SEVEN ALTARS. There are deep secrets which only a few can fathom. The number seven occurs with regard to days,¹ months,² years;³ the seven lambs offered for a burnt offering;⁴ the seven sprinklings.⁵ God also told Job, take unto you seven bullocks and seven rams (Job 42:8). When the complete⁶ is added to the complete,⁷ then a spirit of understanding is newly created.⁸ The intelligent will understand what I speak of.

footnotes: ¹ The seventh day is holy. ² Rosh Ha-Shanah falls on the first day of the seventh month. ³ The seventh year is a sabbatical year. The year of jubilee similarly follows seven sabbatical years. ⁴ Offered on the new moon and the festivals, with the exception of Sukkot. See Num. 28 and 29. On Sukkot, 14 lambs (2 times 7) were offered daily as a burnt offering. ⁵ On Yom Kippur and on the leper. See Lev. 16:14; 14:7. All of these are among these secrets. ⁶ Seven is a complete number. ⁷ To seven. When seven bullocks are added to seven lambs and placed on seven altars. Or when seven animals are sacrificed to God the complete, the celebrant is prophetically inspired. ⁸ In the celebrant; i.e., he is prophetically inspired.

ON EVERY ALTAR A BULLOCK AND A RAM.⁹ On each and every altar.¹⁰ Scripture is being brief. It is short for, on one of the many altars.¹¹

footnotes: ⁹ Literally, a bullock and a ram on the altar. ¹⁰ Balaam built seven altars. It is unlikely that he built seven altars and used only one. Hence I.E.’s comment. ¹¹ Balaam used all seven altars. However, Scripture tells us what he offered on one of the altars.

WILL COME. Yikkareh (will come) is derived from li-kerati (to meet me).¹² means will meet me. AND WHATSOEVER¹³. HE SHOWETH ME. The word devar is connected to mah.¹⁴ is connected by hyphen to yareni (He showeth me), for the word devar is in the construct. If the word were in the absolute it would be vocalized davar. Thus our text should be read, u-devar-mah yareni (And whatsoever He showeth me), rather than u-devar mah-yareni. (And a thing of, what will He show me).

footnotes: ¹² Thus yikkareh ¹³ Hebrew, devar mah ¹⁴ Even though the word mah

The term devar means “thing of.” Mah literally means what.

AND HE WENT TO A BARE HEIGHT. The manner in which the Aramaic translator renders shefi (bare) is known. He translates shefi as alone.¹⁵ Now shefi is alone; it is also without a brother.¹⁶ Other say that the word shefi means broken in heart (Ps. 109:16).¹⁷ They say that the word shefi is related to shuppu (corrode) in and his bones corrode (Job 33:21). However, I believe that the word shefi is related to shefayim (high hills) in upon the high hills is heard (Jer. 3:20). The word is found spelled both with a yod¹⁸ and with an alef.¹⁹. We find the same thing with the word peta’im (simple) (Prov. 1:4).²⁰, and other times with a yod. The meaning of va-elekh shefi (and he went to a bare height) is, he went to a high hill. The word el (to) has been omitted from the phrase.²¹. Our texts reads va-elekh shefi, which literally means, and he went to high place. Hence I.E.’s comment. We find the same in va-yavo yerushalayim (and he came to Jerusalem)²² (and he came to Jerusalem), for the literal meaning of va-yavo yerushalayim is, and he came Jerusalem. (I Kings 3:15) and in nase’u ha-am hazerot (the people journeyed unto Hazeroth)²³ (the people journeyed unto Hazeroth), for nase’u ha-am hazerot means the people journeyed Hazeroth. (Num. 11:35). There are many such instances.²⁴ has to be added to the text. Observe, Balaam was divining²⁵ when he went,²⁶ for Scripture clearly states, he went not, as at other times²⁷ to meet with enchantments²⁸ (Num. 24:1). See, I have given you a hint regarding a sealed secret.²⁹

footnotes: ¹⁵ Onkelos renders our clause, and he went alone. ¹⁶ That is, it is not found again in Scripture. ¹⁷ These commentaries render our clause: And he went with a broken heart. ¹⁸ In Job 33:21. ¹⁹ Is. 49:9. See I.E. on Is. 49:9. It should be pointed out that our texts of Is. 49:9 do not spell the word with an alef ²⁰ It is sometimes spelled with an alef ²¹ Our text should be read as if written va-elekh el shefi ²² This should be read as if written va-yavo el yerushalayim ²³ This should be read as if written nase’u ha-am el hazerot ²⁴ Where the preposition el ²⁵ I.E. does not describe the divination which Balaam employed. He may have cast lots, read the entrails of sacrificed animals, interpreted clouds, or the like. ²⁶ To the mountain. ²⁷ Which implies that until then he divined. ²⁸ Divining. ²⁹ That Balaam practiced enchantment using the number seven.

