Numbers 24:18

18 Edom shall be a possession, Se`ir also shall be a possession, [who were] his enemies; While Yisra'el does valiantly.

Numbers 24:18 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 24:18

And Edom shall be a possession
Of the children of Israel, which was fulfilled in part when the Edomites became the servants of David, ( 2 Samuel 8:14 ) and when they were smitten and spoiled by Judas Maccabeus,

them a great overthrow, and abated their courage, and took their spoils.'' (1 Maccabees 5:3)

and still more so when all the Edomites or the Idumaeans were subdued by Hyrcanus, and they became one people with the Jews, and conformed to their religious rites; which is not only related by Josephus F14, but by Strabo F15, an Heathen historian, who says, that they joined themselves to the Jews, and embraced their laws: but in a spiritual sense this has had a greater accomplishment in the calling of the Gentiles, and introducing them into the church of God; see ( Amos 9:12 ) compared with ( Acts 15:14-17 ) .

Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies;
which was a mount in the land of Edom where Esau formerly dwelt, and so signifies the same as before: and also that the most strong and fortified places of the land should fall into the hands of their enemies; (See Gill on Obadiah 1:17) (See Gill on Obadiah 1:18) (See Gill on Obadiah 1:19)

Israel shall do valiantly;
in fighting with and conquering the Edomites, or shall get much wealth and riches by the spoil of them, see ( Psalms 60:9 Psalms 60:12 ) . This, and the following verse, are in some ancient writings of the Jews F16 interpreted of the times of the Messiah.


FOOTNOTES:

F14 Antiqu. l. 13. c. 9. sect. 1.
F15 Geograph. l. 16. p. 523.
F16 Zohar in Numb. fol. 85. 4. & 86. 1.

Numbers 24:18 In-Context

16 He says, who hears the words of God, Knows the knowledge of Ha`Elyon, Who sees the vision of Shaddai, Falling down, and having his eyes open:
17 I see him, but not now; I see him, but not near: There shall come forth a star out of Ya`akov, A scepter shall rise out of Yisra'el, Shall strike through the corners of Mo'av, Break down all the sons of tumult.
18 Edom shall be a possession, Se`ir also shall be a possession, [who were] his enemies; While Yisra'el does valiantly.
19 Out of Ya`akov shall one have dominion, Shall destroy the remnant from the city.
20 He looked at `Amalek, and took up his parable, and said, `Amalek was the first of the nations; But his latter end shall come to destruction.
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.