NUMBERS 24      Other translations  -  previous  -  next  -  notes  -  discussion  -  Numbers  -  BM Home  -  Full Page

Numbers Chapter 24

Summary of the Spiritual Sense

1. And now the corrupted man, therefore, ceases to pervert the truth, and begins to contemplate the rejection of all truth; but he is able also to behold the state of the spiritual man as in heavenly order, and can discern truths in a state of apparent humility, vers. 1-4.
2. The happy state of the truly spiritual man is described, as to good and truth, as to deliverance from evil, and as to his power, from the Lord, against evil, vers. 5-9.
3. But the corrupted man conjoins in himself evil and falsity; he more clearly feels and perceives the opposition between himself and the spiritual man; and he recognizes that the truth cannot be changed to promote evil and error, and that he must be entirely separated from it, vers. 10-14.
4. A prophetic description of the coming of the Lord; of the process of Judgement, by which the external man in the case of the good, is made one with the internal; and of the same process in the case of the wicked, by which they are totally vastated as to all good and truth, vers. 15-25.

1.  Balaam seeing that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, denotes that the corrupted understanding perceives from Divine Good, that the spiritual man has conjunction with the Lord, chap 22:5, 2150, 2001, 5304, 3514, 3654; his not going, as at other times, to meet with enchantments, denotes that he ceases to pervert the truth by making it appear as falsity, 3335, 3698, 7297; and his setting his face toward the wilderness, denotes that he is led, interiorly, to contemplate the rejection of all truth, 358, 2708.

   [Back to 1]

2.  Balaam lifting up his eyes denotes that the understanding of the depraved and corrupted man is elevated, 2148; seeing Israel dwelling according to their tribes, denotes the contemplation of the state of the spiritual man as in heavenly order according to general truths, 2150, 3654, 1293, 3858; and the spirit of God coming upon him, denotes that, for the time being, he is influenced by Divine Truth, 9818, 2001.

   [Back to 2]

3.  Balaam taking up his parable and saying, denotes that thus he perceives from the literal sense of the Word in which is revealed the internal sense, 4637, 1822; and "Balaam the son of Beor says, and the man whose eye was closed (or is opened), says," denotes that the corrupted understanding derived from the corrupted will, from itself, is unable to see truths, because Balaam means old age, or ancient of the people, or the destruction of the people, and therefore denotes falsity confirmed, and thus the corrupted understanding, 2348, 1259, and Beor means burning, foolish, mad, and therefore denotes evil, and thus the corrupted will, 9055, 4217³, 5145⁶; because the Hebrew word, which is rendered "is opened" in the A.V., is translated "was closed" in the R.V. with "is opened" in the margin, while the lexicons give the meaning as "to close"; and because the eyes denote the understanding, and to have the eyes closed evidently denotes not to see or understand truths, 2701.

   [Back to 3]

4.  "He says which hears the words of God," denotes that still he can discern truth externally from some affection, 4404, 2001, 1288; "which sees the vision of the Almighty," denotes when influenced externally as to thought, 2701; and "falling down and having his eyes open," denotes, when in a state of apparent humility and of spiritual enlightenment, 1999, 6567, 2148.

   [Back to 4]

5.  "How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your tabernacles, O Israel!" denotes that the truly spiritual man is a form of loveliness, both as to external and internal life, 553, 3080, 414, 5973.

   [Back to 5]

6.  "As valleys are they spread forth," denotes that in lowest states of good, he is abundant in truths, 1723, 3708, 4398; "as gardens by the river side," denotes that in lowest states of truth he is nourished from the Word, 99, 100, 2702; "as lign-aloes which the Lord has planted," denotes that his realizations of interior truths, from victory in temptation, are from the Lord alone, 10252, 10258, 2001, 8326; and "as cedar trees beside the waters," denotes that his perceptions of internal truths are by means of the Word, 7918, 2702.

