Numbers 24:18

18 I see Edom sold off at auction, enemy Seir marked down at the flea market, while Israel walks off with the trophies.

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 Decree of the man who hears godly speech, who knows what's going on with the High God, Who sees what The Strong God reveals, who bows in worship and sees what's real.
17 I see him, but not right now, I perceive him, but not right here; A star rises from Jacob a scepter from Israel, Crushing the heads of Moab, the skulls of all the noisy windbags;
18 I see Edom sold off at auction, enemy Seir marked down at the flea market, while Israel walks off with the trophies.
19 A ruler is coming from Jacob who'll destroy what's left in the city.
20 Then Balaam spotted Amalek and delivered an oracle-message. He said, Amalek, you're in first place among nations right now, but you're going to come in last, ruined.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.