Numbers 22:4

Num 22:4 And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all [that are] round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor [was] king of the Moabites at that time.

Ver. 4. Unto the elders of Midian.] Their neighbours and confederates. These are called the dukes of Sihon, as having been subdued by his tyranny, whereof Israel had now freed them, and meant them no hurt. {Num 31:8 Jos 13:21}

And Balak the son of Zippor.] A politic and potent prince, {Mic 6:5} not more valiant than vigilant, ingeniose nequam, wittily wicked.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Num 22:4. The elders — Called the kings of Midian, Num 31:8; and princes of Midian, Jos 13:21; who, though divided into their kingdoms, yet were now united upon the approach of the Israelites, their common enemy, and being, as it seems, a potent and crafty people, and neighbours to the Moabites, these seek confederacy with them. We read of Midianites near mount Sinai, Exo 2:3.; which seem to have been a colony of this people, that went out to seek new quarters, as the manner of those times was; but the body of that people were seated in those parts. Lick up — That is, consume and utterly destroy, in which sense the fire is said to lick up the water and sacrifices, 1Ki 18:38; all that are round about us — All our people, who live in the country adjoining to each city, where the princes reside. A lively metaphor to signify the facility with which the Israelites should conquer them without a timely opposition, and likewise what a universal desolation they should make.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

22:4 Midian: This desert people was descended from Abraham (Gen 25:1-2; Exod 2:15-16). Their alliance with Moab was the beginning of their conflicts with Israel (Num 22:7; see 25:6, 14-18; 31:2-10; Judg 6–8).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Which were the heads and governors.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

elders of Midian--called kings (Num 31:8) and princes (Jos 13:21). The Midianites, a distinct people on the southern frontier of Moab, united with them as confederates against Israel, their common enemy.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(4) And Moab said unto the elders of Midian.—It has been thought that Balak was a Midianite. who had been imposed upon the Moabites as their king by their Amoritish conquerors. (Comp. Num_21:26.) The concluding words of the verse may be understood as denoting a recent change in the dynasty.

As the ox licketh up the grass of the field.—The comparison is one which well accords with the occupation of the Moabites as a pastoral people.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4. And Moab said] The people are represented in the person of their king.

the elders of Midian] They are mentioned, in this story, only here and in Num_22:7. The Midianites may be supposed to have made common cause with the Moabites in fear of the formidable enemy. But if so, it is surprising that they are not named in Balaam’s utterances in ch. 24. Behind the present narrative there may lie some unknown tradition in J which formed the basis of P’s narrative in 31:161 [Note: Notice that Midian is geographically connected with the territory of Moab in Gen_36:35 (J).] . Or perhaps, as some think, a late compiler has here introduced the Midianites in view of Num_31:16.

And Balak … at that time] In Num_22:2 E has already mentioned Balak as a well-known person.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor,.... In consequence of the consultation held by the king of Moab with the elders of Midian; and very probably through a motion of theirs, and by advice they gave, Balak dispatched messengers of both people to the person here described by his name and parentage; but who he was is not easy to say: the Jews sometimes make him to be a magician in Pharaoh's court, at the time when Moses was born (z), which is not probable; and it is still more improbable that he should be Laban the Syrian, as the Targum of Jonathan here, and the Targum on Ch1 1:44 though others say (a) he was the son of Beor, the son of Laban, and so was the grandson of Laban; and with as little probability is he said to be Elihu, that answered Job according to a tradition of the Jews, mentioned by Jerom (b); nor is there any reason to believe that he was ever a good man, and a true prophet of the Lord; he is expressly said to be a diviner or a soothsayer, Jos 13:22, a sort of men abhorred of God, and not to be suffered to be among his people, Deu 18:10 but were of great credit and esteem among the Heathens, for their pretensions to foretell things to come, or to discover lost goods, and the like; and by their enchantments to drive away evils, or bring on curses, for which Balaam was famous: and therefore, by the advice of the Midianites, Balak sent for him

to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people; the land of his people, of his birth or habitation, was Aram or Syria, Num 23:7 that is, Aram Naharaim, which lay between the two rivers Tigris and Euphrates, or what is sometimes called Mesopotamia, as is clear from Deu 23:4, and the river of that land, which was eminently so called, is the river Euphrates, as the Targum of Jonathan expresses it here, and by that river was Pethor, where Balaam now lived; and is by some thought to be the same with the Pacoria of Ptolemy (c), which was by that river: the messengers were sent

to call him: to invite him to Balak's court:

saying, behold, there is a people come out from Egypt; Balak speaks of them, as if he knew not who they were, only that they were come from Egypt, and were seeking a new habitation to settle in, and so were in danger from them, lest they should invade his country, and settle there:

behold, they cover the face of the earth; not the face of the whole earth, unless an hyperbolical expression is supposed, to set forth the greatness of their numbers; but a large part of the earth, all within sight almost, even the plains of Moab:

and they abide over against me; were very near him, lay encamped before his country, and his metropolis, and so he thought himself in great danger, and threatened with an invasion, as the pitching of their tents so near made him surmise.