AND I HAVE OFFERED UP A BULLOCK AND A RAM ON EVERY ALTAR. By command.³⁰

footnotes: ³⁰ He commanded Balak to build these altars and place the offerings on them. See verse 1.

AND HE TOOK UP HIS PARABLE, AND SAID. The parable referred to is, For from the top of rocks I see him (v. 9).³¹

footnotes: ³¹ Verses 7 and 8 are not parables.

FROM THE MOUNTAINS OF THE EAST. The word kedem means east.³² can also mean old.

footnotes: ³² The word kedem

COME, CURSE ME JACOB. “And he said” has been omitted from our clause.³³ We find many such instances in the Song of Songs. This is an abridged style.

footnotes: ³³ Our verse should be read as if written, And he said: Come curse me Jacob, and come…

EXECRATE ISRAEL. Scripture repeats itself ³⁴ repeats Come curse me Jacob. as is its custom. Its manner is to employ different words to express the same thought. It repeats itself for emphasis. The word zo’amah (execrate)³⁵ is vocalized with a cholam. should have been vocalized like the word zokhrah (remember)³⁶ is vocalized with a short kamatz. in Remember unto me, O my God (Neh. 5:19). However, since the ayin³⁷. was vocalized with a pattach³⁸. because it is a guttural, a cholam rather than a short kamatz was placed between it and the zayin.

footnotes: ³⁴ And come execrate Israel ³⁵ Zo’amah ³⁶ Zokrah ³⁷ Of zo’amah ³⁸ Rather than with a sheva

HOW SHALL I CURSE, WHOM GOD HATH NOT CURSED. The word kabboh means to curse. Its heh is in place of a vav.³⁹ rather than kabbo. The latter is the usual form. Hence I.E.’s comment. It is like the heh in oholoh⁴⁰ rather than the more usual oholo. (his tent) (Gen. 12:8) and the heh in fera’oh⁴¹. (let them loose) in for Aaron had let them loose (Ex. 32:25). Kabboh comes from a double root.⁴². Its full form⁴³ is kavevo (they curse him). Compare, savevo⁴⁴. Both double root letters are present in savevu. (they surrounded him) although it is irregular.⁴⁵ is not found in Scripture (Krinsky). The form used is sevavuhu (I Kings 5:17). For other interpretations see Filwarg and Meijler.

footnotes: ³⁹ The word is spelled kabboh ⁴⁰ The word is written oholoh ⁴¹ Rather than fe’aro ⁴² Its root is kaf, bet, bet ⁴³ In the perfect. ⁴⁴ From the root samekh, bet, bet ⁴⁵ The word savevo

AND HOW SHALL I EXECRATE, WHOM GOD HATH NOT EXECRATED. The words ezam (shall I execrate) and za’am (execrate) come from the root, zayin, ayin, mem (anger). Scripture repeats itself.⁴⁶

footnotes: ⁴⁶ The second half of our verse repeats the first half.

FOR FROM THE TOP OF THE ROCKS I SEE HIM. Balaam said this because he was high up on the hill. He went not, as at other times, to meet with enchantments. But he set his face toward the wilderness (Num. 24:1)⁴⁷ and not toward the high place⁴⁸ is proof that my interpretation of shefi⁴⁹ is correct.⁵⁰ (wilderness), which is a flat area, with sefi. Thus sefi must refer to an elevated area. It is also likely that from the top of the rocks is a parable symbolizing the decrees that come down from heaven. For Balaam in his wisdom⁵¹ saw that this nation would stand alone and not intermingle with other nations that would overpower her and try to force her to give up God’s Torah, as the nations did.

footnotes: ⁴⁷ I.E. assumes that the wilderness is a flat area. ⁴⁸ Which he previously faced. ⁴⁹ See I.E. on verse 3. ⁵⁰ For Scripture contrasts midbar ⁵¹ Which came to him from on high.

