He crouched, he lay down like a lion and like a lioness; who will rouse him up? Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you.”
Balaam was paid to curse Israel. Instead his third speech pictures a nation like a lion that has eaten and lain down, and it warns anyone who would disturb that lion. Where did these words come from, since the speaker never wanted to say them? And how far does the blessing and cursing reach?
The Curse Rebounds
Balak thought a hired prophet could hand out blessing and cursing at will. He never saw that the rule already ran the other way.
J. N. DarbyFirst Israel was forbidden to touch Moab. Next Balak says, "He whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed." And he was seeking to bring the curse on Israel when God had said, "Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you." So he was just bringing it on himself.
A Mouth Under Control
Nothing here came from Balaam's own heart. He was a tool in God's hand.
William KellyWe must remember that in all this Balaam could no more resist the power of God working on him and through him than his donkey could stay silent earlier. We must not suppose that there was the smallest measure of real sympathy with what God was doing. The whole event was God's power at work, despite all that could be done against His people. He acted so because He would confound the enemy who turned to Satan's power to bring a curse on Israel.
Two Old Promises, One Hostile Voice
Neither half of the verse is new. Balaam is repeating two much older promises.
W. W. FeredayIn Numbers 24:9 Balaam was forced to repeat two ancient prophecies about Israel. Jacob said of Judah in Genesis 49:9: "Judah is a lion's cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?" The LORD said to Abram in Genesis 12:3, "I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse." So the God of Israel confirmed His word through the lips of a determined enemy!
The Lion Lies Down
A crouching lion is not a tired lion. This picture reaches to the end of history.
Leslie M. GrantAfter devouring the prey the lion lies down. God brings rest to Israel after the defeat of all their enemies. So He promises, "Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease, and none shall make him afraid" (Jer. 30:10). No nation will want to stir up Israel's anger all through the thousand years of peace. Even at the end of that time, nations will come together in hostility against Israel. Israel will have no need to fear, because God will destroy their enemies with fire from heaven (Rev. 20:7-10).
Judah's Lion
The lion picture does not stop with the nation. It reaches a Person: the Lion of Judah, who opens the book of God's purposes.
Frederick W GrantDavid's throne is to be lifted up from the dust, and Judah's long-delayed hope is to open into fulfilment. It is strange that critics and commentators can see, in the Lion of Judah opening the book of God's purposes, only the general truth of Christ on the throne ruling the course of events. The clear reference ties Judah's Lion to Judah taking the prey, and then crouching with a strength that no one will dare to provoke.
Where the Blessing and the Curse Land
The last clause has a track record. Nations have tested it.
An Outline of Sound WordsIn attempting to curse the people of God, both were judged by God. It has been the same all through Israel's uneven history. Nations that have interfered with God's people have not done it without cost. God may have used nations, like Assyria, as the rod of His anger to discipline His people, but in imagining they could act as they pleased in this, they brought God's judgment down on themselves.
Looking forward, the same principle sorts the nations at the end.
The Christian's FriendThe blessing of all nations, as we have seen, is bound up with the blessing of Israel because they are the LORD's people. So Balaam closes his parable with the words of God to Abraham. Matthew 25 gives the fulfilment. There the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory. He separates the nations one from another by how they treated one of the least of His brothers, the children of Israel.
Summary
- Compelled. Balaam had no sympathy with his own words. God's power overruled an enemy hired against His people.
- Confirmed. Both halves of the verse repeat older words: Jacob's blessing on Judah, and God's promise to Abram. A hostile mouth sealed them.
- Couched. The lion has eaten and lain down. That pictures rest after every enemy falls, with no one left willing to disturb it.
- Crowned. The same lion language runs on to the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He takes the prey, then settles in a strength none will provoke.
- Counted. Blessing and cursing are not idle words. Nations that touched Israel have paid, and the Son of Man sorts the nations by how they treated His people.