## Ramban on Numbers Chapter 24

###### Ramban on Numbers 24:1:1
[Ramban on Numbers 24:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ramban%20on%20Numbers/r/24:1:1)

**וְלֹא הָלַךְ כְּפַעַם בְּפַעַם לִקְרַאת נְחָשִׁים**, כִּי בַּפְּעָמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים הָיָה מְנַחֵשׁ וְרוֹצֶה לְקַלֵּל אוֹתָם בְּנַחַשׁ, וְהָיָה הַשֵּׁם בָּא אֵלָיו בְּדֶרֶךְ מִקְרֶה, לֹא בְּכַוָּנָתוֹ לִנְבוּאָה וְלֹא מִמַּעֲלָתוֹ שֶׁהִגִּיעַ אֵלֶיהָ. וְעַתָּה כַּאֲשֶׁר נֶאֱמַר לוֹ "כִּי לֹא נַחַשׁ בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא קֶסֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל" לְהָרַע אוֹ לְהֵיטִיב לָהֶם, הִנִּיחַ הַנְּחָשִׁים וְלֹא הָלַךְ כְּפַעַם בְּפַעַם לִקְרָאתָם, אֲבָל שָׂם אֶל הַמִּדְבָּר פָּנָיו אֲשֶׁר יִשְׂרָאֵל שָׁם, שֶׁיִּרְאֶה אוֹתָם וְיָכִין לָהֶם נַפְשׁוֹ שֶׁיָּחוּל עָלָיו הַדִּבּוּר מֵאֵת הַשֵּׁם כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה עִמּוֹ פַּעֲמַיִם, וְכֵן הָיָה לוֹ. עַל כֵּן אָמַר ״וַתְּהִי עָלָיו רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים״, כִּי עַתָּה הָיְתָה עָלָיו יַד ה' כַּאֲשֶׁר הִיא לַנְּבִיאִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר: ״וּמִי יִתֵּן כָּל עַם ה' נְבִיאִים כִּי יִתֵּן ה' אֶת רוּחוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם״ (במדבר י״א:כ״ט), וְאוֹמֵר: ״רוּחַ ה' אֱלֹהִים עָלָי״ (ישעיהו סא א). וְעַל כֵּן קָרָא עַצְמוֹ עַתָּה "שֹׁמֵעַ אִמְרֵי אֵל" (במדבר כ״ד:ד׳), כִּי נָבִיא הוּא. וְרַשִׁ״י כָּתַב (רש״י על במדבר כ״ד:א׳): ״וַיָּשֶׁת אֶל הַמִּדְבָּר פָּנָיו״ - כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, כִּי הָיָה הָרַב מְתַרְגֵּם בּוֹ: ״וְשַׁוִּי לְמַדְבְּרָא דַּעֲבַדוּ בֵּיהּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֶגְלָא אַנְפּוֹהִי״. וְאֵין בְּנֻסְחָאוֹת מְדֻקְדָּקוֹת מִתַּרְגּוּמוֹ שֶׁל אוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על במדבר כ״ד:א׳) כֵּן, אֲבָל הוּא כָּתוּב בִּקְצָתָן שֶׁהֻגַּהּ בָּהֶן מִן הַתַּרְגּוּם הַיְּרוּשַׁלְמִי, וְהָעִקָּר מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ. וְאָמַר: ״אֲשֶׁר מַחֲזֵה שַׁדַּי יֶחֱזֶה״ (שם), כִּי רָאָה עַתָּה בְּאִסְפַּקְלַרְיָא הַמְּאִירָה כַּנְּבִיאִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים שֶׁאָמַר בָּהֶם: ״וָאֵרָא אֶל אַבְרָהָם אֶל יִצְחָק וְאֶל יַעֲקֹב בְּאֵל שַׁדָּי״ (שמות ו ג), אוֹ בְּמַדְרֵגָה לְמַטָּה מֵהֶם, כִּי מַחֲזֵה שַׁדַּי אֵינֶנּוּ שַׁדַּי. וְהִנֵּה הֵם יִרְאוּ בְּאֵל שַׁדַּי, וְהוּא יֶחֱזֶה בְּמַחֲזֵה שֶׁל שַׁדַּי. וְהִנֵּה הָיוּ שְׁתֵּי מַדְרֵגוֹת לְמַטָּה מֵהֶם. וְעַל כֵּן קָרָא עַצְמוֹ "גְּלוּי עֵינָיִם", שֶׁהִיא מַדְרֵגַת בְּנֵי הַנְּבִיאִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״ה' פְּקַח אֶת עֵינֵי״ וְגוֹ' (מלכים ב ו כ). וּכְבָר נֶאֱמַר כֵּן בְּבִלְעָם עַצְמוֹ בִּרְאִיַּת הַמַּלְאָךְ "וַיְגַל ה' אֶת עֵינֵי בִלְעָם" (במדבר כ״ב:ל״א). וְלֹא תַּחְשֹׁב בָּזֶה זוּלַת מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ מִפְּנֵי מַאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ בְּסִפְרֵי (ברכה לט): ״וְלֹא קָם נָבִיא עוֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמֹשֶׁה״ - בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא קָם, אֲבָל בְּאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם קָם. וְאֵיזֶה זֶה? בִּלְעָם. אֶלָּא הֶפְרֵשׁ יֵשׁ בֵּין נְבוּאַת מֹשֶׁה לִנְבוּאַת בִּלְעָם: מֹשֶׁה לֹא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ מַה מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ, וּבִלְעָם הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ מַה מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״נְאֻם שֹׁמֵעַ אִמְרֵי אֵל״. מֹשֶׁה לֹא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ מָתַי מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״מִדַּבֵּר אֵלָיו״ (במדבר ז׳:פ״ט), וּבִלְעָם הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ מָתַי מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וְיֹדֵעַ דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן״. מֹשֶׁה הָיָה מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ מְעֻמָּד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וְאַתָּה פֹּה עֲמֹד עִמָּדִי״ (דברים ה כח), וּבִלְעָם הָיָה מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ שֶׁהוּא נוֹפֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״נֹפֵל וּגְלוּי עֵינָיִם״. מָשָׁל לְטַבָּחוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ יוֹדֵעַ כַּמָּה הוֹצָאוֹת יוֹצְאוֹת לַמֶּלֶךְ עַל שֻׁלְחָנוֹ. וּבֵאוּר עִנְיַן הַבָּרַיְתָא הַזּוֹ: מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב ״וְלֹא קָם נָבִיא עוֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמֹשֶׁה אֲשֶׁר יְדָעוֹ ה' פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים״ (שם לד י), וְדָרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁאֵינוֹ בָּא לְסַפֵּר בַּמַּעֲלָה אֲשֶׁר לִנְבוּאַת מֹשֶׁה עַל נְבוּאַת שְׁאָר הַנְּבִיאִים, שֶׁכְּבָר הוֹדִיעַ אוֹתָנוּ מַעֲלָתוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם בִּשְׁנֵי מְקוֹמוֹת: בְּפָסוּק ״וָאֵרָא אֶל אַבְרָהָם אֶל יִצְחָק וְאֶל יַעֲקֹב בְּאֵל שַׁדָּי וּשְׁמִי ה' לֹא נוֹדַעְתִּי לָהֶם״ (שמות ו ג), וּבְפָסוּק ״אִם יִהְיֶה נְבִיאֲכֶם" וְגוֹ' (במדבר י״ב:ו׳). אֲבָל עַתָּה לֹא דִּבֵּר עַל מֹשֶׁה שֶׁיָּדַע הוּא אֶת הַשֵּׁם, כְּעִנְיַן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״הוֹדִיעֵנִי נָא אֶת דְּרָכֶיךָ וְאֵדָעֲךָ״ (שמות לג יג), שֶׁלֹּא אָמַר הַכָּתוּב "אֲשֶׁר יָדַע אֶת הַשֵּׁם פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים" אֲבָל אָמַר "אֲשֶׁר יְדָעוֹ", כִּי יְדַבֵּר עַל בֵּאוּר הַנְּבוּאָה. יֹאמַר כִּי לְמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ תָּבֹא מְבֹאֶרֶת כִּמְדַבֵּר אֶל חֲבֵרוֹ פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים, שֶׁמּוֹדִיעוֹ דְּבָרָיו וְכַוָּנָתוֹ עַד שֶׁיַּכִּיר בְּפָנָיו שֶׁהֵבִין דְּבָרָיו וְכַוָּנָתוֹ בָּאֲמִירָה וּבְהַכָּרַת רְצוֹנוֹ בְּפָנָיו. וְאָמְרוּ כִּי לְבִלְעָם הָיָה זֶה בְּעֵת שֶׁנִּבָּא לִכְבוֹד יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁעָמַד עַל דִּבְרֵי ה' וְעַל רְצוֹנוֹ וְחֶפְצוֹ בְּכָל הָעִנְיָן הֶעָתִיד לָבֹא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן יֵשׁ הֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּין נְבוּאַת מֹשֶׁה לְבִלְעָם, כִּי מֹשֶׁה לֹא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ מַה מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ, בְּאֵיזֶה עִנְיָן, בְּאֵיזוֹ מִצְוָה יְצַוֶּנּוּ, אֲבָל הָיָה הוּא מוּכָן בְּכָל עֵת לַדִּבּוּר, וְהָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְצַוֶּה אוֹתוֹ כְּפִי הָרָצוֹן לְפָנָיו. אֲבָל בִּלְעָם הָיָה מְכַוֵּן וּמְחַשֵּׁב בַּדָּבָר הַהוּא שֶׁהוּא חָפֵץ בּוֹ, וְהוֹלֵךְ וּמִתְבּוֹדֵד וּמֵכִין נַפְשׁוֹ לִהְיוֹת עָלָיו הָרוּחַ, אוּלַי יִקָּרֶה ה' לִקְרָאתוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא מְפֹרָשׁ בְּכָאן. וְיוֹדֵעַ שֶׁאִם יָחוּל עָלָיו בָּעִנְיָן הַהוּא אֲשֶׁר חָשַׁב יְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ, לֹא בְּעִנְיָן אַחֵר. וּמֹשֶׁה לֹא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ מָתַי יְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ, כִּי לֹא הָיָה אֵלָיו עֵת קָבוּעַ לַדִּבּוּר, אֲבָל בְּכָל עֵת שֶׁיַּחְפֹּץ מֹשֶׁה וִיכַוֵּן לִבּוֹ לַדִּבּוּר הָיָה מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר: ״עִמְדוּ וְאֶשְׁמְעָה מַה יְצַוֶּה ה'״ (במדבר ט':ח'). וְכֵן בְּכָל עֵת שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לְפָנָיו יִתְעַלֶּה הָרָצוֹן לִהְיוֹת מְצַוֶּה אוֹתוֹ מֵאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וַיִּשְׁמַע אֶת הַקּוֹל מִדַּבֵּר אֵלָיו. אֲבָל בִּלְעָם הָיָה מְכַוֵּן אֶת הַשָּׁעָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ הַדִּבּוּר, וְלֹא תָּנוּחַ עָלָיו הָרוּחַ אֶלָּא בְּאוֹתָהּ הַשָּׁעָה, אוּלַי הִיא הַשָּׁעָה שֶׁיַּזְכִּירוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ בְּמַסֶּכֶת בְּרָכוֹת (ברכות ז') וּבְמַסֶּכֶת סַנְהֶדְרִין (סנהדרין ק״ה) שֶׁהָיָה מְקַלֵּל בָּהּ, וּבָהּ הָיָה חָל עָלָיו הָרוּחַ, לֹא בְּעֵת אַחֶרֶת לְעוֹלָם. וְכֵן עִנְיַן הָעֲמִידָה מַעֲלָה לְמֹשֶׁה, וְהַנְּפִילָה בְּבִלְעָם פְּחִיתוּת, שֶׁלֹּא יִסְבֹּל נְבוּאָה, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״אִם יוֹסְפִים אֲנַחְנוּ לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶת קוֹל ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ עוֹד וָמָתְנוּ וְגוֹ' קְרַב אַתָּה וּשְׁמָע״ (דברים ה' כ״ב-כ״ד). וְאָמְרוּ מָשָׁל לְטַבָּחוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ עַל הַמִּדָּה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה, וְכַוָּנָתָם לוֹמַר שֶׁהַטַּבָּח יוֹדֵעַ בְּהוֹצָאַת שֻׁלְחָנוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ, וְהַשַּׂר שֶׁלּוֹ שֶׁהוּא נֶאֱמָן בְּכָל בֵּיתוֹ וְעוֹמֵד בְּסוֹדוֹ לֹא יֵדַע בְּהוֹצָאַת הַשֻּׁלְחָן. וְהַמָּשָׁל הַזֶּה יוֹרֶה שֶׁדַּעַת הַחֲכָמִים לוֹמַר שֶׁהָיָה בִּלְעָם יוֹדֵעַ מֵעַצְמוֹ אַחֲרֵי כַּוָּנָתוֹ שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יֹאמַר לוֹ ״מָה אֶקֹּב לֹא קַבֹּה אֵל״ (במדבר כ״ג:ח') וְכָל הָעִנְיָן, וְאַחַר כֵּן יִשְׁמַע הַדִּבּוּר בַּמִּלּוֹת הָהֵם אֲשֶׁר חָשַׁב בְּלִבּוֹ. וְזֶה מַה שֶׁהִזְכַּרְתִּי כִּי הָיָה קוֹסֵם וְתָבֹאנָה הָעֲתִידוֹת בְּלִבּוֹ, וְעַתָּה בִּשְׁבִיל יִשְׂרָאֵל יִשְׁמַע בָּהֶם גַּם הַדִּבּוּר. וּלְפִיכָךְ הָיָה מִתְפָּאֵר בְּעַצְמוֹ עַתָּה לוֹמַר ״נְאֻם שֹׁמֵעַ אִמְרֵי אֵל״. וְרָאִיתִי הָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה הַשָּׁנוּי בְּסִפְרֵי שֶׁאָמְרוּ בְּסִגְנוֹן אַחֵר בְּהַגָּדָה שֶׁל בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי רַבָּה (במדבר רבה כ':א'), וְאֵין לִי לְהַאֲרִיךְ. וְהַכְּלָל כִּי כַּוָּנָתָם לוֹמַר שֶׁנְּבוּאַת בִּלְעָם תָּבֹא אֵלָיו בְּמִלּוֹת מְבֹאָרוֹת לוֹ מִן הַטַּעַם שֶׁאָמְרוּ, שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם לוֹמַר, אִלּוּ הָיָה לָנוּ נָבִיא כְּמֹשֶׁה הָיִינוּ עוֹבְדִים לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. אֲבָל מַדְרֵגַת נְבוּאָתוֹ לְמַטָּה מִשְּׁאָר הַנְּבִיאִים, שֶׁהִיא בְּמַחֲזֵה שַׁדַּי כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ. וְכֵן אָמְרוּ בְּוַיִּקְרָא רַבָּה (א' י״ג): אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נִגְלֶה עַל נְבִיאֵי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם אֶלָּא בַּחֲצִי דִבּוּר, הֵיךְ כְּמָה דְתֵימָא "וַיִּקָּר אֱלֹהִים אֶל בִּלְעָם", אֲבָל לִנְבִיאֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּדִבּוּר שָׁלֵם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיִּקְרָא אֶל מֹשֶׁה״. וַחֲצִי הַדִּבּוּר תָּבִין עִנְיָנוֹ מִמַּה שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ:

**Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976:**
AND HE WENT NOT, AS AT OTHER TIMES, TO SEEK FOR ENCHANTMENTS. [This means] that on the previous [two] occasions Balaam acted as an enchanter, and wanted to curse them by means of enchantment, and G-d came to him as if by chance, and not because he [Balaam] had concentrated on [attaining] prophecy, nor because of any superior status that he had achieved [because he was in fact *not* worthy of prophecy]. But now when he was told, *For there is no enchantment in Jacob, neither is there any divination in Israel*,¹⁵⁸ whether to do them evil or good, Balaam abandoned his enchantments, and *he went not* [any more] *as at* [the] *other times to seek* them. Instead, *he set his face toward the wilderness* where Israel was [encamped], so that he would see them and prepare his soul towards them, so that the Divine communication would come unto him, as had happened to him twice [previous], and so indeed it happened to him now. Therefore Scripture states, *and ‘the spirit of G-d’ came upon him*,¹⁷⁵ for now *the hand of the Eternal was upon* him as it was upon the prophets,¹⁷⁶. and just as Moses said, *would that all the Eternal’s people were prophets, that the Eternal would put ‘His spirit’ upon them!*¹⁷⁷ — and it is further said: *‘The spirit of the Eternal G-d’ is upon me*.¹⁷⁸ Therefore Balaam now referred to himself as *him who heareth the words of G-d*,¹⁷⁹ *for he* was [for that particular moment] *a prophet*.¹⁸⁰ Now Rashi commented: “*And he set his face toward the wilderness*. This is to be understood as the Targum [Onkelos] rendered it.” For the Rabbi’s [Rashi’s] Targum contained [the following text]: “He directed his face toward the wilderness in which the children of Israel had made the [golden] calf.” But this is not found in accurate editions of Onkelos’ Targum,¹⁸¹ and is [only] written in some of the texts [of Onkelos], which were emended on the basis of the Targum Yerushalmi,¹⁸² (translations) of the Pentateuch: *Onkelos, Yonathan*, and *Yerushalmi*. The latter was lost for many centuries, and only parts of it have reached us. Recently, however, a copy of this Jerusalem Targum has been found in its full version, and the text quoted here by Ramban appears in it. but the correct interpretation is as we have explained [above, that Balaam turned to the wilderness in order to receive Divine communication as he had previously, and not because that was the place where they had made the golden calf].
Scripture says [in describing Balaam]: *Who seeth the vision of the Almighty*,¹⁷⁹ meaning that he now saw through a lucid spectrum, as did the early prophets of whom it is said, *And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob by the Name ‘E-il Sha-dai’* (*G-d Almighty*).¹⁸³ Or it may be that Balaam [only] received [the Divine communication] through a degree [of vision] less than theirs, since *‘the vision of’ the Almighty*¹⁷⁹ is not the same as *the Almighty*.¹⁸³ Thus the patriarchs saw by *‘E-il Sha-dai’* (*G-d Almighty*), [a double expression], whereas Balaam saw only by *‘the vision of’ the Almighty* — two degrees lower than them [because only one Name of G-d is used, and he only saw a *vision of* it]. Therefore Balaam described himself as [one who saw *the vision of the Almighty*] *with opened eyes*, which is the degree of prophecy attained by the sons [i.e., the disciples] of the prophets, as it is said, *Eternal, open the eyes of these men* etc.,¹⁸⁴ and in connection with Balaam himself it says, upon his seeing the angel, *And the Eternal opened the eyes of Balaam*.¹⁸⁵ Now do not [be induced to] think otherwise than that which we have explained in this matter, because of the statement of our Rabbis who said in the Sifre:¹⁸⁶, 357. “*And there hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses*.¹⁸⁷ *In Israel there hath not arisen*, but in the [other] nations of the world there has arisen. And who was he? It was Balaam. But there was a difference between the prophecy of Moses and that of Balaam, because Moses did not know about what G-d was going to speak to him [as will be explained further on], and Balaam knew about what He was going to speak to him, as it is said, *The saying of him who heareth the words of G-d*.¹⁷⁹ Moses did not know when He would speak to him, as it is said, [*then he heard the Voice*] *speaking unto him*,¹⁸⁸ and Balaam knew when He would speak to him, as it is said, *and knoweth the knowledge of the Most High*.¹⁸⁹ He spoke to Moses while he was standing, as it is said, *But as for thee* [Moses], *‘stand’ thou here by Me*,¹⁹⁰ and to Balaam He spoke when he was fallen down, as it is said, *fallen down, yet with opened eyes*.¹⁷⁹ [The prophecy of Balaam may be] compared to the cook of a king, who knows what expenses the king has for [the food on] his table.”
The explanation of the meaning of this *Beraitha*¹⁹¹. See in Vol. II, p. 133, Note 209, for fuller explanation of this term. is as follows: Scripture stated, *And there hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses*,¹⁸⁷ and our Rabbis explained that this verse does not come to declare the superiority of Moses’ prophecy over that of the other prophets, since Scripture has already informed us of his superiority over them in two places — in the verse, *And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob by the Name ‘E-il Sha-dai’* (*G-d Almighty*), *but by My Name, the Eternal, was I not known unto them*,¹⁸³ and in the verse, *If there be a prophet among you* etc.¹⁹² But now [in speaking of Moses’ prophecy]¹⁸⁷ He did not say about Moses that he knew G-d, as Moses had requested, *Show me now Thy ways, that I may know Thee*,¹⁹³ for the verse there¹⁸⁷ does not say that “he knew G-d face to face,” but says: *whom ‘the Eternal’ knew face to face*,¹⁸⁷ because it is telling us an explanation of [the nature of] Moses’ prophecy. It is thus saying that to Moses our teacher [the Divine communication] used to come clearly, like one who speaks to his friend *face to face*,¹⁸⁷ and tells him his words and his meaning until he sees from [the expression on] his face that he understands his words and his intention, and [indicates this] by saying so and by showing on his face that he recognizes what [his friend] wants. Thus the Rabbis [in the Sifre quoted above] said that Balaam had this [degree of prophecy only] when he prophesied in honor of Israel, for he fully understood the words of G-d and His intention and wish in all that was destined to happen to Israel. And even so there was still a difference between the prophecy of Moses and that of Balaam! For Moses did not know what He would tell him, and about what topic or which commandment He would speak to him, but he was ready at any time for the Divine communication, and the Holy One, blessed be He, would command him as He so desired. But Balaam had to concentrate and think about the [particular] matter which he wanted [G-d to speak to him about], and he would retire into solitude and prepare himself spiritually so that the [Divine] Spirit⁶³, pp. 228-231, where Ramban discusses at length the subject of angels in relation to prophecy. would come upon him, *peradventure the Eternal will come to meet* him, as is explicitly stated here [in our verse]. He knew [also] that if the Spirit *were* to come upon him, it would speak to him [only] about that subject which he had thought of, and not about any other matter. Furthermore, Moses did not know when He would speak to him, because he did not have any fixed time for the [Divine] communication, but whenever Moses wanted it and directed his mind towards [receiving] a Divine communication, He would speak to him; as Moses said, *Stay ye, that I may hear what the Eternal will command concerning you*,¹⁹⁴ and similarly whenever G-d wanted to command him *from the Tent of Meeting*,¹⁹⁵ *then he* [Moses] *heard the Voice speaking unto him*.¹⁸⁸ But Balaam knew how to determine the [exact] moment when he would have the [Divine] communication, and the Spirit would only rest upon him at that moment. Perhaps this is “the moment” that our Rabbis speak of in Tractate Berachoth¹⁹⁶ and in Tractate Sanhedrin,¹⁹⁷ and at that moment he [thought he] would utter the curse, and it was [only] at that moment that the Spirit would rest upon him, and never at any other time. Similarly the fact that Moses remained standing [during the Divine communication] indicates his superiority, whereas Balaam’s falling down denoted his inferiority, [implying] that he could not endure the prophecy, just as it says, *if we hear the voice of the Eternal our G-d any more, then we shall die;*¹⁹⁸ *Go thou near, and hear*.¹⁹⁹, Verse 24. The Rabbis further said [in the Sifre quoted above]: “[The prophecy of Balaam may be] compared to the cook of a king, who knows etc.” [This comparison refers] to the first distinction [between Moses’ prophecy and that of Balaam, namely, that Moses did not know in advance about what G-d would speak to him, whereas Balaam did know], and the intention of the Rabbis thereby is to say that the cook knows what are the expenses of the [upkeep of the] king’s table, but his minister who *is trusted in all* his *house*²⁰⁰ and knows his secrets, does not know the expenses of the household. This example indicates that the Sages’ intention was to say that Balaam himself knew, after concentrating [his intention on receiving a Divine communication], that G-d would tell him [to say]: *How shall I curse, whom G-d hath not cursed?*²⁰¹ and the whole of the blessing [mentioned in the verses], and that afterwards he would hear the communication in [precisely] those words which he had thought of in his heart. This is, as I have mentioned,²⁰², 22:5; 31. because he was a diviner, and thus future [events which would befall the people of Israel] would come into his heart [through divination]; but now on account of Israel he also heard the [Divine] utterance about them, and therefore he now prided himself, saying, *The saying of him who heareth the words of G-d*.¹⁷⁹
Now I have seen this same subject which is taught in the Sifre [quoted above] said in another form in the homiletics of Bamidbar Sinai Rabbah,²⁰³ but there is no need for me to prolong [this subject]. The general idea is that the Sages intended to say that Balaam’s prophecy came to him in words which he clearly understood, and the reason for this was, as the Sages have said,²⁰³ so that the nations of the world should not have an excuse to say: “If we had had a prophet like Moses, we would have served the Holy One, blessed be He.” But the degree of Balaam’s prophecy was [nonetheless] lower than that of the other prophets, because it was [only] by *the ‘vision’ of the Almighty*,¹⁷⁹ as we have explained. And so also the Rabbis have said in Vayikra Rabbah:²⁰⁴ “The Holy One, blessed be He, only revealed Himself to the prophets of the [other] nations of the world with a half-communication,’ as it is said: *‘Vayikar Elokim’* (*And G-d ‘happened to meet’ Balaam*²⁰⁵ [instead of saying *‘vayikra’ Elokim* — and G-d ‘called’ to Balaam], but to the prophets of Israel [He revealed Himself] with a complete communication, as it is said: *‘Vayikra’* (*And He called*) *unto Moses*.”¹⁹⁵ The meaning of [the expression] “a half-communication” you will understand from what we have explained [above].