(z) Dibre Hayamim Shekmoaseh, fol. 3. 2. (a) Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 7. 2. (b) Quaest. "see Traditiones" in Gen. fol. 69. D. (c) Geograph. l. 5. c. 18.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Elders of Madian, who dwelt also upon the Arnon, towards the lake of Sodom. These Madianites were a different people from those who inhabited the country to the east of the Red Sea. (St. Jerome) --- They were not governed by kings, but by an aristocracy, or senate of princes. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The elders of Midian, called the kings of Midian, Num 31:8, and princes of Midian, Jos 13:21; who though divided into their kingdoms, yet were now unified upon the approach of the Israelites their common enemy; and being, as it seems, a potent and crafty people, and neighbours to the Moabites, these seek confederacy with them. We read of Midianites near Mount Sinai, Exo 2; Exo 3, which seem to have been a part or colony of this people that went out to seek new quarters, as the manner of those times was, but the body of that people were seated in those parts, as is evident from many scriptures.

Lick up, i.e. consume and utterly destroy, in which sense the fire is said to lick up the water and sacrifices, 1Ki 18:38. The meaning is, we can expect no mercy from them, they will utterly root us out as they did the Amorites, if we do not make a stout and timely opposition.

All that are round about us, i.e. all our people, who lived in the country and territory adjoining to each city, where the princes resided.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

4. Elders of Midian — Greek, “The senate of Madiam.” From the absence of any mention of a king of Midian at this time we infer that the people were governed by the body of elders or princes, and that they were so closely allied to Moab as to have but one king. See Num_22:2, note. It is impossible for geographers to lay down the boundaries of the Midianites. It is certain that they dwelt on the western shore of the AElanitic Gulf, east of Horeb, and that they stretched northward along the eastern frontier of the tribes of Israel east of the Jordan.

Lick up all — This expressive metaphor, still common in the East, was very natural to a pastoral people. Balak wished to arouse the fears of Midian and to secure their aid in the scheme of destroying Israel, not by an alliance of arms but of influence in securing the destructive agency of the renowned Mesopotamian soothsayer.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Moab said unto the elders of Midian. The Midianites were descended from Abraham and Keturah, (Gen_25:2, Gen_25:4) and were thus more nearly of kin to Israel than to Moab. They lived a semi-nomadic life on the steppes to the east of Moab and Ammon, (cf. Gen_36:35) supporting themselves partly by grazing, and partly by the caravan trade. (Gen_37:28) Their institutions were no doubt patriarchal, like those of the modern Bedawin, and the "elders" were the sheiks of their tribes. As the ox licketh up the grass of the field. The strong, scythe-like sweep of the ox"s tongue was a simile admirable in itself, and most suitable to pastoral Moab and Midian.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The elders - Called the kings of Midian, chap. xxxi, 8, and princes of Midian, Josh. xiii, 21, who though divided into their kingdoms yet were now united upon the approach of the Israelites their common enemy, and being, as it seems, a potent and crafty people, and neighbours to the Moabites, these seek confederacy with them. We read of Midianites near Mount Sinai, Exod. ii, and iii, which seem to have been a colony of this people, that went out to seek new quarters, as the manner of those times was, but the body of that people were seated in those parts. Lick up - That is, consume and utterly destroy, in which sense the fire is said to lick up the water and sacrifices, 1 Kings xviii, 38. All that are round about us - All our people, who live in the country adjoining to each city, where the princes reside.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

אל זקני מדין AND MOAB SAID] TO THE ELDERS OF MIDIAN But did not these (Moab and Midian) always hate one another, just as is stated, (Genesis 36:35) “who had smitten Midian in the country of Moab”, from which it is evident that Midian had come against Moab in war? But out of fear of Israel they now made peace between themselves (Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 3; cf. Sanhedrin 105a). And what induced Moab to take counsel of Midian? When they saw that Israel was victorious in a supernatural manner they said: the leader of these people grew up in Midian; let us ask them what is his chief characteristic. They replied to them; “His power lies only in his mouth (in prayer)”. Whereupon they said: “Then we must come against them with a man whose power lies in his mouth” (Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 3).

כלחך השור AS THE OX LICKETH — they used this comparison because whatever piece of ground the ox licks has no blessing left in it (cf. Shabbat 140b, 141a; Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 3).

