Numbers 24:18-25

18 And Edom shall be taken; Seir also shall be taken by his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.

19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion and shall destroy what remains of the city.

20 And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek, head of the Gentiles; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.

21 And he looked on the Kenite and took up his parable and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock;

22 because the Kenite shall be thrown out, when Asshur shall carry thee away captive.

23 And he took up his parable again and said, Alas, who shall live when God shall do these things!

24 And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim and shall afflict Asshur and shall afflict Eber, but he also shall perish for ever.

25 Then Balaam rose up and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.

Numbers 24:18-25 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 24

In this chapter we are told, that Balaam leaving his enchantments, the Spirit of God came on him, and he spake of the happiness of Israel, and prophesied of their future greatness and glory, Nu 24:1-9 which so exasperated Balak, that he ordered him at once to depart from him, Nu 24:10,11. Balaam justified himself in what he said and did, and suggested that before they parted, he had something to say in a prophetic manner, concerning what Israel should do to Moab in "future" times, Nu 24:12-14 and then prophesies concerning the Messiah, and the destruction of Moab, and of some neighbouring nations, and even of some at a greater distance, as the Assyrians and Romans, Nu 24:15-25.