AND SHALL NOT BE RECKONED AMONG THE NATIONS. I will explain this in my comments on When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance (Deut. 32:8).

WHO HATH COUNTED. It is a wonder that Israel is not counted with the nations, when they are a nation as numerous as the sand. It is likely for a small nation not to be counted.⁵²

footnotes: ⁵² Because of its insignificance, but not a large one whose number is like the sand.

THE DUST OF JACOB. Its meaning is: Jacob is as numerous as the dust of the earth.

OR NUMBERED THE STOCK OF ISRAEL? One standard.⁵³ (stock) as a quarter. The camp of Israel was divided into four standards (Num 2:1-31). Thus a quarter of Israel was one standard. It means the same as thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all (v. 13).⁵⁴

footnotes: ⁵³ I.E. interprets rova ⁵⁴ The idea of our verse is, who can count even part of Israel.

[LET ME DIE THE DEATH OF THE RIGHTEOUS, AND LET MINE END BE LIKE HIS!] The Aramaic translator beautifully explained the meaning of yesharim (the righteous).⁵⁵ as the honest.I believe that Balaam wanted to die. He wanted his end to be like the end of Israel, who are God’s portion and are not ruled by the stars, for he was a magician.⁵⁶ Others say that mine end repeats let me die. Balaam wanted to die like the righteous of Israel, for he knew that he would die by the sword.⁵⁷ The Gaon⁵⁸ says that Who hath counted refers to God. Our verse means: You who are able to count the dust of Jacob, give me the death of the righteous. However, if this is so, then what meaning is there to Or numbered the stock of Israel?⁵⁹ after saying, You who are able to count the dust of Israel. Many explain that rova (the stock of) is similar in meaning to rivi, which means my lying down. Compare, Thou measurest my going about and my lying down (rivi) (Ps. 139:3). They explain that the dust of Jacob refers to the time that Jacob journeys.⁶⁰

footnotes: ⁵⁵ Onkelos renders yesharim ⁵⁶ According to this interpretation Balaam made two requests: to die the death of the righteous and to be granted a share in the world to come. ⁵⁷ According to this interpretation Balaam had one request, to die the death of Israel. The Bible merely repeats itself. ⁵⁸ Rabbi Saadiah Gaon. ⁵⁹ For Balaam would not say to God, You who are able to count a standard of Israel ⁶⁰ They interpret our verse as follows: Who can count Israel when Israel camps; Who can count Israel when Israel journeys.

[THOU HAST BLESSED THEM ALTOGETHER.] It is normal usage to place the infinitive first in the perfect and then the imperfect.⁶¹ The reverse is true in the imperative.⁶² However, there are irregular phrases such as u-verakhta barekh⁶³) comes last. (thou hast blessed them altogether) (Num. 24:10); and yava vo⁶⁴) comes last. (and he shall come on) in and he shall come on, and overflow, as he passeth through (Dan. 11:1).

footnotes: ⁶¹ When Scripture wants to emphasize a point, it repeats the verb. It does so by placing the infinitive form first and then the appropriate verb next. See Gen. 31:30; Ex. 19:5; and Jud. 15:2. ⁶² In the imperative the infinitive comes first and the imperative second. See Is. 6:9. ⁶³ Here the infinitive (barekh ⁶⁴ Here too the infinitive (vo

BUT THE UTMOST. The meaning of efes katzehu is, but the utmost.

AND CURSE ME THEM. Ve-kovno (and curse them) is irregular.⁶⁵, for that is the rule when a nun vav is used to indicate the pronoun. According to the rules of grammar the imperative is the same as the imperfect.⁶⁶ The only difference between them is the prefix.⁶⁷ Compare, yirdefehu (he shall pursue him); yirdefenu (he shall pursue him); yirdefuhu (they shall pursue him); and yirdefo (shall pursue him⁶⁸ is represented by a cholam only when a heh vav or a nun vav is not used to indicate the pronoun.) in The enemy shall pursue him (Hos. 8:3).⁶⁹ However, kovno comes with a nun vocalized with a cholam joined to the root. According to Rabbi Judah, the first grammarian, the word kovno comes from the root kof, bet, nun.⁷⁰ is not a sign of the pronoun. The word kovno is similar to yirdefo; i.e., the pronoun is represented by a cholam. If this is the case, then kovno cannot be an imperative, for we do not find such a vocalization in the kal.⁷¹ signified by a vav (Filwarg). Perhaps kovno is an infinitive vocalized like the word shomro (keep) in and because He would keep the oath (Deut. 7:8).

