160 NUMBERS XXV, forne later Jew, who put forth his worke in that Ionàrbans name. 2o Verso. he looked on Amale4] on the countrie or people of the Amalekites, the pofterity of Efau, Gen. 36.12. As the fight of Ifraeloccahoned Sa- laam to bleffe them, verte 2&c. fo the beholding of the wicked, occafioned the utterance of their judgement and curfe. the firs] or the beginning ertbenations; meaning either the chiefeft of them, or, as the Chaldeeexpottndeth it , the firli fthem that warred againft Ifrael; for whichGod threat - ned their ruine before,in Exo. s 7.as now he fore - telleth it again by Balaam As Ifraelwas the Lords fn fi-fruits, Jer. 2.3. and therefore by him prefer - ved: foAmalekbeing the first- fruits of the wicked nations,is devoted to deftruftion,fulfilledin part by Saul, t Sam. 15. and after in Merdecaies time, Etter 7. but spiritually accomplilhed by Christ. Thus Jericho the & I-fruits of the Cananean cities, was altodevoted and deftroyed,JoC6. hit latter end] or, hie paferitie; as the Greeke tranflateth, his feed : See Plàl. 3 7.38. that be perish for ever] or, unto perdition ; which the Greeke tranflateth, /hall perifb; the Chaldee, shall perish for ever : So in verte 24. 2I Verte a r. the Kenite] that is , the Kenites, or Ketteans; these the Chaldee calleth Salmeans ; fo that he tooke them for thole Kenites mentioned in Gen., 5.19. But Tbargain lonatbanexpoundeth it of Ietbro, tbat became a Profelyte, Exod. 18. And fo in Judg:1.16. it is raid, the children ef the Kenite, Motes father in law, went up, &e. And these are mentioned here next Amalek, becaufe they dwelt with them; as is written, And Saul faid unto the Kenites; Gee, depart, getyou damne font among the Amalekites, &c. r Sam. 15. 6. thou putter tby nef ] Hebr. to put thy nef, of which phrafe fee the Annotations on Gen. 6.19. And here the Hebr. Ken, which is a nef, bath allufion to the Kenites name: by nef, meaning an habitation, as in Job 29. 18. a fimilitude taken from Eagles, which build their nefts on high rockes; fee Obad. ver.4. Habak. 2. 9. So hereby was hgnified the fecure dwelling of the Kenites by Ifrael, without distur- bance, till the Affyrian wafted all. 22 Verte 22. Kain]that is,tbe Kenite, who came, as it fcemeth, of a man named Kam , and fo is by the Chaldeeexpounded as before, the Salngean. Some thinke it to be the name of a place where they dwelt. wafted] or, eaten up, to wit, by e -, nemies. unn/ Afar] or, whiles After; the Affyrians , and Babylonians , who carried away captive the tenTribes oflfrael, 2 King. 1 7.6. and the Jewes into- Eabylan, 2.King. 25. and fo the Ke- nites with them, as appeareth by this prophefie; and after the returne of the people out of Baby- lon, there is mention of there Kenites alfa, in a Chron. 2.55. 23 Verte 23. Alas, who fhailive] the Chaldee ex- plaineth it, Woe to the finders thatfhall live, &c. Hee fignifieth hereby extraordinary and grievous ca- lamities. Both this] Hebr. pmtetb, or diffofith this, to wit , this that followeth. Thargum Iona- titan explaineth it, When the word of the Lord fbali be revealed, to give agoodreward unto the jail, and to take zengeance on the wicked, &c. Verse 24. from she coat of Kitim] Hebr. from the band of Kitim , which the Chaldee expoundeth from the Romanes; the old Latine version, (ram Ita- ly; the Greeke keepeth the Hebrew phrafe, fern the band of the Kieran. Kiting (or Chittim) was one of the Ions of lavan, the ton of lapbet,the fon of Noe, Gen.' o. 4. His poiteritie feared in Cilida, Macedonia, Cyprus, and Italy alto, as I,fephur ob- ferveth in Antiq. lib. 4. cap. 22. Wherefore Kiting is taken fometime for the one, and fometime for the other. Here it may imply both the troubles that befell the Affyrians and Jews, by the Greeks and Selucidee in the troublons daim of Aotiocbua, according to that in Dan. 11.3©. For the fhipsof Kiting fbai come againfi him: and after calamities that befell the Hebrewes, from the Romanes. Thal mill Afar they,the fhips,that is,the armies of Kìtim (hall afflift the Affyrians,which cone of Afar, the fon of San, the fon of Noe, Gen. so. 22. Heber] or Eber that is, Hebers children , as the Greeke tranflateth it, the Hebrewes , of Heber : fee Gesso. 22,24. All Ifrael were his pofteritie, aft- flifted by Greekes and Romanes. Christ was the chiefeft of Eber, Luke 3. 23,35. he was killed by Pilate the B.omane Deputìe. Since that time, Rome by Antichrift there reigning, hath of lifted Chrift in his members. be alfò] that is, Ki- tim (hall perifb for ever: or, fall goe lento perdition. Thus Balsam, as hee began with the biding of Ifrael, endeth with the deftru6tion of their enemies : God by his mouth confirming the promises made unto Abraham, and to his feed tor ever; the accomplishment of all which, is in Chrift. Ver. 25. returned to hic place] that is,went away with a purpofe to returne hone, but was hayed by the Midianites, and among them was killed by the (word of Ifrael, Numb. 3 t. 8. But this is here fo fignified,to thew how God difáppointed their plots and praftifes, that Balsam returned as he carne, & could not curse If ae, but denounced woes againft their enemies. Things which men purpofe and indevour to doe, are faid to be done by them,thoughperhaps not effefted; as is noted on Exod. 8.18. Numb. 14.40. Ic might alfb be, that Balsam indeed returned to his place, and af- terward came againe to the Midianites. SoCbaz- kuei (onNumbers 31.) faith, After that he bad re- canted to his place, to Mefopotamia, became againe to Midian, to receive money of the Elders of Midian, when be heard fay of the plague which had been& in If rad byy his co:fiill. w aeE A as CHAP. X X V. 1 Ifrael se Shitting commit whoredom& with the daughters of Moab, and idolatry with Baal -Poor. 4 The idolaters are commanded tole Elaine. 6 Phiesebas killeth Zimri aodCozbi. 10 God tbereforegizetb him an over - laftingPrieshood. 16 The Midianite, are to be zexed for their wiles againf Ifrael. And 24 25
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