   It is to be observed in connection with this verse, that the word translated "spread forth," is rendered "planted" in 108, 3703¹⁸, 3858⁶, and elsewhere, thus involving the idea of the process of regeneration, as well as of abundance; also that the planting of the lign-aloes carries with it the idea of abundance as well as that of planting; and, thirdly, that in 108, the word which is here rendered "lign-aloes," is translated "tents," while yet in 2702⁴, 3858⁶, and 6335³, we have "lign-aloes," the author's Latin term in 108 being "tentoria," and in the other places "santalos." Hence, then, we have an apparent inconsistency, for which it is necessary to account; for why should "tentoria," or "tents" be found in the first instance, and "santalos" or "lign-aloes" in all the others? The explanation appears to be, that the Hebrew words for tents and lign-aloes differ only in the vowel points attached to the first letter, and thus that, inadvertently, the term meaning lign-aloes was rendered by "tentoria" in AC 108, but, correctly, by "santalos in all the other cases. In future editions of AC therefore, would it not be advisable and justifiable to print "lign-aloes" in 108, with a short explanatory footnote giving the reason why? And it may be useful, before we proceed, to point out, in this place, that "lign-aloes," or "wood of aloes," otherwise called Agile Wood, Eagle Wood, or Agallochum, is the inner part of the trunk of Aquilaria ovata and Aquilaria agallochum, trees of the natural order Aquilariacae, and has no connection with aloes as commonly understood.

   [Back to 6]

7.  "Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters," denotes that truths in abundance are with the spiritual man in their receptacles ; and that the increase of good and truth with him is according to his reception of truths in all their varieties, 2702, 3079, 3728, 726, 6172; "and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted," denotes that his central governing principle of Divine Truth is superior to all falsities derived from evil, and that his state of good is superior to all selfish delights, 1672, 8593, 795.

   [Back to 7]

8.  "God brings him forth out of Egypt," denotes that he is delivered from the bondage of the natural man by the power of the truth, 2001, 8866, 503, 5079; "he has, as it were, the strength of the wild-ox," denotes that he is gifted with full power against evil, as if from himself, even in the natural degree, 6343, 2180, 5973; "he shall eat up the nations his adversaries," denotes that he has power to overcome all evils that oppose him, 5149, 1868, 9314; and "he shall break their bones in pieces, and smite them through with his arrows," denotes that he can disperse all falsities by means of the truths of the Word, both externally and internally, 9163, 157, 3812, 8800, 2686, 3812⁹, 4402¹¹.

   In the last two references the words here rendered "smite them through with his arrows," are translated "smash" or "bruise their weapons." The signification, however, is substantially the same, namely, the dispersion of falsities internally.

   [Back to 8]

9.  "He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? " denotes that he is at rest from the conflicts of temptation as to truth and as to good, when fully regenerated, even in the natural degree, 6367⁶, 725; and "Blessed be every one that blesses you, and cursed be every one that curses you," denotes that he has conjunction with the Lord as to all his faculties; and that he is averted from all evils; or in other words, all good men have conjunction with the Lord, and all wicked men are averted from the Lord, 3514, 245.

   [Back to 9]

10.  Balak's anger being kindled against Balaam, and his smiting his hands together, denotes that now, therefore, the corrupted man is altogether averted from Divine Truth, and there is with him the conjunction of evil and falsity, chap 22:2, 5, 5798, 10082, 10061, 878³; and Balak saying to Balaam "I called you to curse mine enemies, and behold you have altogether blessed them these three times," denotes the perception that although the corrupt will desires the destruction of good and truth, yet they are secure against his attacks, even in the greatest degree, 1822, 6047, 245, 3514, 4495.

    [Back to 10]

11.  "Therefore now flee you to your place," denotes that consequently he desires entire separation from the truth, 34382, 2625; "I thought to promote you to great honour," denotes that he had been persuaded that, by means of truths he should be able to promote all selfish purposes, because Balaam represented the truth ostensibly; and to promote to honour, said by Balak, denotes to promote selfish purposes, 8897, 8148³; and "lo, the Lord has kept you back from honour," denotes that he is now forced to the conviction that Divine Love is totally opposed to selfishness and its rewards, 8897.

    [Back to 11]

12.  Balaam saying to Balak, "Spake I not to your messengers which you sentest to me, saying," denotes that yet the corrupted man is made aware that truth from the Lord, had always been clearly revealed to him, 1822, 2951, 4239.

    [Back to 12]

13.  "If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord to do either good or bad of mine own mind. What the Lord speaks that will I speak," denotes that although he should be enriched with abundance of knowledge and delight in the understanding, yet that could not change the truth, nor could it promote both good and evil; for the truth is not from man, but from the Lord Who is unchangeable, chap 22:18.

