5 Smooth Stones

of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of o ff enses! For o ff enses must come, but woe to that man by whom the o ff ense comes!” ENDNOTES: 47 Complete Jewish Bible Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern and is published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. 48 Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments by Joseph Benson Biblesoft Forma tt ed Electronic Database Copyright © 2014 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved. Ma tt hew Henry's Concise Commentary - Numbers 22:15-21 God knows the heart. Balaam's corruptions at the same time inclined him to go contrary to the command. He seemed to refuse the temptation; but he expressed no abhorrence of it. He had a strong desire to accept the o ff er, and hoped that God might give him leave to go. He had already been told what the will of God was. It is a certain evidence of the ruling of corruption in the heart, to beg leave to sin. God gave Balaam up to his own heart's lusts. As God sometimes denies the prayers of his people in love, so sometimes He grants the desires of the wicked in wrath. (from Ma tt hew Henry's Concise Commentary, PC Study Bible forma tt ed electronic database. Copyright © 2000, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.) Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Exposition of the Entire Bible by John Gill [1746-63]. Text Courtesy of Internet Sacred Texts Archive. [I]f if the men come and call thee, rise up, and go with them; this was said, as some think, not seriously, but sarcastically, or rather in an angry manner, bidding him go, if he would; so giving him up to his own heart's lusts, or, at most; only permi tt ing him to go with them, but not to curse Israel; and this permission to go seems to be on this condition, if the princes fi rst called him, and were urgent on him to go with them: this was a trial of Balaam, whether he would be eager and forward to go, or patiently wait until he should be called; or the words may be rendered, "seeing", or because (g): they are come to call thee: but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shall thou do; whether he would or not, he should be forced to do it, as Jarchi; and therefore go not with any intention to curse Israel, which shall never be done; wherefore to go would be vain and fruitless, since he would never be able to answer the design of Balak: but still Balaam hoped, it not being so fully and clearly expressed as before, that he should not curse Israel; that God would say something else unto him, though he had no reason at all for it, but all the reverse; so blinded was he with a greedy desire of riches and honour.

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