top of Peor, that looketh toward the desert. And Balaam said to Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams. And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.

And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for divinations, but he set his face toward the wilderness.* And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel encamped, according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him. And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man of the open eye hath said: he hath said, who heard the words of God, who saw the vision of the Almighty, falling, but having his eyes open: How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, Ŏ Israel! As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as tents which the LORD hath pitched, and as cedar trees beside the waters. He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. God brought him forth out of Egypt: he hath strength as of a unicorn: he shall devour the nations that are his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them with his arrows.

He couched, he lay down as a lion,

He went not, as at former times, to seek divinations.-This explains the whole of Balaam's character. He was anxious to obtain the reward offered by Balak, but finding that, so long as he consulted God, He would prevent him from earning his hire, and therefore, intending probably to say what would please Balak, without authority from God, he did not go as formerly, to seek supernatural impulses. But the Spirit of God came upon him, and overruled his intentions.

and as a lioness: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.

And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said to Balaam, I called thee to curse my enemies, and behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times. Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I proposed to promote thee to great honour: but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.

And Balaam said to Balak, Did I not speak also to thy messengers which thou sentest to me, saying, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or evil of my own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak? And now, behold, I go to my people: come, therefore, and I will warn thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.

And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man of the open eye hath said: he hath said, who heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, who saw the vision of the Almighty, falling, but having his eyes open: I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: a Star shall come forth out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly. Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy the remnant of the city.

And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the head of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he

perish for ever. And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwelling place, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock. Nevertheless the Kenite is to be consumed, until Asshur shall make thee captive. And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this! And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.

And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place and Balak also went his way.

QUESTIONS ON LESSON LI.

WHEN the Israelites came to Moab, what did the king of Moab do?

What was his name 2

What was his message to Balaam? and his request to him"

What did Balaam say to the elders of Moab who came to him?

Who came to him that night'

What did Balaam say to God'

What answer did God make to him?

What answer did Balaam return to the princes of Moab ' What did Balak then do?

What did Balaam do'

Was he right in doing so?

What should he have done?

What did God now say to him?

Why was God angry because he went?

How did God shew his anger?

What miracle took place?

What did the angel say to him?

When Balaam came to Balak, what did Balak do? What did Balaam desire Balak to do? and for what pur pose?

What was the nature of the answer which God put into the mouth of Balaam?

What did Balak then say and do?

Did Balaam comply with his request, and seek occasion of cursing the people of God'

What was the answer which God put into his mouth?
What did Balak then say? and what did he do?
Did Balaam go with him? and for what purpose?
Was there any change now in Balaam's mode of acting?
Did he seek an answer from God as formerly?

Did God give him an answer? and what was the nature of it?

Whither did Balak and Balaam go?

LESSON LII.

FROM NUMBERS XXVII. XXXI.

AND the LORD said to Moses, Go up to this mount Abarim, and view the land which I have given to the children of Israel. And when thou shalt have seen it, thou also shalt be gathered to thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered. For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the contention of the congregation, as to sanctifying me at the water before their eyes that is the water of Meribah in Ka desh in the wilderness of Zin.

And Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, who may go out before them, and who may go in before them, and who may lead them out, and who may bring them in: that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.

And the LORD said to Moses, Take to thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay thy hand upon him; and make him to stand before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight. And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may obey him. And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall enquire for him according to the ordinance of Urim before the LORD: at his word shall they

go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation. And Moses did as the LORD commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation: and he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Avenge the children of Israel on the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered to thy people. And Moses spoke to the people, saying, Arm from among yourselves men for war, and let them go against the Midianites, to inflict the vengeance of the LORD upon Midian. Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war.

So there were numbered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phineas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets for sounding in his hand. And they made war against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males. And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.*

* They slew Balaam.-This was the end of that wicked man. He is frequently mentioned in Scripture. Thus, in Numbers xxxi. 16, Moses tells the people, that the women of Moab, through the counsel of Balaam, caused the children of Israel to commit sin against the Lord Then again, Deuteronomy xxiii. 3, Moses commands the Israelites that they should not receive an Ammonite or Moabite into the congregation, even to their tenth generation; because, instead of meeting them with bread and water