    [Back to 13]

14.  "And now behold I go to my people," denotes that now, therefore, the truth must be taken from the wicked and given to the good, Balaam here representing the truth which he had uttered from the Lord, and his people those in truth from good, 3335, 1295; also from another point of view, Balaam representing the corrupted man as to the understanding, these words signify that the wicked deliberately choose falsities, 1259; and "Come, and I will advertise you what this people shall do to your people in the latter days," denotes that the truth reveals the state of the good and the evil alike in the Judgement, because Balaam is again about to represent the truth, and to utter it from the Lord; "this people," clearly denotes the Israelites, who signify the good, 5973 ; Balak's people denote those confirmed in adulterated good, and thus in evil, chap 22:2, 2468; and the "latter days" denotes the consummation of the age, and therefore the Judgement, 3353.

    [Back to 14]

15.  Balaam taking up his parable and saying, denotes that from the Divine Word, in which is the spiritual sense, it may be known, 4637, 1822; and "Balaam the son of Beor says, and the man whose eye was closed says," denotes that even those who are in falsity from evil, and are blind to all genuine truths, may have external perception, ver. 3.

    [Back to 15]

16.  "He says which hears the words of God," denotes that still he may be compelled to outward obedience, 4404, 2001, 1288; "and knows the knowledge of the Most High," denotes and also to the realization of truth in its outward form as a manifestation of Divine Good, 2230, 920; "which sees the vision of the Almighty," denotes an exhibition of the Divine Omnipotence, 2701, 020; and "falling down and having his eyes open," denotes as producing the semblance of humility, and as giving revelation, 1999, 6567, 2148.

    [Back to 16]

17.  "I sec him, but not now: I behold him, but not near," denotes that he perceives that the Lord reveals Himself in the Word and yet that the wicked reject Him; he knows that He is manifested in Divine Truth and yet that the wicked do not love this truth, 2150, 6843, 683; "there shall come forth a star out of Jacob; and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel," denotes that he knows that the Lord has revealed Himself even to the natural man in the natural world, and to the spiritual man in the spiritual world, 9293³, 4876¹⁰, 5973; "and shall smite through the corners of Moab, and break down all the sons of tumult, or of Sheth," denotes that He fully overcomes the power of evil, and delivers man from the dominion of falsity, 9494, 2468, 10643, 7975. The last reference describes the quality of those in adulterated good; who are called the sons of Sheth, or of tumult.

    [Back to 17]

18.  "And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession, which were his enemies; while Israel does valiantly," denotes that therefore also His Human has been made Divine, both as to good and truth, although through hereditary evil from the mother, it had been subject to temptation; and that thus the Spiritual Church has been formed, and the spiritual man, as from himself has power against evil, 1675, 3322, 1817. 8323, 10481, 5973.

    [Back to 18]

19.  "And out of Jacob shall one have dominion, and shall destroy the remnant from the city," denotes that by the Human the Lord exercises His Omnipotence, and expels from the church the prevailing power of evil, 3654, 5973, 8967, 10814, 2401-2, 468, 402.

    [Back to 19]

20.  Balaam looking upon Amalek, and taking up his parable and saying, "Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall come to destruction," denotes that Divine Truth teaches that the most insidious falsity from evil, although predominant with the unregenerate, is to be utterly destroyed, with the regenerate, 4637, 1822, ver. 15, 8593, 3382, 1259.

    [Back to 20]

21.  Balaam looking on the Kenite, and taking up his parable and saying, "Strong is your dwelling place, and your nest is set in the rock," denotes that the most extreme falsity of faith alone, although appealing strongly to the merely natural man, and being established apparently upon the Word, 4637, 1822, 1867, 1293, 776, 8581⁷. That the Kenite denotes faith, appears from the signification of the rock; and that, in this case, it is faith alone appears from the prophetic words of Balaam in the series of the internal sense.

    [Back to 21]

22.  "Nevertheless Kain, or the Kenite, shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry you away captive," denotes that those in faith alone shall be utterly devastated by the power of even the corrupted Rational, 7039, 119, 9164.

    [Back to 22]

23.  Balaam taking up his parable and saying, "Alas, who shall live, when God does this?" denotes that Divine Truth teaches that the truth shall be triumphant also, even in the natural degree, 4637, 1822, 34, 2001, 2618. It is said "even in the natural degree," because verses 21 and 22 describe the state of those in faith alone as to the voluntary and rational powers, and therefore this describes their state in the lower degree.

    [Back to 23]

24.  "But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim, and they shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber; and he also shall come to destruction," denotes that the knowledges of Divine Truth, in the hands of the good, shall overcome the merely natural Rational, as well as all external worship separated from internal; for this also shall be destroyed, 6385, 8063, 1156, 5973, 119, 1241, 10510.