footnotes: ⁶⁵ The word should have read ve-kavnu ⁶⁶ It is vocalized similarly. ⁶⁷ A prefix is placed before the verb in the imperfect. ⁶⁸ The pronoun him ⁶⁹ These are examples of verbs in the imperfect combined with the pronoun. ⁷⁰ Thus the nun ⁷¹ We do not find the imperative combined with the pronoun him

AND HE TOOK UP HIS PARABLE. The reference is to like the lofty horns of the wild-ox (v. 22) and a people that riseth up as a lioness (v. 24).

GIVE EAR UNTO ME. The word adai (unto me) is related to the word ad (unto). The word adai (unto Me) in Yet have ye not returned unto Me (Amos 4:6) is similar. Scripture repeats itself.⁷² The vav in beno tzippor (son of Zippor) is superfluous.⁷³ means son of, not his son. It is similar to the vav of le-mayeno (a fountain) in into a fountain of waters (Ps. 114:8).⁷⁴ in this verse means a fountain of, not a fountain.

footnotes: ⁷² The second part of the last clause repeats its first part. ⁷³ Here beno ⁷⁴ Le-mayeno

[GOD IS NOT A MAN.] Balaam said this in response to Balak’s request, and curse me them from thence (v. 13). However, Balaam had already told him, God hath not cursed (v. 8).⁷⁵

footnotes: ⁷⁵ He therefore told him now that God is not a man and consequently does not alter His words.

WHEN HE HATH SAID, WILL HE NOT DO IT? His word.⁷⁶

footnotes: ⁷⁶ It refers to His word.

OR WHEN HE HATH SPOKEN. A word.

BEHOLD, I AM BIDDEN TO BLESS. Barekh (to bless)⁷⁷ is an infinitive. It has the same meaning as a noun.⁷⁸) with the meaning of a noun (borakhah). The meaning of our clause is, I have taken a blessing; i.e., God has given me a blessing.

footnotes: ⁷⁷ Literally, blessing. ⁷⁸ Scripture employs an infinitive (barekh

AND WHEN HE HATH BLESSED. U-verekh (and when he hath blessed) is a verb in the perfect. Its meaning is, when God pronounced a blessing, I cannot call it back.

NONE HATH BEHELD INIQUITY IN JACOB.⁷⁹ I believe that Balak learned from this utterance to send Moabite women into the camp of Israel.⁸⁰ Scripture’s meaning is that God is not like a man that he should repent (v. 19), for He did not see iniquity in Israel. However, if there be iniquity in Israel, then God’s word will not come to pass, for all of God’s words are conditional unless accompanied by an oath. Compare, At one instant I may speak concerning a nation…to build and to plant…but if it do evil in My sight…then I repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit it. (Jer. 18:7-10). This is the meaning of Balaam’s statement.

footnotes: ⁷⁹ I.E. renders this as: He (God) did not see iniquity in Israel. ⁸⁰ Therefore Balaam reasoned that it would pay for Balak to send Moabite women to the camp of Israel in order to make them sin. See Num. 25:1-3.

NEITHER HATH ONE SEEN PERVERSENESS IN ISRAEL.⁸¹ Scripture repeats itself.⁸² The word amal (perverseness) is brother to aven (iniquity). Amal (perverseness) is so called because iniquity (aven) ultimately leads to it. Look, as long as God does not see iniquity in Jacob, He is with Israel.⁸³

footnotes: ⁸¹ I.E. renders this as: Neither hath He (God) seen perverseness in Israel. ⁸² Neither hath He (God) seen perverseness in Israel repeats, He (God) did not see iniquity in Israel ⁸³ I.E.’s interpretation of The Lord God is with him…

AND THE SHOUTING FOR⁸⁴. THE KING IS AMONG THEM. In the camp of Israel. The reference is to and when ye blow an alarm (tru’ah) (Num. 10:5).⁸⁵). The word used for shouting in our verse is tru’at. Hence I.E.’s comment.

footnotes: ⁸⁴ Hebrew, tru’at ⁸⁵ Shouting refers to the sounding of the shofar in honor of God (tru’at.

