר 559 לו אם 518 לקרא 7121 לך באו 935 האנשׁים 376 קום 6965 לך 1980 אתם 854 ואך 389 את 853 הדבר 1697 אשׁר 834 אדבר 1696 אליך 413 אתו 853 תעשׂה׃ 6213
