Numbers 22:4

4 And he said to the greater men in birth of Midian, So this people shall do away all men that dwell in our coasts, as an ox is wont to do away an herb till to the roots. Forsooth he, that is, Balak, was king in that time in Moab. (And the Moabites said to the men of great age, that is, the elders, of Midian, These people shall do away all the men who live in our land, as easily as an ox is wont to do away grass unto its roots. And he, that is, Balak, was king at that time in Moab.)

Numbers 22:4 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 22:4

And Moab said unto the elders of Midian
Whom the king of Moab sent for to consult with what to do in the present case, for the good and safety of both people; for, according to the Targum of Jonathan, they were one people and one kingdom unto this time, at least had been confederates, by what is said ( Genesis 36:35 ) though Jarchi thinks there was always a mutual hatred of each other, and that Midian now came against Moab to war, but for fear of Israel a peace was made between them, just as it was with Herod and Pontius Pilate in another case, ( Luke 23:12 ) , however, they were friends as well as neighbours now; and by which it appears, that this Midian was not that where Jethro lived, which was on the Red sea, near Mount Sinai, in Arabia Felix; this was near the river Arnon, and the Moabites in Arabia Petraea; and though both the one and the other descended from Midian, the son of Abraham by Keturah, yet they had spread themselves, or the one was a colony from the other, and might be distinguished into southern and northern Midianites; the latter were those near Moab; and these elders of Midian, addressed by the king of Moab, being now at his court, whether sent for or not, are the same with the five kings or princes of Midian, as they are called, ( Numbers 31:8 ) ( Joshua 13:21 ) as Aben Ezra observes:

now shall this company lick up all [that are] round about us;
consume us, and all our people, and all adjoining to us, and depending on us:

as the ox licketh up the grass of the field;
as easily, and as soon, and as completely and entirely; nor are we any more able to oppose them than the grass of the field is to resist and hinder the ox from devouring it:

and Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time;
according to the Targum of Jonathan, Midianites and Moabites reigned by turns so long a time; and that Balak was a Midianite, and so says Jarchi, and unfit for the kingdom, and was set over them through necessity for a time: but it seems rather that he was king in succession after his father Zippor; and the design of the expression is only to show, that he who was before mentioned, ( Numbers 22:2 ) was the then reigning prince when this affair happened.

Numbers 22:4 In-Context

2 Soothly Balak, the son of Zippor, saw all things that Israel had done to (the) Amorites,

3 and that men of Moab dreaded Israel, and they might not bear the assailing of Israel. (and that the Moabites feared the Israelites, for they could not survive an assault from Israel.)

4 And he said to the greater men in birth of Midian, So this people shall do away all men that dwell in our coasts, as an ox is wont to do away an herb till to the roots. Forsooth he, that is, Balak, was king in that time in Moab. (And the Moabites said to the men of great age, that is, the elders, of Midian, These people shall do away all the men who live in our land, as easily as an ox is wont to do away grass unto its roots. And he, that is, Balak, was king at that time in Moab.)

5 Therefore he sent messengers to Balaam, the son of Beor, a false diviner, that dwelled (in Pethor) on, or nigh, the flood of the land of the sons of Amaw, that they should call him, and should say, Lo! a people went out of Egypt, which people covered the face of the earth, and sitteth against me. (And so he sent messengers to Balaam, the son of Beor, a false diviner, who lived at Pethor, near the Euphrates River, in the land of the sons of Amaw, and instructed the messengers to say to him, Lo! a people went out of Egypt, which people covered the face of the earth, and now they be ready to come against me.)

6 Therefore come thou, and curse this people, that is stronger than I, if in any manner I may smite and drive him out of my land; for I know, that he is blessed whom thou blessest, and he is cursed whom thou hast cursed. (And so come thou, and curse these people who be stronger than I, and then I may be able to fight against them, and drive them out of my land; for I know that he is blessed whom thou blessest, and he is cursed whom thou cursest.)