footnotes:
¹⁵⁸ Verse 23.
¹⁷⁵ Verse 2.
¹⁷⁶ Ezekiel 37:1: The hand of the Eternal was upon me
¹⁷⁷ Above, 11:29.
¹⁷⁸ Isaiah 61:1.
¹⁷⁹ Verse 4.
¹⁸⁰ Genesis 20:7.
¹⁸¹ Nor is it found in our texts of Onkelos.
¹⁸² It is also found in our texts of the Targum of Yonathan ben Uziel. — There are three traditional Targumim
¹⁷⁹ Verse 4.
¹⁸³ Exodus 6:3.
¹⁷⁹ Verse 4.
¹⁸³ Exodus 6:3.
¹⁸⁴ II Kings 6:20.
¹⁸⁵ Above, 22:31.
¹⁸⁶ Sifre, Berachah
¹⁸⁷ Deuteronomy 34:10.
¹⁷⁹ Verse 4.
¹⁸⁸ Above, 7:89.
¹⁸⁹ Further, Verse 16.
¹⁹⁰ Deuteronomy 5:28.
¹⁷⁹ Verse 4.
¹⁹¹ The teachings of the Sifre are considered Beraithoth
¹⁸⁷ Deuteronomy 34:10.
¹⁸³ Exodus 6:3.
¹⁹² Above, 12:6.
¹⁸⁷ Deuteronomy 34:10.
¹⁹³ Exodus 33:13.
¹⁸⁷ Deuteronomy 34:10.
¹⁸⁷ Deuteronomy 34:10.
¹⁸⁷ Deuteronomy 34:10.
⁶³ See Vol. I, p. 59, Note 237. See also ibid.
¹⁹⁴ Above, 9:8. Although Moses had not been told in advance that G-d would speak to him, he knew that if he concentrated on receiving a Divine communication, he would surely receive one.
¹⁹⁵ Leviticus 1:1.
¹⁸⁸ Above, 7:89.
¹⁹⁶ Berachoth 7a. The Gemara there states that there is “one moment” every day when G-d, is angry, and Balaam knew precisely when that moment was. The anger is occasioned when the sun begins to shine “and the kings of the world put on their crowns and prostrate themselves to the sun.” — It is the Rabbis’ way of saying that the deification of nature by man occasions the displeasure of the Creator, for how could they change His glory for that which is His creation and tool!
¹⁹⁷ Sanhedrin 105b. The same text as in Berachoth 7a is also quoted there.
¹⁹⁸ Deuteronomy 5:22.
¹⁹⁹ Ibid.
²⁰⁰ A reference to Moses. See above, 12:7.
²⁰¹ Above, 23:8.
²⁰² Ibid.
¹⁷⁹ Verse 4.
²⁰³ Bamidbar Rabbah 20:1.
²⁰³ Bamidbar Rabbah 20:1.
¹⁷⁹ Verse 4.
²⁰⁴ Vayikra Rabbah 1:13.
²⁰⁵ Above, 23:4.
¹⁹⁵ Leviticus 1:1.


###### Ramban on Numbers 24:3:1
[Ramban on Numbers 24:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ramban%20on%20Numbers/r/24:3:1)

**שְׁתֻם הָעָיִן** – לֹא מָצְאוּ מוֹצָא לַמִּלָּה הַזֹּאת מִן הַמִּקְרָא, וְאוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על במדבר כ״ד:ג׳) אָמַר "דְּשַׁפִּיר חָזֵי", כְּמוֹ פְּתוּחַ הָעַיִן. לְשׁוֹן חֲכָמִים (ע״ז סט): ״כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּשְׁתּוֹם וְיִסְתּוֹם״, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁיִּפְתַּח הַנֶּקֶב. וְאוּלַי הִיא מִלָּה מֻרְכֶּבֶת מִן ״שִׁתִי אוֹתוֹתַי אֵלֶּה״ (שמות י א), שְׁתוּי מַה - הַגֶּבֶר שֶׁיַּשִּׂיג לְכָל מַה שֶׁיָּשִׁית עֵינוֹ:

**Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976:**
SHETHUM HA’AYIN.’ The commentators have not found the root of this word [*shethum*] anywhere else in Scripture. Onkelos translated it: “who sees well,” as [if to say] “open-eyed,” and in the language of the Sages we find:²⁰⁶ “sufficient time *sheyishtom* and to close it up” — meaning to say: [enough time to open a hole in the barrel of wine] — and to stop it up again. Perhaps the word [*shethum*] is a composite one [consisting of the two words *shethui mah* — “whatever is put” before the eye], from the root *‘shithi’* (*My setting*) *these My signs*,²⁰⁷ on the basis of the root *shatham* found in the Mishnah, Ramban explains it on the basis of Biblical language. [and here it means] that Balaam is a person [of whom one can use the phrase] “whatever is put” [before him] — because he understands everything that he puts his eye upon.

footnotes:
²⁰⁶ Abodah Zarah 69a.
²⁰⁷ Exodus 10:1. Thus, unlike Rashi and R’dak who explain the word shethum


###### Ramban on Numbers 24:7:1
[Ramban on Numbers 24:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ramban%20on%20Numbers/r/24:7:1)

**וְיָרֹם מֵאֲגַג מַלְכּוֹ** – מֶלֶךְ הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁלָּהֶם יִכְבֹּשׁ אֶת אֲגַג מֶלֶךְ עֲמָלֵק. נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ טֶרֶם הִוָּלְדוֹ, דּוֹמֶה לוֹ ״לְכוֹרֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר הֶחֱזַקְתִּי בִימִינוֹ״ (ישעיהו מה, א), ״הִנֵּה בֵן נוֹלָד לְבֵית דָּוִד יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ שְׁמוֹ״ (מלכים א יג, ב), וְיִצְחָק (בראשית יז, יט), וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל (שם טז, יא), וּשְׁלֹמֹה (דהי״א כב, ט). "וְתִנַּשֵּׂא מַלְכוּתוֹ" שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב יוֹתֵר וְיוֹתֵר, שֶׁיָּבֹא דָּוִד וּשְׁלֹמֹה בְּנוֹ אַחֲרָיו, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ״י (רש״י על במדבר כ״ד:ז׳), וְיָפֶה פֵּרֵשׁ. וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁהָיָה כָּל מֶלֶךְ בְּעַם עֲמָלֵק נִקְרָא אֲגַג, כִּי הַמֶּלֶךְ הָרִאשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר שָׂמוּ עֲלֵיהֶם הָיָה שְׁמוֹ כֵּן, וְנִקְרְאוּ בָּנָיו הַיּוֹשְׁבִים עַל כִּסְאוֹ בִּשְׁמוֹ, כְּדֶרֶךְ רֹב הַמְּלָכִים גַּם הַיּוֹם שֶׁנִּקְרָאִים בְּשֵׁם תּוֹפְסֵי הַמַּלְכוּת. וְכֵן "הָמָן הָאֲגָגִי" (אסתר ח, ג), כִּי הָיָה מִזֶּרַע הַמְּלוּכָה הַהִיא, כִּי רָחוֹק הוּא שֶׁיִּקְרָא הַנָּבִיא שֵׁם הָרָשָׁע בְּטֶרֶם נוֹצַר בַּבֶּטֶן. וְכֵן "גּוֹג" (יחזקאל לט, א) כָּל נְשִׂיא הַמָּגוֹג יִקָּרֵא כֵן. וְהִנֵּה הוֹסִיף בַּפַּעַם הַזֹּאת הַשְּׁלִישִׁית לְהוֹדִיעַ לְבָלָק כִּי אָהֳלֵי יַעֲקֹב הָיוּ טוֹבִים, רָמַז לְעֵת הֱיוֹתָם שׁוֹכְנֵי אֹהָלִים עַד שֶׁיִּנְחֲלוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ, וּמִשְׁכְּנוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל גַּם כֵּן יִהְיוּ טוֹבִים אַחֲרֵי כִּבּוּשׁ וְחִלּוּק שֶׁיִּשְׁכְּנוּ בָהּ בְּמִשְׁכְּנוֹת מִבְטַחִים. וְכֵן תִּהְיֶה אַרְצוֹ מְלֵאָה כָּל טוּב כְּגַן רָוֶה וּכְמוֹצָא מַיִם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יְכַזְּבוּ מֵימָיו, וְכִי יְנַצַּח אֶת עֲמָלֵק בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁנִּלְחַם בּוֹ וִיאַבֵּד זִכְרוֹ, וְתִנַּשֵּׂא עוֹד הַמַּלְכוּת שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בָּהּ אַחֲרֵי כֵן מְלָכִים אַדִּירִים יִנָּשְׂאוּ מְאֹד. וְאָמַר לוֹ שֶׁיֹּאכַל כָּל צָרָיו וְעַצְמֹתֵיהֶם יְגָרֵם, רֶמֶז לְהוֹנָם וְכָל אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם. וְאָמַר שֶׁיִּשְׁכְּנוּ בָהּ לָבֶטַח, לֹא יִירְאוּ מִכָּל עַם כַּאֲרִי וּכְלָבִיא שֶׁלֹּא יִירָא פְּרִיץ חַיּוֹת. וְעַתָּה נוֹאַשׁ בָּלָק מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁאִם יִלָּחֵם בּוֹ יֹאבַד בֶּאֱמֶת, כִּי כָּל צָרָיו יֹאכַל כַּאֲשֶׁר יֹאכַל עֲמָלֵק בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁנִּלְחַם בּוֹ. עַל כֵּן אָמַר לוֹ עַתָּה שֶׁיִּבְרַח אֶל מְקוֹמוֹ, אֵין לוֹ חֵפֶץ בּוֹ:

**Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976:**
AND HIS KING SHALL BE HIGHER THAN AGAG. “Their first king [Saul] will conquer Agag²⁰⁸ king of the Amalekites. Agag is here called by his name before he was born.²⁰⁹ Similar cases are [the expressions]: *to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden;*²¹⁰ *Behold, a son shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name*.²¹¹ So also were the names of Isaac,²¹² Ishmael,²¹³, 16:11. and Solomon²¹⁴ [given before they were born]. AND HIS KINGDOM — that is, Jacob’s — SHALL BE EXALTED more and more, because David and his son Solomon will come after him [Saul].” This is Rashi’s language, and he has explained it well.
It is possible that every king of the Amalekite people was called Agag, because the first king whom they set up over them was so called [Agag], and thus all his descendants who occupied his throne were called by his name,²¹⁵ as are most kings even nowadays, who are called by the name of those who [originally] seized the kingdom. So also *Haman the Agagite*²¹⁶ [was so called] because he was a descendant of that royal family. For it is unlikely that the prophet [Balaam] would cite the name of a wicked man [Agag] even before he was *formed in the womb*.²¹⁷ So also [the name] *Gog*²¹⁸ was one by which all the princes of Magog were called.
Thus Balaam added with this third prophecy of his [to his previous two prophecies] by telling Balak that Jacob’s tents *are goodly*,²¹⁹ referring to the period from the time that they were dwellers in tents until they would inherit the land [of Canaan], and the *dwellings* of *Israel*²¹⁹ after the conquest and division of the Land will also be good, meaning that they will dwell therein in safe habitations. And [Balaam further informed Balak that] Israel’s land will be full of all goodly things, *like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not*,²²⁰ and that Israel will conquer Amalek because he attacked him, and will destroy his memory; and that the *kingdom* of Israel *will be* even more *exalted*,²²¹ because they will have afterwards mighty kings, who will be exceedingly elevated. And he further told him that Israel would *eat up his adversaries and break their bones in pieces*,²²² referring to their wealth and all their belongings. And [finally, in Verse 9] he told him that Israel would dwell in the Land safely, fearing no people, *as a lion, and as a lioness* that does not fear *any ravenous beast*.²²³ And so now Balak despaired of [ever fighting] Israel, for [he realized that] if he would fight against him, he would be truly destroyed, for Israel would *eat up* all *his adversaries*²²² in the same way that he would destroy Amalek because he attacked him. Therefore Balak now told Balaam to *flee to* his *place*,²²⁴ for he has no more desire for him [and his counsel].

footnotes:
²⁰⁸ I Samuel 15:8.
²⁰⁹ This whole paragraph — from “Agag is here called” until “…before they were born” — is not found in our texts of Rashi.
²¹⁰ Isaiah 45:1.
²¹¹ I Kings 13:2.
²¹² Genesis 17:19.
²¹³ Ibid.
²¹⁴ I Chronicles 22:9.
²¹⁵ Thus there is no need to say, as Rashi did, that Agag here refers to the specific Amalekite king of King Saul’s days, and that his name is foretold a few hundred years before he was born, as Scripture would not foretell the birth of a wicked man.
²¹⁶ Esther 3:1.
²¹⁷ See Jeremiah 1:5.
²¹⁸ Ezekiel 39:1.
²¹⁹ Verse 5.
²¹⁹ Verse 5.
²²⁰ Isaiah 58:11.
²²¹ Verse 7.
²²² Verse 8.
²²³ Isaiah 35:9.
²²² Verse 8.
²²⁴ Verse 11.


###### Ramban on Numbers 24:12:1
[Ramban on Numbers 24:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ramban%20on%20Numbers/r/24:12:1)

**הֲלֹא גַּם אֶל מַלְאָכֶיךָ** יִתְנַצֵּל בִּלְעָם עַתָּה בְּמָה שֶׁאָמַר לְמַלְאָכָיו בְּשׁוּבָם אֵלָיו, טֶרֶם שֶׁיָּדַע מַה יּוֹסֵף ה' דַּבֵּר עִמּוֹ, אֲבָל אַחֲרֵי כֵן הֶרְאָה שֶׁיָּבֹא וִיקַלֵּל, עַד שֶׁהִתְרָה בּוֹ הַמַּלְאָךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ כַּאֲשֶׁר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי (רמב״ן על במדבר כ״ב:כ׳):

**Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976:**
[AND BALAAM SAID UNTO BALAK]: ‘SPOKE I NOT ALSO TO THY MESSENGERS ETC.?’ Balaam was now defending himself on the basis of what he had told Balak’s messengers when they came back to him, before he knew *what the Eternal* would *speak unto* him *more;*²²⁵, we are told that he said to Balak’s servants that he *cannot go beyond the word of G-d* even if *Balak would give* him *a house full of silver and gold*. It is on the basis of these remarks that he is now defending himself. But, as Ramban continues, in actual fact he misled Balak, because he still made out that he was prepared to curse the people even after the Eternal spoke to him further, and he did not tell Balak of G-d’s true message then. but afterwards [i.e., after G-d had told him that he may only go with them, but must not curse the people] he still made out that he was ready to come and curse [the people], until the angel warned him on the road, as I have explained.²²⁶, Verse 20.

footnotes:
²²⁵ Above, 22:19. In other words, in Verse 18 ibid.
²²⁶ Ibid.


###### Ramban on Numbers 24:14:1
[Ramban on Numbers 24:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ramban%20on%20Numbers/r/24:14:1)

**לְכָה אִיעָצְךָ** – לְפִי שֶׁרָצָה לוֹמַר פֻּרְעָנוּת אֻמָּתוֹ, כְּדִכְתִיב ״וּמָחַץ פַּאֲתֵי מוֹאָב״ (במדבר כ״ד:י״ז), לְכָךְ אָמַר לוֹ "אִיעָצְךָ", כְּלוֹמַר אוֹמַר לְךָ לְצַד אֶחָד דֶּרֶךְ עֵצָה שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁמְעוּ אֲחֵרִים. ״לְכָה אִיעָצְךָ״ - מַה לְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת. וּמַה הִיא הָעֵצָה? אֱלֹהֵיהֶם שֶׁל אֵלּוּ שׂוֹנֵא זִמָּה הוּא וְכוּ', כִּדְאִיתָא בְּפֶרֶק חֵלֶק (סנהדרין קו). תֵּדַע שֶׁבִּלְעָם הִשִּׂיאָם עֵצָה זוֹ בְּזִמָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״הֵן הֵנָּה הָיוּ לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּדְבַר בִּלְעָם״ (במדבר ל״א:ט״ז). <b>אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה הָעָם הַזֶּה לְעַמְּךָ - מִקְרָא קָצָר הוּא: אִיעָצְךָ לְהַכְשִׁילָם, וְאוֹמַר לְךָ מַה עֲתִידִין לְהָרַע לְמוֹאָב בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ״י (רש״י על במדבר כ״ד:י״ד). וְהַנָּכוֹן בְּעֵינַי שֶׁיֹּאמַר לוֹ: אַגִּיד לְךָ הָעֵצָה אֲשֶׁר יָעַץ הָאֱלֹהִים שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה הָעָם הַזֶּה לְעַמְּךָ בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים, מִלְּשׁוֹן ״זֹאת הָעֵצָה הַיְּעוּצָה עַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ״ (ישעיהו יד כו), ״שִׁמְעוּ עֲצַת ה' אֲשֶׁר יָעַץ עַל אֱדוֹם״ (ירמיהו מט כ). וְאָמַר "אִיעָצְךָ", כִּי הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ עֵצָה יִקָּרֵא נוֹעָץ. וְהַנְּבוּאָה הַזֹּאת לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ הִיא, כִּי כָל נְבוּאוֹתָיו מוֹסִיפוֹת בָּעֲתִידוֹת. מִתְּחִלָּה אָמַר שֶׁהֵם חֵלֶק ה' וְנַחֲלָתוֹ, וּבַשֵּׁנִית הוֹסִיף כָּבְשָׁם הָאָרֶץ וְהָרְגָם מְלָכֶיהָ, וּבַשְּׁלִישִׁית רָאָה שִׁבְתָּם בָּאָרֶץ וּפָרוּ וְרָבוּ עַל הָאָרֶץ וְהַעֲמִידָם מֶלֶךְ יְנַצֵּחַ אֶת אֲגַג, וְתִנַּשֵּׂא עוֹד הַמַּלְכוּת שֶׁרָאָה דָוִד מִתְנַשֵּׂא לְמַעְלָה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וַיֵּדַע דָּוִד כִּי הֱכִינוֹ ה' לְמֶלֶךְ וְכִי נִשֵּׂא מַמְלַכְתּוֹ בַּעֲבוּר עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל״ (ש״ב ה יב), כְּלוֹמַר בַּעֲבוּר אֲשֶׁר הִבְטִיחָם שֶׁתִּנַּשֵּׂא מַלְכוּתָם. וְעַתָּה בַּנְּבוּאָה הַזֹּאת הָרְבִיעִית יוֹסֵף לִרְאוֹת עִנְיַן הַמָּשִׁיחַ, וּלְכָךְ הִרְחִיק הָעִנְיָן מְאֹד וְאָמַר ״אֶרְאֶנּוּ וְלֹא עַתָּה, אֲשׁוּרֶנּוּ וְלֹא קָרוֹב״ (במדבר כ״ד:י״ז), מַה שֶׁלֹּא אָמַר כֵּן בַּנְּבוּאוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת. וְאָמַר שֶׁזֹּאת עֲצַת ה' שֶׁיָּעַץ לִהְיוֹת בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים:

**Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976:**
COME AND I WILL COUNSEL THEE. Since Balaam wanted to tell [Balak] about the punishment [that would befall] his people, as it is written, *and he shall smite through the corners of Moab*,²²⁷ therefore he told him, *I will counsel thee*, that is to say: “I will tell you ‘on the side’ an advice, so that others should not hear it.” “*Come and I will counsel thee* what you have to do [to revenge yourself upon Israel]. And what was the advice [that he gave him]? [He told him]: ‘The G-d of these [Israelites] hates immorality, etc., [therefore I advise you to seduce Israel into sin by means of the lure of the Moabite women],’ as is narrated in the Chapter *Cheilek*.²²⁸, meaning: “*I will counsel thee* how to lead the people astray, and I will tell you *what this people shall do …*” Ramban explains the phrase *“I will counsel thee”* differently. You may know that it was Balaam who gave them this counsel [to lead Israel astray] through immorality, for it is said, *Behold, these* [women] *caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam*, [*to revolt so as to break faith with the Eternal*].²²⁹ WHAT THIS PEOPLE SHALL DO TO THY PEOPLE. This is an elliptical verse [which means as follows]: ‘*I will counsel thee* how to corrupt them, and I will [also] tell you what evil they are destined to do to Moab *in the end of days*.’” This is Rashi’s language.
The correct interpretation [of the word *i’atzcha*, normally translated: *I will counsel thee*] seems to me to be that Balaam told Balak: “I will tell you the purpose that G-d has planned that *this people shall do to thy people in the end of days*,” this being similar to the expressions: *This is the ‘eitzah’* (*purpose*) *that is ‘y’utzah’* (*purposed*) *upon the whole earth;*²³⁰ *Hear ye the ‘atzath’* (*design*) *of the Eternal, that He hath ‘ya’atz’* (*purposed*) *against Edom*.²³¹ Balaam said *i’atzcha* [which literally means “I will give you counsel”], because one who hears counsel, [as Balaam heard G-d’s counsel], is called a *no’atz* [he with whom counsel is taken].²³² (with whom took He counsel).
And this prophecy [in the following verses], refers to Messianic times, for all of Balaam’s prophecies added [to the previous ones] in [speaking of more] distant events. Thus at first²³³ he said that Israel is [now] *the portion of the Eternal* and *His inheritance;*²³⁴ in the second prophecy²³⁵ he added that they would [later on] conquer the Land and kill its kings. In the third [prophecy]²³⁶ he saw them dwelling in the Land and increasing and multiplying therein, and that they would appoint a king [Saul] who would defeat Agag, and that the *kingdom* [of Israel] would *be* further *exalted*; for he saw David [whose kingdom] *was exalted exceedingly*,²³⁷ as it is said, *And David perceived that the Eternal had established him king over Israel, and that He hath exalted his kingdom for His people Israel’s sake*,²³⁸ that is to say, because He had promised them that their *kingdom* would *be exalted*. And now in this fourth prophecy Balaam continued [on the future] and saw the Messianic era; therefore he spoke of it as a very distant event, saying, *I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh*,²²⁷ [a phrase] which he did not use in his first [three] prophecies. He stated that this is the purpose of G-d which He had planned, to come to pass *in the end of days*.²³⁹

footnotes:
²²⁷ Further Verse 17.
²²⁸ Literally: “Portion” — “All Israel have ‘a portion’ in the World to Come.” Sanhedrin 106a. The story of the Israelites committing immorality with the Moabite women is related in the following chapter of the Torah, and tradition has it that this plan was suggested by Balaam in his parting words to Balak. This, as Rashi explains, is the reason why he used the phrase “I will ‘counsel thee’ what this people shall do”
²²⁹ Further, 31:16.
²³⁰ Isaiah 14:26.
²³¹ Jeremiah 49:20.
²³² See Isaiah 40:14: ‘Eth mi no’atz’
²³³ Above, 23:7-10.
²³⁴ Deuteronomy 32:9.
²³⁵ Above, Chapter 23, Verses 18-24.
²³⁶ Above, Verses 3-9.
²³⁷ I Chronicles 14:2.
²³⁸ II Samuel 5:12.
²²⁷ Further Verse 17.
²³⁹ Verse 14.


