'ולא הלך וגו, “he did not continue to attempt using divinations;” he knew that such attempts would be futile. From this point on he blessed the Israelites with a full heart. G–d Himself assisted him in doing so. This is why the Torah immediately testifies at that point the spirit of Hashem came to rest upon him. Alternately, Bileam’s mindset actually was not deterred, but G–d forced him to utter blessings because he had been so inspired from above.

מה טובו אהליך יעקב, ”how goodly are your tents, Yaakov;” In the Talmud tractate Sanhedrin folio 105 treatment of this verse, Rabbi Yochanan is quoted as saying that the wording, i.e. the metaphors of Bileam’s blessings reveal that these blessings had been involuntary. He had intended to point to the paucity of synagogues and houses of Torah study, but what came out of his mouth were words of admiration for same. He referred to these houses of studies now as if they were equivalent to Tabernacles devoted to G–d as His residence, i.e. משכנותיך ישראל. Instead of saying that its dynasties would be short lived, he said that they would flow like rivers. Instead of saying that they would not enjoy orchards and vineyards, he said: כגנות על נהר, “like gardens situate near a river;” (for easy irrigation) Rabbi Yochanan there continues in this vein. An alternate interpretation by Rabbi Abba bar kahane: all of Bileam’s blessings eventually turned into curses when the Jewish people did not live up to the idealistic version of them he had painted, except the blessings concerning the synagogues and houses of Torah study. A different scholar understands the word נטיו, derived from נטיה, meaning: “propensity,” rivers having a propensity, inclination, to wend their way through the landscape in a certain fashion sometimes becoming wider or narrower depending on the contours of the landscape surrounding them. Bileam suggests that the fortunes of the Jewish people in the future will parallel what we observe with rivers. Isaiah uses the same simile in Isaiah 66,12, when he said: נוטה אליה כנהר שלום, “like a river at peace.” (as opposed to flood in the next simile of the prophet) Bileam’s similes reflect the changing experiences of rivers and streams as reflecting Jewish history in the future. The more active the rivers, the more they symbolise powerful blessings for the Jewish people. Isaiah 54,2 is also a metaphor describing this concept where it is applied to the earth’s solid surface.

'כאהלים נטע ה, “like aloes planted by Hashem.” This is a metaphor recalling the excellence of the plants in the garden (Eden) which G–d Himself had planted. (Compare Genesis 2,8)

יזל מים מדליו, “water shall drip in a stream from its boughs;” the root נזל is used by Bileam in the same sense as by Devorah in her victory hymn to the Lord, Judges 5,5: הרים נזלו, “mountains quaked;” just as at the revelation on Mount Sinai. The power of rushing waters we call tzunami nowadays, are described by the prophet in Isaiah 8,7 as the turbulent flood waters of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris in Assyria.

וירום מאגג מלכו, “and its king will rise above that of Agag. Bileam foresees the first king of the Israelites, King Sha-ul, as defeating the Kingdom of Amalek headed by Agag at the time (Samuel I chapter 15). All the Kings of the Amalekites bore the title “Agag,” just as all the Kings of Egypt bore the title “Pharaoh.” All the kings of the Philistines bore the title “Avimelech.”

ותנשא מלכותו, “their Kingdom shall be exalted;” the kingdom of the Israelites.

יאכל גוים צריו, “they shall devour its oppressors.”

ועצמותיהם יגרם, “and it will cause their bones to be crushed.”

לכה איעצך, “now I will give you some advice.” According to Rabbi Yochanan, there were three people involved in this “advice.” They were Bileam, Job, and Yitro. Job who kept silent was punished for not objecting with the afflictions described in the Book of Job. Yitro who left this discussion in disgust, was rewarded by his descendants becoming seated in the offices near the Temple of Solomon. Bileam was killed by the sword in the campaign against Midian. This has been documented in Chronicles I 2,55. The families of scribes mentioned in that verse were the descendants of Yitro. They are also mentioned in Judges 1,16: as “the sons of Keyni, the father-in-law of Moses, who had settled in the cities of Date Palms, (formerly Jericho) (based on Sanhedrin folio 106. An alternate explanation of the word: איעצך. “I will give you an advice concerning your concern that the Israelites in your proximity will completely ruin any grassland with its roots.” As long as you will not provoke them you have nothing at all to fear from them.”

אשר יעשה העם הזה, “what this people will do in the future.” This will be explained presently.