    [Back to 24]

25.  Balaam rising up and going, and returning to his place; and Balak also going his way, denotes that Divine Truth itself is elevated above all natural delights, is separated from them, and is finally conjoined to Divine Good. And corrupted good, therefore, is entirely separated from all truth and is conjoined with falsity, ver. 2, 2401, 3335, 2288, 2625, chap 22:2, 10422.

    [Back to 25]

Discussion

Let us now review the contents of this chapter, and notice particularly one or two very interesting points in the first section. The time must come, in the life of every bad man, on account of his departure from good, and therefore, in reality from truth also, when ho will no longer be able to make truth appear as falsity, or falsity as truth; and this is what is represented in the historical fact, that Balaam, on the occasion of this third sacrifice, did not go as before to seek for enchantments. For we read: "If there arise in the midst of you a prophet or a dreamer of a dream, and he give you a sign or a wonder, and the sign and the wonder come to pass, which he spoke to you saying, Let us go after other gods which you have not known, and let us serve them; you shall not obey the words of that prophet, or the dreamer of that dream, because Jehovah tempts you" (Deut 13:1-4). And concerning this it is said that "the prediction itself was from the Divine, but the persuasion to worship other gods was from the proprium of the prophet, to whom it was permitted for the sake of tempting, as it is said. Hence also it is, and from other causes, that on many occasions in olden time, they who worshiped Baalim and other gods, also prophesied, saw visions, and dreamed dreams, and likewise that the things spoken by them came to pass, whereby many were led astray (concerning which see Jeremiah, chap. xxiii.); besides others who were called diviners, soothsayers, sorcerers, and pythons, who were among those who studied natural magic, whereby nothing of what was Divine could be foretold, but only what was contrary to the Divine, that is, contrary to the Lord, and contrary to the good of love, and the truth of faith in Him. This is magic, whatever it may appear in external form," 3698. See also 7297; and remember that from these passages we may learn that we ought not to depend on outward signs and miracles alone as testifications of the truth, but upon true doctrine drawn from the Word of the Lord, and especially on the effect of true doctrine in leading to the renunciation of all selfishness and to all the blessings springing from a holy and pious life of charity and faith.

But we must here notice also another thing. Sometimes it happens that a knowledge of the internal sense of the Word is of great assistance in deciding as to the correct meaning of an expression in the original languages in which the Word was written. And a case of this kind occurs here, which is worthy of our attention. For we find that, in the third verse of our chapter a certain word is translated "closed" with a note in the margin to the effect that it may also mean "opened." But the fact that the R.V. evidently prefers "closed," no doubt because it is more correct according to the lexicons, leads us to consider which interpretation really agrees best with the series of the spiritual sense. And we have preferred that of the R.V. giving the spiritual meaning accordingly, because it involves an important truth concerning the corrupted man, and, indeed, concerning every one, namely, that from himself he is not able to see truths; while the next verse shows that, nevertheless, even a wicked man may do this by the Lord's permission, when it may serve an important and useful purpose, even although it is of no real benefit to himself. On the other hand, however, we find that, in AE 140, the term "opened" is preferred to "closed," and is said to signify illumination as to the understanding; and, of course, this will mean spiritually, as to the understanding only, since it describes the state of the corrupted man. And in concluding this section we must not forget that now also the man confirmed in evil, has his mind really directed towards the falsities of evil, or in other words, to that state of desolation as to good and truth which is denoted by Jeshimon.