###### Ramban on Numbers 24:15:1
[Ramban on Numbers 24:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ramban%20on%20Numbers/r/24:15:1)

וְקָרָא עַצְמוֹ עַתָּה **שׁוֹמֵעַ אִמְרֵי אֵל** וּ**מַחֲזֵה שַׁדַּי יֶחֱזֶה**, כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה בַּנְּבוּאָה הַשְּׁלִישִׁית, וְהוֹסִיף לִקְרֹא עַצְמוֹ **יוֹדֵעַ דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן**. וְהָאוֹמֵר כָּךְ יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי דַּעַת פְּלוֹנִי, יִרְצֶה לוֹמַר שֶׁהוּא מַכִּיר מִמֶּנּוּ מַה בְּלִבּוֹ, הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁלֹּא יַגִּיד בְּפִיו. וְכֵן זֶה יְכַוֵּן לוֹמַר שֶׁהוּא יוֹדֵעַ וְיֹאמַר עַתָּה מַה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּדַעְתּוֹ שֶׁל אֵל עֶלְיוֹן לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּעוֹלָמוֹ בְּסוֹף כָּל הַיָּמִים. וְזֶה כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״כִּי יוֹם נָקָם בְּלִבִּי״ (ישעיהו ס״ג:ד׳), וְאָמְרוּ (קהלת רבה י״ב:י׳) לִבָּא לְפוּמָּא לָא גָּלֵי. וְהִנֵּה אָמַר הַכָּתוּב בְּכָאן ״וַיִּשָּׂא מְשָׁלוֹ וַיֹּאמַר״, וְלֹא הִזְכִּיר שֶׁהָיָה זֶה בִּנְבוּאָה כַּאֲשֶׁר הִזְכִּיר בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה פְּעָמִים, כִּי כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמַר ״נְאֻם שׁוֹמֵעַ אִמְרֵי אֵל" וּ"מַחֲזֵה שַׁדַּי יֶחֱזֶה״, בְּיָדוּעַ כִּי הָיְתָה עָלָיו יַד ה' כַּאֲשֶׁר בַּפַּעַם הַשְּׁלִישִׁית שֶׁאָמַר ״וַתְּהִי עָלָיו רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים״ (במדבר כ״ד:ב׳), וְקָרָא עַצְמוֹ כֵן:

**Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976:**
He referred to himself now as one *who heareth the words of G-d*,²⁴⁰ and as one *who seeth the vision of the Almighty*,²⁴⁰ as he had done in the third prophecy,¹⁷⁹ but he added now [the phrase] *and knoweth the knowledge of the Most High*.²⁴⁰ Now one who speaks in this manner, saying “I know the knowledge of a certain person” means to say that he understands him, and what is in his heart, [even] those matters which he does not utter verbally, and similarly this [man Balaam] intended to say that he knows and will now say what is in the “mind” [i.e., intention] of G-d the Most High to do in His world at *the end of* all *days*.²³⁹ This is similar to that which it says, *for the day of vengeance is in My heart*,²⁴¹ and the Rabbis have said²⁴² [with reference to that day, that its precise timing is a matter which “His] heart has not divulged to the mouth.” Now Scripture states here, *And ‘he took up his parable,’ and said*²⁴³ and it does not mention that this was [said] by prophecy, as it says about the [previous] three occasions, for since he said, *The saying of him who heareth the words of G-d … who seeth the vision of the A lmighty*²⁴⁰ it is self-understood that *the hand of G-d was upon*¹⁷⁶. him, just as at the third time, where it says: *and the spirit of G-d came upon him;*²⁴⁴ and he himself said so.²⁴⁵ (Verse 4) and it says there, *and the spirit of G-d came upon him* (Verse 2). So here too, in his fourth prophecy, where it says *who heareth the words of G-d, who seeth the vision of the Almighty*, it was also through the *spirit of G-d* which came upon him, even though it does not say so expressly.

footnotes:
²⁴⁰ Verse 16.
²⁴⁰ Verse 16.
¹⁷⁹ Verse 4.
²⁴⁰ Verse 16.
²³⁹ Verse 14.
²⁴¹ Isaiah 63:4.
²⁴² Midrash Tehillim 89:2.
²⁴³ Verse 15.
²⁴⁰ Verse 16.
¹⁷⁶ Ezekiel 37:1: The hand of the Eternal was upon me
²⁴⁴ Verse 2.
²⁴⁵ For in his third prophecy, Balaam said of himself, who heareth the words of G-d, who seeth the vision of the Almighty


###### Ramban on Numbers 24:17:1
[Ramban on Numbers 24:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ramban%20on%20Numbers/r/24:17:1)

**דָּרַךְ כּוֹכָב מִיַּעֲקֹב** – בַּעֲבוּר כִּי הַמָּשִׁיחַ יְקַבֵּץ נִדְחֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִקְצֵה הָאָרֶץ, יַמְשִׁילֶנּוּ לְכוֹכָב הַדּוֹרֵךְ בָּרָקִיעַ מִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ ״וַאֲרוּ עִם עֲנָנֵי שְׁמַיָּא כְּבַר אֱנָשׁ אָתֵה״ וְגוֹ' (דניאל ז יג). וְאָמַר שֶׁהוּא רוֹאֶה לִזְמַן רָחוֹק שֶׁיִּדְרֹךְ כּוֹכָב מִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְיָקוּם מִמֶּנּוּ שֵׁבֶט מוֹשֵׁל **וּמָחַץ פַּאֲתֵי מוֹאָב וְקַרְקַר כָּל בְּנֵי שֵׁת** בֶּן אָדָם שֶׁהוּא אֲבִי כָל הָאֻמּוֹת. וְהִזְכִּיר "פַּאֲתֵי מוֹאָב" לְהוֹדִיעַ לְבָלָק כִּי עַמּוֹ לֹא יִפֹּל בְּיַד יִשְׂרָאֵל עַתָּה, אֲבָל בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים לֹא יִנָּצֵל מוֹאָב מִיַּד הַשֵּׁבֶט הַמּוֹשֵׁל בּוֹ. וְטַעַם "פַּאֲתֵי מוֹאָב" לוֹמַר כִּי זֶה הַשֵּׁבֶט יְקַרְקֵר כָּל בְּנֵי שֵׁת, וְלֹא יִנָּצֵל מוֹאָב מִיָּדוֹ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵם קְצוּצֵי פֵאָה וְאֵין לָהֶם שֵׁם בָּאֻמּוֹת וְלֹא יִלָּחֲמוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל:

**Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976:**
THERE SHALL STEP FORTH A STAR OUT OF JACOB. Because the Messiah will gather together the dispersed of Israel from all the corners of the earth, Balaam compares him [metaphorically] to *a star* that passes through the firmament from the ends of heaven, just as it is said about [the Messiah]: *and behold, there came with the clouds of heaven, one like unto a son of man* etc.²⁴⁶ Balaam thus said that he saw that at a distant time *a star* would pass from the ends of heaven, and there would rise out of it the sceptre of a ruler, *and he shall smite through the corners of Moab, and break down all the sons of Seth*, the son of Adam,²⁴⁷ who was the father of all the nations.²⁴⁸, Vol. I, p. 98. He mentioned *the corners of Moab* in order to inform Balak that his people would not fall into the hand of Israel now, but *in the end of days*²³⁹ Moab will not be saved from the hand of the ruling king [in Israel]. And the meaning of *‘the corners’ of Moab* is that this ruler [in Israel] *will break down all the sons of Seth*, and they [Moab] will not be saved, even though they are *cut off on ‘the corner,’*²⁴⁹ and have no name among the nations, and will not fight against Israel.

footnotes:
²⁴⁶ Daniel 7:13.
²⁴⁷ Genesis 5:3.
²⁴⁸ See Ramban ibid.
²³⁹ Verse 14.
²⁴⁹ Jeremiah 9:25. This is an epithet for certain Arabian tribes, who had the corners of their hair clipped. Ramban here uses this term metaphorically, in its literal sense of “cut off in the corner”, to refer to a people who live in the remotest corners of the world.


###### Ramban on Numbers 24:18:1
[Ramban on Numbers 24:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ramban%20on%20Numbers/r/24:18:1)

וְטַעַם **וְהָיָה אֱדוֹם יְרֵשָׁה**. מַפֶּלֶת אֱדוֹם בְּיַד הַמָּשִׁיחַ תִּהְיֶה, כִּי גָּלוּתֵינוּ הַיּוֹם בְּיַד רוֹמָה לֶאֱדוֹם תֵּחָשֵׁב, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״תַּם עֲוֹנֵךְ בַּת צִיּוֹן לֹא יוֹסִיף לְהַגְלוֹתֵךְ, פָּקַד עֲוֹנֵךְ בַּת אֱדוֹם גִּלָּה עַל חַטֹּאתָיִךְ״, וְלֹא יִפְקֹד הַשֵּׁם עַל אֱדוֹם עַד תֹּם עֲוֹנוֹת צִיּוֹן בְּעֵת שֶׁלֹּא יוֹסִיף לְהַגְלוֹתָם. עַל כֵּן הִזְכִּיר בִּלְעָם אֱדוֹם, כִּי הוּא הַחוֹלֵק עַל מַלְכוּתֵינוּ, וּבוֹ נֶאֱמַר ״וּלְאֹם מִלְאֹם יֶאֱמָץ״, יִתְנַבֵּא כִּי לֹא תִפֹּל אֱדוֹם לְגַמְרֵי עַד עֵת הַקֵּץ בְּיַד הַכּוֹכָב הַדּוֹרֵךְ. וְטַעַם **וְהָיָה יְרֵשָׁה שֵׂעִיר אֹיְבָיו**, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שֵׂעִיר יְרֵשָׁה לְאוֹיְבָיו, אוֹ "אוֹיְבָיו" הֵם אֱדוֹם וְשֵׂעִיר הַנִּזְכָּרִים שֶׁהֵם אוֹיְבֵי יַעֲקֹב וְיִהְיוּ יְרֵשָׁה:

**Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976:**
AND EDOM SHALL BE A POSSESSION, SEIR ALSO, EVEN HIS ENEMIES SHALL BE A POSSESSION. The downfall of Edom²⁵⁰ will be by the hand of the Messiah, because our present exile under the hand of Rome is considered Edom’s [exile], just as it is said: *The punishment of thine iniquity is absolved, O daughter of Zion, He will no more carry thee away into captivity; He will punish thine iniquity, O ‘daughter of Edom,’ He will uncover thy sins*²⁵¹ — for G-d will not punish Edom until the sins of Zion are absolved, at the time when *He will no more* keep them *in captivity*.²⁵¹ Therefore Balaam mentioned Edom, for it is he who disputes our [right to] kingdom, and about him it has been said, *and the one people shall be stronger than the other*.²⁵²). Balaam was thus prophesying that Edom will not completely fall until the time of the end [of the exile] by the hand of *‘the star’* [i.e., the Messiah] who will *step forth out of Jacob* [as stated in the previous verse].
*Seir also, even his enemies shall be a possession*. This means that Seir will become a possession of his enemies [i.e., of Israel].²⁵³ is to be interpreted as *to his enemies*. Or [the term] *his enemies* may refer to [Jacob’s enemies, i.e.,] Edom and Seir mentioned [previously in the verse], who are the enemies of Jacob, [and the meaning of the verse would thus be: “Edom, and Seir also, who are the enemies of Israel] will become a possession [of Israel].”²⁵⁴

footnotes:
²⁵⁰ See Vol. I, pp. 444-445, and 568-569, for an explanation why this term is used about Rome.
²⁵¹ Lamentations 4:22.
²⁵¹ Lamentations 4:22.
²⁵² Genesis 25:23. “They will never be equally great at the same time; when one rises, the other will fall” (Rashi ibid.
²⁵³ This is Rashi’s interpretation, according to which the phrase his enemies
²⁵⁴ See my Hebrew commentary p. 301 for a quote from the Zohar, which interprets the verse in this way.