בעת ההוא [BALAK WAS KING OF MOAB] AT THAT TIME — at that time: he was not really entitled to the kingdom; he was actually one of the Midianite princes, but when Sihon died they (the Moabites) appointed him as king over them to meet the needs of the time (Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 4).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

THE ELDERS OF MIDIAN. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented that “it is possible that the five kings of Midian (further, 31:8). It is thus with the five “kings” of Midian [who are here in Verse 4 called “elders”] that Moab took counsel with, but not with the elders of Midian mentioned in Verse 7, who were lords not “kings.” Ramban will refute this interpretation of Ibn Ezra. were the elders.” But if so, [the expression] and the elders of Moab and ‘the elders of Midian’ departed [further on in Verse 7] does not refer to the [same] “elders of Midian” mentioned at the beginning [here in Verse 4: And Moab said unto ‘the elders of Midian’] since kings would not have gone to him [Balaam on such a mission] and [“the elders” mentioned in Verse 7 must perforce have been] princes, as is [expressly] written, [but not “kings”]. Furthermore, according to the opinion of our Rabbis 7. who said [that the reason why Moab turned for assistance to Midian, their traditional enemy, was because they said]: “The leader of these people [the Israelites] grew up in Midian; [let us ask them about his characteristics]” — it would have been fitting for the Moabites to send [the delegation] to the elders of Midian, not to the kings or the people, for it was the elders who would know Moses’ nature.It appears to me that originally there were kings in Midian, but Sihon the king of the Amorites had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto the Arnon. He [also] fought against the children of Ammon and took [part] of their land, just as the Ammonite king said to Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when he came up out of Egypt, and Jephthah replied to him that they had taken it from Sihon., Verses 15-23. In [the Book of] Joshua it is [also] written, And their border was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, unto Aroer; and Sihon furthermore fought against the kings of Midian and conquered their land, and made them his servants bringing tribute and took the crowns off their heads, depriving them of the splendor of royalty, and he allowed them to remain as judges of the land of Midian under his authority. Therefore [although as Ibn Ezra says, they were indeed once kings of Midian], they are called ‘the elders’ of Midian, similar in expression to [she shall go up] to the gate unto ‘the elders’ [which means “the judges”]. A proof for this [that the kings of Midian were appointed judges — “elders” — by Sihon] is the verse in [the Book of] Joshua: and all the kingdoms of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the chiefs of Midian, Eri, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, ‘the princes of Sihon,’ that dwelt in the land, had now become the princes of Sihon. thus indicating that [the land of Midian arid its chiefs were] under the suzerainty of Sihon. The meaning then, of [the phrase] and the kings of Midian. is “the former kings of Midian,” just as it says: the chiefs of Midian … the princes of Sihon. had now become the princes of Sihon. Similarly it says [of Zur, one of the five people mentioned as a king of Midian], (further, 31:8). It is thus with the five “kings” of Midian [who are here in Verse 4 called “elders”] that Moab took counsel with, but not with the elders of Midian mentioned in Verse 7, who were lords not “kings.” Ramban will refute this interpretation of Ibn Ezra. he was the head of the people of ‘a fathers’ house in Midian,’, 25:15. but he was no longer king. Or it may be that the reason [for the use of the phrase] the kings of Midian. is that they had regained their royal status at that time.But I do not know a reason for that which Scripture says, and Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time, when it could have said [concisely] at the beginning, And Balak the son of Zippor, “king of Moab,” saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. Perhaps Balak was a mightly man of valor, very famous for the acts of his power and of his might, and therefore Scripture mentioned that although Moab had a powerful king at that time, who was courageous among the mighty, they nonetheless were afraid and were overcome with dread because of the children of Israel. That is why Jephthah said [to the king of Ammon], And now art thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab?, for one does not frighten a king except by [mentioning the defeat of another] king who was greatly feared.It is possible that since Moab [at that time] did not have a king, the people stood in great fear because of the children of Israel, therefore they did two things: they sent to the elders of Midian saying, ‘Now will this people lick up etc.,’ and they appointed this man [Balak] as their king on the advice of Midian, and afterwards they all sent [a deputation] to Balaam at the command of the king. This is the meaning of [the expression] at that time [and Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab ‘at that time’], namely [at the time that] they took counsel about the problem of Israel, and sent the messengers to Balaam. The meaning, then, of And Balak saw, is that he [Balak] who was one of the princes of Moab, and a mighty man of valor, took action in this matter and said to Moab, “Come, let us deal wisely with [this] people,” and they thereupon appointed him king on the advice of Midian. In the Midrash Bamidbar Sinai Rabbah I have seen [the following text, corroborating the above interpretation]: “And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. But was he not originally [merely] ‘a prince,’ as it is said, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba [the princes of Sihon]? But [we must say] that when Sihon was killed, at that time they appointed him king over them, the exigencies of the moment causing his [appointment as king, although he was not of the royal family].”

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.