1 Cumque vidisset Balaam quod placeret Domino ut benediceret Israëli, nequaquam abiit ut ante perrexerat, ut augurium quæreret: sed dirigens contra desertum vultum suum,
Hippolytus of Rome · AD 235 Now, in order that He might be shown to have together in Himself at once the nature of God and that of man,-as the apostle, too, says: "Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 But what follows? "And Balaam," it says, "seeing that it was good in the sight of the Lord to bless Israel, did not go according to his custom to meet the omens, but turned his face to the wilderness. And Balaam, lifting up his eyes, beheld Israel encamped by tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.
2 et elevans oculos, vidit Israël in tentoriis commorantem per tribus suas: et irruente in se spiritu Dei,
3 assumpta parabola, ait: Dixit Balaam filius Beor: dixit homo, cujus obturatus est oculus:
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 But let us now see what things Balaam declares in the third prophecy. "Balaam the son of Beor has spoken," he says, "the man who truly sees has spoken, he has spoken who hears the words of the Mighty One, who saw the vision of God in sleep, his eyes uncovered." It is truly astonishing how Balaam is held worthy of such great praise, who, having taken up his parable, pronounces t…
4 dixit auditor sermonum Dei, qui visionem Omnipotentis intuitus est, qui cadit, et sic aperiuntur oculi ejus:
5 Quam pulchra tabernacula tua, Jacob, et tentoria tua, Israël!
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 Now let us already see what things he says in what follows: "How good," he says, "are your houses, O Jacob, your tents, O Israel!
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Concerning the production of foliage, it is said in the Book of Numbers: "How goodly are your tents, O Jacob; your encampments, O Israel! They are like gardens beside a stream." These are the mysteries of Scripture. Who can conceive the charm of the mysteries of Sacred Scriptures?
6 ut valles nemorosæ, ut horti juxta fluvios irrigui, ut tabernacula quæ fixit Dominus, quasi cedri prope aquas.
7 Fluet aqua de situla ejus, et semen illius erit in aquas multas. Tolletur propter Agag, rex ejus, et auferetur regnum illius.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 But now let us see what he also prophesies concerning Christ. For it is he of whom he says: "There shall come forth a man from his seed, and he shall have dominion over many nations; and his kingdom shall be exalted above Gog, and his kingdom shall grow.
8 Deus eduxit illum de Ægypto, cujus fortitudo similis est rhinocerotis. Devorabunt gentes hostes illius, ossaque eorum confringent, et perforabunt sagittis.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 After these things it is further written concerning Christ that: "God led him out of Egypt," which seems to be fulfilled in that place where, after the death of Herod, he is called back from Egypt, and the Gospel indicates it, saying: "Out of Egypt I called my son." This saying seems to some to have been taken from this passage and inserted into the Gospels, but to others to be…
Eusebius of Caesarea · AD 339 The oracle in the previously quoted prophecy, in saying that the Lord would come into Egypt, foretold the journey of our Lord Jesus Christ when he went into Egypt with his parents.
9 Accubans dormivit ut leo, et quasi leæna, quam suscitare nullus audebit. Qui benedixerit tibi, erit et ipse benedictus: qui maledixerit, in maledictione reputabitur.
10 Iratusque Balac contra Balaam, complosis manibus ait: Ad maledicendum inimicis meis vocavi te, quibus e contrario tertio benedixisti:
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 We now take up in hand the fourth of these prophecies which Balaam spoke in the word of God, wishing to open up, concerning this one too, whatever God may grant. To this prophecy, however, there were prefixed in the introduction things similar to those above.
11 revertere ad locum tuum. Decreveram quidem magnifice honorare te, sed Dominus privavit te honore disposito.
12 Respondit Balaam ad Balac: Nonne nuntiis tuis, quos misisti ad me, dixi:
13 Si dederit mihi Balac plenam domum suam argenti et auri, non potero præterire sermonem Domini Dei mei, ut vel boni quid vel mali proferam ex corde meo: sed quidquid Dominus dixerit, hoc loquar?
14 verumtamen pergens ad populum meum, dabo consilium, quid populus tuus populo huic faciat extremo tempore.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 But the prophecy also, nonetheless, which he joins to it in what follows concerning Christ, saying: "A star shall arise out of Jacob, and a man shall rise up out of Israel, and he shall lay waste the princes of Moab," would seem fittingly placed if it had been written: "Come, and I prophesy to you." But now what shall we say to this, that it is written: "Come, I give you counse…
15 Sumpta igitur parabola, rursum ait: Dixit Balaam filius Beor: dixit homo, cujus obturatus est oculus:
Pacian of Barcelona · AD 391 For the ungodly man knows not the evil things he has done, except when he has already begun to be punished for those same evil deeds. Hence it is said by the Prophet; And the vexation alone shall give understanding to the hearing. For he then 'understands' what he has heard, when he now grieves that he is 'vexed' for the neglect of it.