In the second section we have to contemplate, as even the false prophet does, spiritually, the state of the good man, who has conjunction with the Lord which is signified by being blessed; and since this conjunction can only be by love to Him and charity to the neighbour, therefore it is so emphatically said at the end of it, "Blessed is every one that blesses you, and cursed is every one that curses you." That is, all good men have conjunction with the Lord, because they reciprocate His love; and all wicked men are in aversion from the Lord, because they do not reciprocate His love, the Lord's love remaining steadfast to every one even to eternity. But it is to be observed in studying this description, that all interior delights and perceptions are symbolized by outward delights and perceptions, since, in heaven, there is the full enjoyment of all external things, because they correspond so exactly to what is internal. For the tents of Jacob, aptly represent the outward life of the good, while the tabernacles of Israel denote their interior life and their worship. Now it is frequently said that heaven is an eternal Sabbath, that is, an eternal state of the worship of the Lord. But they greatly err, who imagine that this worship consists of external adoration and praise continually. On the contrary, it is the eternal expression of man's inmost loves and delights, which are from the Lord, in his external words and actions; and this is really why tents and tabernacles are both mentioned, and also why the nation is first called Jacob and then Israel. And it is because the prophet was inspired to see, as it were, the beauty and the glory of the angelic life both at once, the outward form so perfectly corresponding to the inward state. And how finely, indeed, does the sixth verse describe this manifestation of interior blessedness in exterior happiness! And if we compare the two couplets of that verse, we may see clearly how the first describes natural pleasures, and the second spiritual delights. And then we may notice how the next verse sets before us the great abundance of even the lowest receptacles of good and of truth; while by his king being higher than Agag, and by his kingdom being exalted is very plainly denoted that "his central governing principle of Divine Truth is superior to all falsities from interior evil and his state of good superior to all selfish delights." But here we remark in passing that Agag is supposed to have been a general name for the Amalekite kings, just as Pharaoh was for the kings of Egypt; also that the word means "roof" or "floor," and thus denotes, correspondentially, what is highest and lowest, and thus a state of aspiring selfish love, which desires dominion over all things, besides which we know too, that the Amalekites signify interior falsities and evils, which beset the man of the church, during regeneration, so that it is said concerning them that "the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation" (Exod 17:16). We finish this section, however, by observing that again is the power of the true spiritual man over all evil greatly magnified, showing, by a most expressive symbolism, that there is no spiritual enemy, which by the power of the Lord he is not able to fully conquer.

And now combining the last two sections, some remarks may be made on the general prophecy of Balaam with which the account ends. But look, first, at ver. 10, and observe how thoroughly the corrupted man is given up to all evil; for it is said that now Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and that he smote his hands together in order to denote this complete aversion which culminates in the full conjunction of falsity with evil. For the two hands signify the will and the understanding, and smiting them together is a most forcible symbol of the conjunction of these in an aggravated state of evil. And, then, again, the three times in which the Israelites had been altogether blessed, is another very strong way of emphasizing the completeness of the salvation of the man of the true church, since, everywhere in the Word the number three denotes what is complete and full, many examples of which will readily occur to those familiar with its histories in the Old Testament and in the New. And yet, upon the surface, it here appears as if Balaam, who denotes the understanding, was separated from Balak who denotes the will; but this is because the false prophet is now compelled, under an inspiration that he cannot control, to put on the representation of the true prophet. Let us then reverently consider his prophecy, which indeed in its internal sense it deeply concerns us all to understand.

For, first, the church in general has long known that, by the star coming forth out of Jacob, and the sceptre rising out of Israel, is signified the coming of the Lord into the world for the redemption and salvation of mankind. But while this is true, yet the real nature and character of that redemption and salvation, have been, through the corruptions of the ages, and the prevailing selfishness of men, but very imperfectly comprehended. But the opening of the Word as to its internal sense, has revealed the truth, as it shines forth from many parts of scripture; and in the prophecy now before us we have a striking example. For in reality, redemption consisted in the deliverance of all mankind from the powers of hell, by whom human liberty of choice between good and evil was on the point of being taken away; and this deliverance the Lord accomplished in His Human Nature while He was in the world, by suffering Himself to be tempted, and by conquering in every temptation, thus reducing the hells into subjection, and the heavens into order, and so preserving man's freedom for ever, at the same time glorifying His Human, and thus providing a new and living and eternal way of access to' Himself, which can never more be violated; and, therefore, now, through this great work, every one who chooses may actually be delivered from evil, and become actually receptive of good from the Lord. And thus now we see in what way it is that every man can be saved who earnestly desires it, by faith in the Lord God the Redeemer and Saviour, by love to Him, and by obedience to His commandments, since He constantly gives to every individual the power to shun his evils, and also the power to do good altogether, as from himself, and this because in His Divine Human He has all power in heaven and upon earth, and can save to the uttermost every one who approaches Him and worships Him as the manifested God in whose single Person is embodied the Divine Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This great victory, therefore, of the Lord in His Human Nature, is what is represented by the victories of Israel under the leading of the Star and Sceptre, the former denoting the power of Divine Truth, and the latter the power of Divine Good, in overcoming the dominion of evil for man and in man even for ever; and the nations themselves, as the references show, denoting the evils belonging to man, which by the Divine Power and Love, each person who freely chooses, is able to overcome, even as the Lord Himself overcame. How very much, therefore, is involved in the grand prophecy of Balaam, which indeed does not appear upon the surface, but which is able in very truth to make those who heed it wise to salvation!