###### Ramban on Numbers 24:19:1
[Ramban on Numbers 24:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ramban%20on%20Numbers/r/24:19:1)

וְטַעַם **וְהֶאֱבִיד שָׂרִיד מֵעִיר** – מִכָּל עִיר, שֶׁלֹּא יִשָּׁאֵר שָׂרִיד מִכָּל עִיר שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, כִּי מִתְּחִלָּה אָמַר: ״וְקַרְקַר כָּל בְּנֵי שֵׁת״ (במדבר כ״ד:י״ז), וְעַתָּה יֹאמַר שֶׁלֹּא יַשְׁאִיר שָׂרִיד וּפָלִיט, וְהִנֵּה נִשְׁלְמָה הָעֵצָה שֶׁהוֹדִיעַ לְבָלָק:

**Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976:**
And the meaning of the verse, *and he shall destroy the remnant from ‘the’ city*,²⁵⁵ is “from *‘every’* city,” for there will not be left a remnant of any city in the world [i.e. of those belonging to the Roman Empire, here referred to by the names Edom and Seir]. Thus at first [in Verse 17] Balaam said that [the Messiah] will *break down all the sons of Seth*, and now he is saying that he will not leave any remnant or survivor [of them]. Thus was completed Balaam’s counsel to Balak.

footnotes:
²⁵⁵ Verse 19.


###### Ramban on Numbers 24:20:1
[Ramban on Numbers 24:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ramban%20on%20Numbers/r/24:20:1)

**וַיַּרְא אֶת עֲמָלֵק** – נִסְתַּכֵּל בְּפֻרְעָנוּתוֹ שֶׁל עֲמָלֵק וְאָמַר: ״רֵאשִׁית גּוֹיִם עֲמָלֵק״, הוּא קָדַם אֶת כֻּלָּם לְהִלָּחֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְכָךְ תִּרְגֵּם אוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על במדבר כ״ד:כ׳), וְאַחֲרִיתוֹ לֵיאָבֵד בְּיָדָם - ״תִּמְחֶה אֶת זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק״ (דברים כה יט), לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ״י (רש״י על במדבר כ״ד:כ׳). וְיִתָּכֵן כִּי "וַיַּרְא" כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ, שֶׁהָיָה בְּרֹאשׁ הַפְּעוֹר הַנִּשְׁקָף עַל פְּנֵי הַיְשִׁימוֹן, וְהִבִּיט כְּנֶגֶד אֶרֶץ עֲמָלֵק הַיּוֹשֵׁב בָּהָר הַהוּא. וְאָמַר כִּי הוּא עַתָּה רֵאשִׁית גּוֹיִם, כִּי בְּרֹאשׁ הָעַמִּים יֵחָשֵׁב, כִּי גִּבּוֹרִים הָיוּ וְאַנְשֵׁי חַיִל לַמִּלְחָמָה. וְלוּלֵי כֵן לֹא עָלָה בְּלִבּוֹ לָבֹא לְהִלָּחֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלֹא הֻצְרַךְ מֹשֶׁה לִבְחֹר אֲנָשִׁים וְלִתְפִלָּה וְלִנְשִׂיאוּת כַּפָּיו לְחוּלְשָׁתוֹ, וּבָנָה מִזְבֵּחַ וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ ה' נִסִּי (שמות יז טו), כִּי חֲשָׁבָהּ לְנֵס גָּדוֹל. וְלָכֵן אָמַר זֶה כִּי הוּא רֵאשִׁית הָעַמִּים וְאַחֲרִיתוֹ יֹאבַד יוֹתֵר מִכֻּלָּם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר: ״כִּי מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה אֶת זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם״ (שם פסוק יד). וְכֵן ״רֵאשִׁית שְׁמָנִים״ (עמוס ו ו) - הַמְשֻׁבָּח שֶׁבָּהֶם שֶׁהוּא נִמְנֶה רִאשׁוֹנָה. וְכֵן ״רֵאשִׁית הַחֵרֶם״ (שמואל א טו כא), ״לְרֹאשׁ וּלְקָצִין״ (שופטים יא יא), ״בְּשָׂמִים רֹאשׁ״ (שמות ל כג):

**Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976:**
VAYAR’ (AND HE SAW) AMALEK. “He contemplated the punishment of Amalek and he said, *Amalek was the first of the nations* — he was the first of them all to wage war against Israel. And so did Onkelos translate it. *But his end* will be to be destroyed by their hands, [as it is said], *thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek*.”²⁵⁶ This is Rashi’s language.
It is possible that the word *vayar* is to be understood in its literal meaning [“and he saw,” and not, as Rashi explained it, “and he contemplated”], since Balaam was on *the top of Peor, that looketh down upon the desert*²⁵⁷ and so he looked towards the land of Amalek *who dwelt in that hill-country*.²⁵⁸, 14:45. Thus he said that *Amalek is* now *‘the first’ of the nations*, meaning that he is considered a leader of the nations, because they were *mighty men, and valiant men for the war;*²⁵⁹ for were it not so, it would not have occurred to them to come and attack Israel, and Moses would not have had to choose a select number of men [to fight them],²⁶⁰ or to pray and lift up his hands [towards heaven] until he was weakened.²⁶¹, Verses 11-12. He [Moses] also built an altar and called its name *‘Ado-nai nissi’* (*the Eternal is my banner*),²⁶², Verse 15. because he considered [the defeat of Amalek] a great miracle. Therefore this [man Balaam] said that *Amalek is the first of the nations, but his end shall come to destruction* more than all the others, as He said, *For I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven*.²⁶³, Verse 14. Similarly, *‘the first’ oils*²⁶⁴ means “the best” of them, which are counted first [in quality].²⁶⁵ The same [usage is also found in these expressions]: *‘the first’* [i.e., “the best”] *of the devoted things;*²⁶⁶ *‘head’ and chief over them;*²⁶⁷. *‘the chief’ spices*.²⁶⁸ See Ramban, Vol. II, p. 528.

footnotes:
²⁵⁶ Deuteronomy 25:19.
²⁵⁷ Above, 23:28.
²⁵⁸ Ibid.
²⁵⁹ Jeremiah 48:14.
²⁶⁰ Exodus 17:9.
²⁶¹ Ibid.
²⁶² Ibid.
²⁶³ Ibid.
²⁶⁴ Amos 6:6.
²⁶⁵ Of the quality used for lighting the lamps in the candelabrum (see Menachoth 86a).
²⁶⁶ I Samuel 15:21.
²⁶⁷ Judges 11:11. Literally: ‘first’ and chief
²⁶⁸ Exodus 30:23. Literally: ‘the first spices.’


###### Ramban on Numbers 24:21:1
[Ramban on Numbers 24:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ramban%20on%20Numbers/r/24:21:1)