אראנו ולא עתה, אשורנו ולא קרוב, “what I see for them will not be yet, what I behold will not occur soon.” This is in contrast to prophecies by Moses in Deuteronomy 32,35: כי קרוב יום אידם וחש עתידות למו, “for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that are to come upon them shall make haste.” The subject can be better understood by a parable. A king took a stroll accompanied by both one of his friends and by someone whom he knew to be hostile to him. When the king mentioned that he had become thirsty, the hostile man said that they were a long distance from the nearest source of water, in order to make the king feel even more uncomfortable. His friend, on the other hand, encouraged him to ride on, assuring him that there was a source of water nearby. (He wanted to encourage the king even though he was not certain that what he said was true) Bileam, the enemy of the Israelites portrayed the salvation of that people as being a long way off, whereas Moses, the people’s friend, encouraged the people to observe the law of the Torah as a result of which their salvation would prove to be quite near (chronologically).

דרך כוכב מיעקב, “there shall step forth a star from Yaakov, etc.” The verb דרך here is used as similar to the prophetess Devorah using it in Judges 5,21: תדרכי נפשי עוז, “march on my soul with courage!” [In both instances it is used poetically as walking in a reinforced manner, with determination and purpose. Ed.] (Compare Isaiah 56,1,כי קרובה ישועתי לבא וצדקתי להגלות, “for soon My salvation shall come and My deliverance will be revealed.”)

וקם שבט מישראל, “and a scepter shall arise out of Israel;” our author understands the word שבט here as meaning a rod used to discipline someone. This rod will be applied to Moav in the distant future. The word פאתי in our verse, commonly translated as “corners of,” is understood by our author as meaning the same or almost the same as in Psalms 118,22: היתה לראש פנה, “had become the chief cornerstone.” This prophecy was fulfilled in the time of David (Samuel II 8,2) ויך את מואב וימדדם בחבל וגו', “He smote Moav and made them lie down on the ground, and measured them with a cord.”

וקרקר כל בני שת, “and break down all the sons of Sheth.” According to Rashi, the reference to Sheth, the third son of Adam of whom all mankind is descended after the deluge, the word is a metaphor for the gentile nations. It does not include the people of Israel here, seeing that at the beginning of the verse Bileam had made the Jewish people the subject in his prophecy.

והיה אדום ירשה, “and Edom shall become a possession;” the Edomites became servants to David, paying annual tributes to him.

והיה ירשה שעיר אויביו, “Seir, also Israel’s enemies, became a possession of those who had previously been its enemies.

וירא את עמלק, “he saw Amalek” (in a prophetic vision). Bileam is also described as seeing the Kenite, the descendants of Yitro in our verse, also a prophetic vision. These two nations are lumped together here because the Amalekites were the first anti Jewish nation, whereas the descendants of Yitro, the Kenites were the first pro Jewish nation. This is why Bileam predicts total destruction for Amalek, and lofty dwellings for the Kenites. The word שים here is not an imperative mode of the root שום, “to place, to set,” but is a noun meaning: “the place of, the seat of.” They will dwell on rocks, i.e. secure from attack from below

כי אם יהיה לבער קין, “nonetheless Kayin will be laid to waste;” this will occur when the are exiled. [Seeing that there had not been male descendants of Kayin since the deluge, the meaning of this line is somewhat obscure. Ed.]

עד מה אשור תשבך, “for how long or when will this occur?” When the Israelites themselves will go into exile and will be sent to Assyria. [According to this, the word Kayin here is a derivative of Kenites. Ed.] The descendants of Yitro will never be subject to total oblivion as will the Amalekites. Therefore it is foolish to be hostile to them, and it is wise to befriend them.

?ויאמר אוי מי יחיה משמו א-ל, He said: “alas who shall live (unless) G–d has planted him firmly?” According to Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish in the Talmud tractate Sanhedrin, the meaning of this line is: “woe to any person who when assuming authority compares himself to G–d!” According to Rabbi Yochanan, the former’s brother-in-law, the meaning is: “woe to any nation that is around at the time when G–d will redeem His people!” Anyone at that time daring to declare himself as ruler anywhere will pay dearly for such arrogance. He is compared to placing his throne between a male lion and that lion’s mate, when that pair is in its mating season. (Talmud, tractate Sanhedrin, folio 106.) Another interpretation: Bileam refers to any fool who still has aspirations at ruling after the Messiah has taken his rightful place on earth.

וצים מיד כתים, “and the fleet of large ships sailing from the harbours of the Assyrians.” [Many commentators understand the word כתים, as a reference to the Romans. Ed.] We find what appears like a similar reference in a prophecy of Isaiah in Isaiah 33,21: וציר אדיר לא יעברנו, “where no floating vessels can travel.”

וענו אשור, “and they shall afflict the Assyrians.” This will occur despite the might of the Assyrian Empire.

וענו עבר, “and they shall afflict Ever, (Ivri) i.e. the Hebrews.”

וגם הוא עדי אובד, “and it too will perish totally.” (The Roman Empire) The successors of the Roman Empire too will perish when the era of the messiah will commence.