GOD WHO BROUGHT THEM FORTH OUT OF EGYPT. This God who brought them out of Egypt is mighty and showed his miracles in Egypt.

LIKE THE LOFTY HORNS OF THE WILD-OX. Ke-to’afot re’em (like the lofty horns of the wild-ox) is similar to karne re’em (the horns of the wild-ox) (Deut. 33:17).⁸⁶ refers to an animal. The meaning of to’afot is, the might of.⁸⁷ To’afot (the heights of) in The heights of the mountain are His also (Ps. 95:4) is similar.⁸⁸ It is also possible that the meaning⁸⁹ of ve-to’afot harim lo (the heights of the mountains are His) is, the horns of the mountains are also His.⁹⁰. The meaning of ve-kehsef to’afot lakh (and precious silver unto thee) (Job 22:25) is, and silver, as mighty as the mountains.⁹¹ is short for to’afot harim (might of the mountains). Scripture reads lo (to him). [It means to them.] Compare, and the shouting for the King is among them (v. 21). It means that this God made Israel strong. God did all this for them because Israel cleaves to God and does not seek anything from anyone but the Lord, for they have no need for an enchanter and a diviner.

footnotes: ⁸⁶ In other words, re’em ⁸⁷ The horns represent the might of the animal. ⁸⁸ According to I.E., Ps. 95:4 should be rendered: the might of the mountain are also His. ⁸⁹ The literal meaning of. ⁹⁰ Horns representing might. There is no difference in meaning between the two interpretations. They only differ with regard to the literal meaning of to’afot ⁹¹ See I.E. on Job 22:25. To’afot

NOW IT IS SAID OF JACOB. Ka-et (now) is to be rendered, like this time.⁹² is, like a time. I.E. explains that this means like this time. Its meaning is: at all times it will be told to them without the assistance of an enchanter.⁹³

footnotes: ⁹² The literal meaning of ka-et ⁹³ What God will do.

WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT. Mah pa’al el (what hath God wrought) is to be rendered, what God shall do. All things decreed, even those decreed for the future, are decreed in the past. Hence Scripture employs a perfect (pa’al).⁹⁴ This will be told to Israel prophetically. What is told in prophecy is the truth.

footnotes: ⁹⁴ For what God will do.

OF JACOB AND OF ISRAEL. Scripture repeats itself in a prophetic utterance. Compare, From the top of Senir and Hermon (Song of Songs 4:8).⁹⁵

footnotes: ⁹⁵ Senir and Hermon refer to the same mountain. See Deut. 3:9.

BEHOLD A PEOPLE THAT RISETH UP AS A LIONESS. This hints that Israel will conquer the kings of Canaan. It seems most logical to interpret it this way regarding a soon-to-occur event,⁹⁶ such as the war against Midian.⁹⁷ A war like it was unprecedented. No Israelites were lost in this war⁹⁸ and five kings died in it,⁹⁹ along with thirty-two thousand females who never slept with a man.¹⁰⁰

footnotes: ⁹⁶ That it relates to a war that occurred prior to the conquest of Canaan. ⁹⁷ See Num. 31:1-12. ⁹⁸ See Num. 31:49. ⁹⁹ Num. 31:8. ¹⁰⁰ Num. 31:35.

AND DRINK THE BLOOD OF THE SLAIN. The spoil and all their wealth.¹⁰¹ According to the midrashic interpretation it means that Moses would not die until he ate of the prey.¹⁰² Scripture similarly reads: Afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people (Num. 31:2).

footnotes: ¹⁰¹ The wealth of the slain. See Num. 31:11. ¹⁰² Moses wouldn’t die until he first defeated and looted the Midianites.

THAT THOU MAYEST CURSE ME THEM. Ve-kabbota (that thou mayest curse) comes from a double root.¹⁰³. Compare, ve-sabboti ani (therefore I turned) (Eccles. 2:20).¹⁰⁴ comes from the root samekh, bet, bet.

footnotes: ¹⁰³ Its root is kof, bet, bet ¹⁰⁴ Sabboti

UNTO THE TOP OF PEOR. Balaam did not seek to use sorcery, so God’s spirit came upon him. Balaam acted like this because he saw that there is no enchantment with Jacob (Num. 23:23).