וְטַעַם **וַיַּרְא אֶת הַקֵּינִי** גַּם כֵּן שֶׁרָאָה אֶת אַרְצָם, כִּי עִם עֲמָלֵק הָיָה יוֹשֵׁב (שמואל א טו ו). **וַיִּשָּׂא מְשָׁלוֹ וַיֹּאמַר** לָהֶם בְּדֶרֶךְ עֵצָה: **אֵיתָן מוֹשָׁבֶךָ וְשִׂים בַּסֶּלַע קִנֶּךָ**, כְּלוֹמַר שִׂים מוֹשָׁבְךָ בְּמָקוֹם אֵיתָן וּבַסֶּלַע קִנֶּךָ, שֶׁתָּסוּר וְתֵרֵד מִתּוֹךְ עֲמָלֵק פֶּן תִּסָּפֶה עִמּוֹ, וְתָשִׂים בְּסֶלַע אֵיתָן מוֹשָׁבְךָ עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר: ״וּבְנֵי קֵינִי חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה עָלוּ מֵעִיר הַתְּמָרִים אֶת בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה״ וְגוֹ' (שופטים א טז). וְאָמַר: **כִּי אִם יִהְיֶה לְבָעֵר קָיִן**, כְּלוֹמַר וְאַל תִּפְחַד בְּבוֹאֲךָ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי אִם תִּהְיֶה לְבָעֵר עִמָּהֶם, כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר יַגְלוּ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל יְבַעֲרוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ מִיּוֹשֵׁב, **עַד מָה אַשּׁוּר תִּשְׁבֶּךָּ** - לֹא יִשְׁבֶּה אוֹתְךָ לְעוֹלָם, כִּי תִּגָּאֵל מִיָּדוֹ עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְאִם תִּהְיֶה עִם עֲמָלֵק תְּהִי אַחֲרִיתְךָ עֲדֵי אוֹבֵד עִמָּהֶם. וְכֵן ״עַד מָה ה' תֶּאֱנַף לָנֶצַח״ (תהלים עט ה), ״עַד מֶה כְּבוֹדִי לִכְלִמָּה״ (שם ד ג), כְּמוֹ ״עַד מָתַי״, אוֹ שֶׁיָּבֹאוּ לְגֹדֶל דָּבָר כְּגוֹן ״מָה אֲמֻלָה לִבָּתֵךְ״ (יחזקאל טז ל), ״מָה אִמְּךָ לְבִיָּא״ (שם יט ב), כְּלוֹמַר עַד מָה יַעֲלֶה וְיִגְדַּל הַשְּׁבִי אֲשֶׁר אַשּׁוּר תִּשְׁבֶּךָּ - אֵינֶנּוּ נֶחְשָׁב לְךָ כְּלוּם, כִּי לֹא תֹאבַד כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיִיתָ אוֹבֵד בַּעֲמָלֵק. וְלָכֵן נָשָׂא מְשָׁלוֹ עַל אַשּׁוּר שֶׁיָּבֹא עֵת אַרְצוֹ גַּם הוּא, וְאֵין מִי שֶׁיִּנָּצֵל מִיּוֹם ה' הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא עַל כָּל הָעַמִּים, שֶׁיָּבֹאוּ צִים מִיַּד כִּתִּים וְהֵם הָרוֹמִיִּים, וְעִנּוּ אֶת אַשּׁוּר הַנִּזְכָּר וְעִנּוּ עֵבֶר שֶׁהֵם יִשְׂרָאֵל, לוֹמַר שֶׁיְּעַנּוּ הַמַּגְלִים וְהַגּוֹלִים, וְגַם הוּא עַם כִּתִּים עֲדֵי אוֹבֵד בַּסּוֹף:
וְהִנֵּה הִשְׁלִים דְּבָרָיו בְּאָבְדַן כִּתִּים כִּי הֵם הַחַיָּה הָרְבִיעִית שֶׁתִּכָּרֵת בְּיַד הַמָּשִׁיחַ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "וְהוּבַד גִּשְׁמַהּ וִיהִיבַת לִיקֵדַת אֶשָּׁא" (דניאל ז':י"א), כִּי "עֲדֵי אוֹבֵד" – הִכָּרֵת זַרְעָם לְגַמְרֵי. וְזֶה דָּבָר מְפֻרְסָם מִדִּבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ כִּי הַחַיָּה הָרְבִיעִית שֶׁרָאָה דָּנִיֵּאל הִיא רוֹמִי אֲשֶׁר הִגְלַתְנוּ וְהִיא אֲשֶׁר תֹּאבַד בְּיַד הַמָּשִׁיחַ. וְאַל תִּשְׁתּוֹמֵם בָּזֶה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַמַּלְכוּת הַשְּׁלִישִׁית הִיא יָוָן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ שָׁם בְּדָנִיֵּאל (דניאל ח':כ"א), וְכִתִּים הוּא מִזֶּרַע יָוָן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "וּבְנֵי יָוָן אֱלִישָׁה וְתַרְשִׁישׁ כִּתִּים וְדֹדָנִים" (בראשית י':ד'), כִּי זֶה אֱמֶת הוּא וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ מוֹדִים בּוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ (בבלי מגילה ו':): אִיטַלְיָא שֶׁל יָוָן זֶה כְּרַךְ גָּדוֹל שֶׁבְּרוֹמִי, וְהוּא יָדוּעַ כִּי שֵׁם הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר רוֹמִי מִכְּלָלָהּ תִּקָּרֵא בְּסִפְרֵיהֶם וּבִלְשׁוֹנָם: אִיטַלְיָא. אֲבָל הָעִנְיָן הוּא הוּא כְּמוֹ בִּכְנַעַן כִּי הַיְבוּסִי וְהָאֱמוֹרִי וְהַגִּרְגָּשִׁי וְהַחִוִּי הֵם בָּנָיו, וְהֵם וַאֲבִיהֶם יֵחָשְׁבוּ כָּל אֶחָד לְגוֹי בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "הַחִתִּי וְהַגִּרְגָּשִׁי וְהָאֱמֹרִי וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי וְהַפְּרִזִּי וְהַחִוִּי וְהַיְבוּסִי שִׁבְעָה גוֹיִם גְּדוֹלִים וַעֲצוּמִים מִמֶּךָּ" (דברים ז':א'). וְהָיָה כֵן בַּעֲבוּר כִּי כָל מֵאֶחָד מֵאֵלֶּה הַבָּנִים הָיָה לְגוֹי עָצוּם, וְנִקְרְאוּ הַגּוֹיִם הָהֵם בְּשֵׁם אֲבִיהֶם, וּשְׁאָר בְּנֵי כְּנַעַן אֲשֶׁר לֹא גָּבְרוּ כַּאֲחֵיהֶם נִתְיַחֲסוּ אֵלָיו. וְכֵן אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם תִּתְיַחֵס לָאָב, וּפְלִשְׁתִּים וְכַפְתּוֹרִים בָּנָיו לְעַמִּים אֲחֵרִים. וְכֵן בַּמִּשְׁפָּחוֹת הַנִּזְכָּרוֹת בְּפָרָשַׁת פִּנְחָס: "לְמָכִיר מִשְׁפַּחַת הַמָּכִירִי וּמָכִיר הוֹלִיד אֶת גִּלְעָד לְגִלְעָד מִשְׁפַּחַת הַגִּלְעָדִי" (במדבר כ"ו:כ"ט), וְכֵן רַבִּים. אַף כָּאן בְּנֵי יָוָן אֱלִישָׁה וְתַרְשִׁישׁ נִתְיַחֲסוּ לְיָוָן, וְהֵם מַלְכוּת שְׁלִישִׁית, וְכִתִּים הָיָה לְגוֹי עָצוּם וְיֵחָשֵׁב מַלְכוּת רְבִיעִית, וְהִיא שֶׁתִּמָּשֵׁךְ מַלְכוּתָהּ עַד הַמָּשִׁיחַ וְתֹאבַד בְּיָדוֹ.
וְר' אַבְרָהָם נִשְׁתַּבֵּשׁ בָּזֶה וְהִכְנִיס בָּהֶן מַלְכוּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל כִּי נָפַל פַּחְדָּם עָלָיו, וְטָעַן אֵיךְ לֹא תִּמָּנֶה מַלְכוּת גְּדוֹלָה וַעֲצוּמָה כָּמוֹהָ. וְזוֹ הַטַּעֲנָה מֵחֶסְרוֹן דַּעַת, כִּי הָאַרְבַּע מַלְכֻיוֹת שֶׁרָאָה דָּנִיֵּאל כֻּלָּן עוֹמְדוֹת זוֹ אַחַר זוֹ, כָּל אַחַת גּוֹבֶרֶת עַל הַקּוֹדֶמֶת וְתוֹפֶשֶׂת הַמַּלְכוּת מִמֶּנָּה, וְכָל אַחַת מַמְשֶׁכֶת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל שִׁעְבּוּד וְגָלוּת בִּימֵי מַלְכוּתָהּ. וּלְכָךְ הֶרְאָה דָּנִיֵּאל בַּחֲלוֹמוֹ כִּי יִשְׁתַּעְבְּדוּ בָּנוּ הַכַּשְׂדִּים, וְאַחֲרֵי כֵּן יִתְפְּסוּ הַפַּרְסִיִּים הַמַּלְכוּת וְיִשְׁתַּעְבְּדוּ בָּנוּ, וְאַחֲרֵיהֶם בִּמְקוֹמָם הַיְּוָנִים, וְאַחַר כֵּן יִגְבְּרוּ הָרוֹמִיִּים וְתָפְסוּ הַמַּלְכוּת וְיִשְׁתַּעְבְּדוּ בָּנוּ עַד עֵת קֵץ, כִּי לֹא תִּפָּסֵק מַלְכוּתָם רַק בְּיַד הַגּוֹאֵל. וְהִנֵּה גָּלוּתֵנוּ כִּימֵי אַרְבַּע מַלְכֻיּוֹת אֲבָל אִם יִהְיוּ בָּעוֹלָם מַלְכֻיוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת בִּימֵי אַרְבַּע אֵלֶּה לֹא יִמְנֶה אוֹתָן הַכָּתוּב, וְלֹא רָאָה אוֹתָם דָּנִיֵּאל, וְאֵין לוֹ צֹרֶךְ כְּלָל בִּרְאִיָּתָם לִידִיעַת הַגְּאֻלָּה. וְהִנֵּה בִּימֵי פָּרַס וְיָוָן וְגַם הַיּוֹם יֵשׁ מַלְכוּיוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת מִלְּבַד רוֹמִי וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל, כְּאַנְשֵׁי הוֹדוּ וְכוּשׁ וּבָא גָּאדַר וְרוּמַנָא וְהַתְּתָר וְזוּלָתָם, וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יַחְשֹׁב מַלְכוּיוֹת רַבּוֹת. וְיָדוּעַ כִּי רוֹמִי הִגְלַתְנוּ בִּימֵי אַסְפַּסְיָנוֹס וְטִיטוּס, לֹא יִשְׁמְעֵאלִים, וְלָכֵן בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁאָנוּ, גַּם בְּיִשְׁמָעֵאל גַּם מֵהֹדּוּ וְעַד כּוּשׁ, בְּגָלוּת רוֹמִי אֲנַחְנוּ עַד שֶׁתֹּאבַד זִכְרָהּ וְנִגָּאֵל מִמֶּנָּה. וּמִי יוֹדֵעַ וְאוּלַי תֹּאבַד עוֹד מַלְכוּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל קֹדֶם הַמָּשִׁיחַ.
אֲבָל הַחַיָּה הָרְבִיעִית הִיא אֲשֶׁר הִגְלַתְנוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר בָּהּ: "וְקַרְנָא דִכֵּן עָבְדָה קְרָב עִם קַדִּישִׁין וְיָכְלָה לְהוֹן" (דניאל ז':כ"א). וְתַמְשִׁיךְ בָּנוּ גָּלוּת עַד הַמָּשִׁיחַ, דִּכְתִיב: "עַד אֲתָא עַתִּיק יוֹמַיָּא וְדִינָא יְהִב לְקַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין וְזִמְנָא מְטָה וּמַלְכוּתָא הֶחֱסִנוּ קַדִּישִׁין" (דניאל ז':כ"ב). וְכָל מֵבִין בְּמַרְאוֹת דָּנִיֵּאל יִמְצָא זֶה מְפֹרָשׁ שָׁם, כִּי בַּמַּרְאָה הַשֵּׁנִית רָאָה הָאַיִל הַמְּנַגֵּחַ, וְנִתְפָּרֵשׁ לוֹ כִּי הוּא מַלְכוּת פָּרַס, וְהַצָּפִיר הַשָּׂעִיר הוּא מֶלֶךְ יָוָן, וְהַקֶּרֶן הַגְּדוֹלָה הוּא הַמֶּלֶךְ הָרִאשׁוֹן אָלֶכְּסַנְדְּרוֹס הַגּוֹבֵר עַל פָּרַס. וּכְעָצְמוֹ תִּשָּׁבֵר מַלְכוּתוֹ וְתַעֲמֹדְנָה אַרְבַּע תַּחְתֶּיהָ – הֵם אַרְבָּעָה שָׁלִישָׁיו הַמּוֹלְכִים תַּחְתָּיו בְּמוֹתוֹ. וְהִזְכִּיר הַכָּתוּב: "וּמִן הָאַחַת מֵהֶם יָצָא קֶרֶן אַחַת מִצְּעִירָה וַתִּגְדַּל יֶתֶר אֶל הַנֶּגֶב וְאֶל הַמִּזְרָח וְאֶל הַצֶּבִי" (דניאל ח':ט'), וְאָמַר בָּהּ: "וְעַד שַׂר הַצָּבָא הִגְדִּיל וּמִמֶּנּוּ הוּרַם הַתָּמִיד" (דניאל ח':י"א). וְהִנֵּה זֶה דָּבָר בָּרוּר לְמַלְכוּת רוֹמָא הַיּוֹצֵא מִיָּוָן, שֶׁהוּא אֶחָד מִבָּנָיו, וְהוּא הַמֵּסִיר הַתָּמִיד. וְלָכֵן נִרְאוּ לוֹ שְׁנֵיהֶם בְּהֵמָה אַחַת, וְהוּא הַצָּפִיר הַשָּׂעִיר שֶׁאַחַת מִקַּרְנוֹתָיו גָּדְלָה וְהֵסִירָה הַתָּמִיד. וְשָׁם עוֹד רְאָיוֹת בָּזֶה. וְקַבָּלַת רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אֱמֶת הִיא, אֵינָהּ צְרִיכָה חִזּוּק.

**Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976:**
And the meaning of the verse, *And ‘he saw’ the Kenite*²⁶⁹ is also that Balaam [actually] saw their land, for he [*the Kenite*] dwelt with Amalek. *And he took up his parable, and said*²⁶⁹ to them by way of counsel, *Firm is thy dwelling-place, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock*,²⁶⁹ meaning: “Make thy dwelling in a firm place, and [set] thy nest in a rock, that is, depart and go away from the Amalekites, lest *thou be swept away*²⁷⁰ with them, *and put in a* firm *rock thy dwelling*, with Israel,” just as it is said, *And the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up out of the city of palm-trees with the children of Judah* etc.²⁷¹ And Balaam continued: *For if the Kenite will be wasted*,²⁷² meaning to say: “Do not be afraid of coming [to settle] in Israel, because even if you *will be wasted* together with them, because when the enemy will exile Israel they will destroy all inhabitants from the Land, — *‘ad mah’* (*for how long*) *will Ashur* [Assyria] *carry thee away captive*?²⁷² He will not hold you captive forever, because you shall be redeemed from his hand together with Israel, but if you will remain with the Amalekites, *your end* will be to perish with them forever.” Similarly we find [this usage of *ad mah* in the following verses]: *‘ad mah’ O Eternal, wilt Thou be angry forever*?;²⁷³ *‘ad meh’ shall my glory be put to shame?*²⁷⁴, 4:3. — which [in both cases] means “for how long.” Or [it may be that the phrase *ad mah*] comes to emphasize the magnitude of something, such as: *‘mah’*(*how*) *weak is thy heart!;*²⁷⁵ *‘mah’*(*how*)*was thy mother a lioness!*²⁷⁶, 19:2. and [here it means] to say: “To what extent can the captivity which Assyria will take captive of you reach, and how great [can it be]? It should be of no significance at all to you, because you will not [ultimately] be destroyed, as you would be if you were together with Amalek.” Therefore Balaam continued and *took up his parable* about Assyria, [saying] that *the time of his own land*²⁷⁷ will come for him too, and nobody will be saved from *the great and terrible day of the Eternal*²⁷⁸ [which will come] upon all the nations; for *ships shall come from the coast of Kittim*, which refers to the Romans, *and they shall afflict* [the] *Ashur* [who is] mentioned [later on in that verse], *and shall afflict Eber*,²⁷⁹ which means Israel. He is thus stating that [the Romans] will oppress both the captors [i.e., the Assyrians] and their captives [the Hebrews]; *but he also* — the people of *Kittim* [namely the Romans, as explained above] — *shall come to destruction*²⁷⁹ in the end.
Thus Balaam completed his words [by foretelling] the destruction of the *Kittim*, who are the *fourth beast*²⁸⁰ which will be destroyed by the hand of the Messiah, as it is said, *I beheld even till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed, and it was given to be burned with fire*,²⁸¹ [and the phrase here] *shall come to destruction* [is used] because their memory will be completely extirpated. Now it is well-known in the sayings of our Rabbis²⁸² that the *fourth beast* which Daniel saw²⁸⁰ represents Rome who exiled us, and it is this [“beast”] which will be destroyed by the hand of the Messiah.
Now do not be astonished at this [explanation we have given above, that *Kittim* means Rome, and do not refute it] because the *third* kingdom [mentioned in Daniel]²⁸⁰ was Greece, as is stated explicitly in the Book of Daniel,²⁸³ and the Kittim are of the seed of Javan [who was the ancestor of the Greeks], as it is said, *And the sons of Javan: Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim*²⁸⁴ [and therefore one might think that the Romans, who are the *fourth beast*, i.e., the fourth kingdom, could not be the *Kittim*]! For it is indeed true [that *Kittim* are the Greeks, as is stated in the verse quoted above,²⁸⁴ but nonetheless here it refers to the Romans, who were descendants of the Greeks]. And our Rabbis admit this [that the Greeks and Romans were related], as they have said:²⁸⁵ “Italy of *Greece* — this is the great city of *Rome*,” and it is well-known that the name of the land of which [the city of] Rome forms a part, is called in their books and in their language “Italy.” [Thus it is clear that Greece and Rome are related, and therefore the *Kittim*, who in the Book of Genesis are described²⁸⁴ as descendants of the *Greeks*, refer here in the prophecy of Balaam to *Rome*.] But the history [of the *Kittim*] is similar to that of Canaan; for the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite, and the Hivite, they and their children and their fathers, are each of them considered an independent nation, just as it says: *the Hittite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, seven nations greater and mightier than thou*.²⁸⁶ The reason for this [i.e., for considering each one a separate nation], is because each one of these [seven] sons [of Canaan] became a mighty nation, and these [individual] nations were called by the names of their ancestors. But the other sons of Canaan²⁸⁷, etc. who did not become strong as did their brothers, considered themselves a part of him [i.e., of Canaan].²⁸⁸ as one of Canaan’s seven children, since, as we have explained, each of his seven sons founded a nation in his own right. So also the “land of Canaan” is so called because of [Canaan] the father [and not because of that particular son of his who founded the Canaanite people — since all his seven sons lived there with their peoples.²⁸⁶]. And *the Philistines* and *Caphtorim*, the sons of [Mitzraim]²⁸⁹ also became separate nations [whereas the other sons of Mitzraim: *Ludim, Anamin* etc. were known merely as descendants of Mitzraim].²⁹⁰, Verse 13. Similarly we find in the families mentioned in the section of *Pinchas:* [*The sons of Menasheh*]*: of Machir, the family of the Machirites — and Machir begot Gilead; of Gilead, the family of the Gileadites*.²⁹¹ — descended from Gilead the son of Machir — are counted by Scripture as a separate family, although it first mentioned *the family of the Machirites*. This is because Gilead increased more than the other sons of Machir, and became a large family in his own right. There are many such cases [in Scripture]. Here too: *The sons of Javan: Elishah and Tarshish*²⁸⁴ are considered part of Javan [Greece], and they constitute the third kingdom [in the vision of Daniel], but the *Kittim* [who were also amongst the sons of Javan]²⁸⁴ became a mighty nation, and are [therefore] counted as the fourth kingdom [i.e., that of Rome], and it is this kingdom which will continue until the [times of the] Messiah, and it will be destroyed by him.
But Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra has confused this matter,²⁹², Ibn Ezra suggested that both Greece and Rome should be counted as the “third beast,” and the “fourth beast” will then be the Islamic empires of his times. Ramban totally rejects this interpretation. and introduced into it the kingdom of Ishmael [i.e., the Arabic kingdoms of his times] *for* their *fear was fallen upon* him,²⁹³ and he argued: “How can one not count such a great and powerful empire [as the Arabic empire, amongst those seen in Daniel’s visions]!” This argument stems from a lack of knowledge, for each of the four kingdoms which Daniel saw, gained power one after another, and each one prevailed over its predecessor and seized the kingdom [of the world] from it. [Likewise] each one continued the enslavement and exile of Israel during the period that it ruled. Therefore Daniel saw in his dream that the Chaldeans [i.e., the Babylonians] would [be the first] to enslave us [i.e., the Jewish people], and that after them the Persians would seize the kingdom, and would [continue] to enslave us, and after them in their stead would come the Greeks; and after them the Romans would become powerful and seize the kingdom, and subjugate us *until the time of the end*²⁹⁴ [of the exile], for their kingdom would only come to an end by the hand of the redeemer [i.e., the Messiah]. Thus [the extent of] our exile is the duration of [rule of] the four kingdoms [Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome], and even if there will be other empires in the world contemporaneously with these four kingdoms, Scripture does not count them and Daniel did not see them [in his visions], since he did not have to see them at all in order to know the [date of the final] redemption. And indeed in the days of [the kingdoms of] Persia and Greece, and today also, there are great empires in the world, besides those of Rome and Ishmael, such as the peoples of India, Ethiopia, Rumania, the Tartars, and others. And if so, [Ibn Ezra] should have counted many kingdoms! And [another reason why Ibn Ezra is mistaken is that] it is well-known that it was the Romans who exiled us in the days of Vespasian and Titus, and not the Ishmaelites [the Arabs]; therefore wherever we are, whether under Ishmael, or [anywhere] *from India, even unto Ethiopia*,²⁹⁵ we are in the exile of Rome, until her memory will be destroyed and we shall be redeemed from it. Who knows, perhaps the kingdom of Ishmael will still be destroyed before the coming of the Messiah! But the *fourth beast* is the one which exiled us, as is said with reference to it, *I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints and prevailed against them*.²⁹⁶ We shall remain in this exile until the coming of the Messiah, as it is written, *until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High; and the time came, and the saints possessed the kingdom*.²⁹⁷, Verse 22. “The Ancient of Days” is a synonym for G-d the Eternal. And anyone who understands the visions of Daniel will find this interpretation clearly indicated there. For in the second vision Daniel saw *the pushing ram*,²⁹⁸, 8:4. which was explained to him as [representing the] kingdom of Persia,²⁹⁹, Verse 20. *and the rough he-goat is the king of Greece, and the great horn is the first king*³⁰⁰, Verse 21. Alexander [of Greece], who prevailed over Persia. And when *he was strong*, his kingdom *was broken*,³⁰¹, Verse 8. *in the place whereof four stood up*,³⁰², Verse 22. these being his four generals [Ptolemy, Seleucus, Antigonus and Lysimachus] who reigned in his stead after his death. And Scripture mentions: *And ‘out of one of them’ came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the beauteous Land*³⁰³, Verse 9. and it says concerning it, *Yea, it magnified itself, even to the prince of the host, and from him the continual burnt-offering was taken away*.³⁰⁴, Verse 11. Thus it clearly refers to the kingdom of Rome, which came “out of Greece” since [the *Kittim* referred to by Balaam, which means, as explained above, Rome] were of his sons [i.e., Javan’s,²⁸⁴ who is the ancestor of the Greeks], and it is that kingdom [Rome] which removed *the continual burnt-offering*³⁰⁴, Verse 11. [through destroying the Second Temple]. Therefore [Daniel] calls both of them [Greece and Rome] one beast, this being *the rough he-goat*,³⁰⁰, Verse 21. one of whose [four] horns *waxed great*³⁰³, Verse 9. and removed *the continual burnt-offering*.³⁰⁴, Verse 11. There are further such proofs there [in the Book of Daniel, that the fourth kingdom means the Romans]; however the tradition of our Rabbis, of blessed memory, [that the “fourth beast” is the kingdom of Rome] is true [in its own right] and needs no other support.

footnotes:
²⁶⁹ Verse 21.
²⁶⁹ Verse 21.
²⁶⁹ Verse 21.
²⁷⁰ Genesis 19:15. See also I Samuel 15:6.
²⁷¹ Judges 1:16.
²⁷² Verse 22.
²⁷² Verse 22.
²⁷³ Psalms 79:5.
²⁷⁴ Ibid.
²⁷⁵ Ezekiel 16:30.
²⁷⁶ Ibid.
²⁷⁷ Jeremiah 27:7.
²⁷⁸ Malachi 3:23.
²⁷⁹ Verse 24.
²⁷⁹ Verse 24.
²⁸⁰ In Daniel’s vision of the four kingdoms [symbolized by four beasts], the fourth beast represents Rome (see Daniel 7:7). See an important note on this subject in Genesis, Vol. I, p. 350, Note 8.
²⁸¹ Daniel 7:11.
²⁸² Abodah Zarah 2b.
²⁸⁰ In Daniel’s vision of the four kingdoms [symbolized by four beasts], the fourth beast represents Rome (see Daniel 7:7). See an important note on this subject in Genesis, Vol. I, p. 350, Note 8.
²⁸⁰ In Daniel’s vision of the four kingdoms [symbolized by four beasts], the fourth beast represents Rome (see Daniel 7:7). See an important note on this subject in Genesis, Vol. I, p. 350, Note 8.
²⁸³ Daniel 7:6. See also Ramban further on for a fuller explanation.
²⁸⁴ Genesis 10:4.
²⁸⁴ Genesis 10:4.
²⁸⁵ Megillah 6b. See my Hebrew commentary, p. 302, Note 86.
²⁸⁴ Genesis 10:4.
²⁸⁶ Deuteronomy 7:1.
²⁸⁷ Genesis 10:17-18: the Arkite, and the Sinite
²⁸⁸ See Vol. I, p. 151, for an explanation why the verse in Deuteronomy 7:1 [quoted above] counts the Canaanite
²⁸⁶ Deuteronomy 7:1.
²⁸⁹ Genesis 10:13-14.
²⁹⁰ Ibid.
²⁹¹ Further, 26:29. Here the Gileadites
²⁸⁴ Genesis 10:4.
²⁸⁴ Genesis 10:4.
²⁹² Ibn Ezra in his commentary to Daniel 7:14. To include all the empires in the “four kingdoms” that will rule the world, as symbolized by the four beasts
²⁹³ Esther 8:17.
²⁹⁴ Daniel 12:9.
²⁹⁵ Esther 1:1. This is a term which refers to anywhere in the known world.
²⁹⁶ Daniel 7:21.
²⁹⁷ Ibid.
²⁹⁸ Ibid.
²⁹⁹ Ibid.
³⁰⁰ Ibid.
³⁰¹ Ibid.
³⁰² Ibid.
³⁰³ Ibid.
³⁰⁴ Ibid.
²⁸⁴ Genesis 10:4.
³⁰⁴ Ibid.
³⁰⁰ Ibid.
³⁰³ Ibid.
³⁰⁴ Ibid.