Jerome · AD 420 One day we had before us the book of Numbers written by Moses, and [Fabiola] modestly questioned me as to the meaning of the great mass of names there to be found.
Paterius · AD 606 The unholy man does not know the evil he does unless he begins to be punished for the same evils. For Balaam offered counsel against the Israelites and afterwards saw in his punishment what sin he had previously committed. But the elect, who should not sin, are watchful. Their eyes are open before they fall.
16 dixit auditor sermonum Dei, qui novit doctrinam Altissimi, et visiones Omnipotentis videt, qui cadens apertos habet oculos:
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 Whence also I greatly marvel how this was written of Balaam, to whom it was not even granted to say what is customary among the prophets: "Thus says the Lord," but he says: "Balaam said, the man who truly sees said." Then further, how will it be worthy that so much be understood of Balaam, that he knows the knowledge of the Most High—he who even taught King Balak how to send a…
17 Videbo eum, sed non modo: intuebor illum, sed non prope. Orietur stella ex Jacob, et consurget virga de Israël: et percutiet duces Moab, vastabitque omnes filios Seth.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 After these things he says: "seeing the vision of God in sleep, his eyes uncovered." Of these things it has been sufficiently discoursed in the third vision, and it is idle to repeat the same things.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 Listen to the Evangelist's words about Caiaphas, the high priest of the Jews: "He did not give this as a personal opinion, but in his capacity of high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was destined to die, not for the person alone but to bring together into one also the nations that had been scattered." You will find something like it occurring again in the story of Bal…
Cosmas Indicopleustes · AD 550 A star shall arise out of Jacob, there shall be raised up a man out of Israel—and he shall smite the princes of Moab—and destroy all the sons of Seth. By the sons of Sêth he means the whole world. And this is not applicable to anyone except the Lord Christ, for Sêth is by interpretation a foundation.
18 Et erit Idumæa possessio ejus: hæreditas Seir cedet inimicis suis: Israël vero fortiter aget.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 "And Edom shall be an inheritance, and Esau his enemy shall be an inheritance." Edom is the same as Esau. He according to history indeed is the enemy of Israel, but at the coming, he says, of Christ, he too shall be his inheritance, that is, he shall be received unto the faith and shall not be excluded from the inheritance of Christ.
19 De Jacob erit qui dominetur, et perdat reliquias civitatis.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 "And there shall rise up one out of Jacob, and he shall destroy him that is delivered from the city." That one, he says, who shall rise up as a star out of Jacob, shall destroy him that is delivered from the city. Not in this alone, but in almost every prophetic style, the things that are said are said in speech quite involved and obscure.
20 Cumque vidisset Amalec, assumens parabolam, ait: Principium gentium Amalec, cujus extrema perdentur.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 This fifth and likewise final vision of Balaam is now to be examined by us, concerning which, just as in the others, let us beseech the Lord that at the end He may not forsake us, so that we may be able to grasp the meaning of this vision too not far from the truth.
Ambrose of Milan · AD 397 In the book also, which is titled On Numbers, Scripture says: 'The beginning of the nations is Amalek, and his seed shall perish' (Num. XXIV, 20).
21 Vidit quoque Cinæum: et assumpta parabola, ait: Robustum quidem est habitaculum tuum: sed si in petra posueris nidum tuum,
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 But the prophecy makes mention of the Kenite after Amalek, saying: "And seeing the Kenite, taking up his parable, he said: Strong is your dwelling, and if you set your nest in the rock, and if Beor be to you a nest of cunning, the Assyrians shall lead you captive." It seems to me that he names the Kenite not very blameworthily; for he is the one to whom in the earlier passages…
Pacian of Barcelona · AD 391 Hence is that which is said to the Cinite, by Balaam when prophesying, Strong indeed is thy dwelling place, but if thou hast placed thy nest in the rock. For Cinite is interpreted 'possessor.' And who are they who possess present things, except those who are skilled in the ability of worldly wisdom?
Paterius · AD 606 Kenite means "possession." And who are those who possess present things but the ones who are skilled in the study of secular wisdom? They are those who, by their study, truly build themselves a sturdy dwelling, if they make themselves into little children with humility and are nourished by Christ's grandeur.
22 et fueris electus de stirpe Cin, quamdiu poteris permanere? Assur enim capiet te.
23 Assumptaque parabola iterum locutus est: Heu! quis victurus est, quando ista faciet Deus?
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 But after these things Balaam concludes the discourse of his prophecy in these words, saying: "And having taken up his parable, he said: Oh, oh, who shall live, when God shall do these things?
24 Venient in trieribus de Italia: superabunt Assyrios, vastabuntque Hebræos, et ad extremum etiam ipsi peribunt.
25 Surrexitque Balaam, et reversus est in locum suum: Balac quoque via, qua venerat, rediit.