Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Torah

SEVEN ALTARS. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra alluded here to a profound secret. Now Balaam wanted that the Will of G-d should cleave to him through these sacrifices, and therefore he offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all, and wanted that Balak should occupy himself personally in [offering] them. Therefore Scripture states, and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram, the one slaughtering [them], and the other sprinkling the blood [upon the altar]. And the meaning of [Balaam’s words], I have prepared the seven altars is by way of prayer, as if he were saying: “I have prepared for You the perfect [number of] altars with the perfect [number of] sacrifices; may they come up with acceptance on Your altar,” this being similar to that which Scripture says: Receive the memorial of all thy meal-offerings, and accept the fat of thy burnt-offering, and it also states, I will offer unto Thee burnt-offerings of fatlings, with the sweet smoke of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah,, 66:15. and so also in many places. And the meaning of the definite article [in ‘hamizbechoth’ — ‘the’ seven altars] — Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra has already mentioned. Now in the end when Balaam no longer wanted to meet with enchantments, he did not want Balak to participate in the bringing of the sacrifices, in order that he should not cause them to be rejected on account of his [improper] intention; and therefore Scripture said: and ‘he’ offered up a bullock and a ram, [the singular pronoun] referring to Balaam mentioned [previously at the end of that verse: And Balak did as Balaam had said, and he offered up a bullock and a ram]. It is possible, however, that Balak [and not Balaam] offered them up, for he [Balak] did it to appease his [own] mind, while he [Balaam] no longer desired these sacrifices.

AND G-D HAPPENED TO MEET BALAAM. Because this man had not reached the status of prophecy, therefore Scripture speaks of him in this way, [meaning to say] that now the [Divine] communication came to him by way of chance, and in honor of Israel. Hence it says concerning him, and G-d ‘came’ unto Balaam, for this expression is not used in connection with [true] prophets, but only about a person who has not attained this status. Similarly [we find]: and G-d ‘came’ to Abimelech; and G-d ‘came’ to Laban., 31:24. It is possible that [the term “coming” in these verses] means the “coming” through speech of the Will from the Most High to the [Separate] Intelligences, pp. 228-231, where Ramban discusses at length the subject of angels in relation to prophecy. that cause one to dream, for Balaam also would fall down at daytime, and a deep sleep would fall upon him while he was yet with opened eyes.
AND G-D HAPPENED TO MEET BALAAM AND HE SAID UNTO HIM. The meaning [of this verse] is that when an occurrence happened to Balaam in the nature of those experiences which occur to men of Ruach Hakodesh, Note 71 and Ramban ibid. when dwelling alone and a spirit passed before his face that made the hair of his flesh to stand up, fear came upon him, and trembling, and all his bones were made to shake,, Verse 14. and his vigor turned into weakness and he fell upon his face to the ground — and then Balaam said, I have prepared the seven altars, this being by way of prayer, as I have explained. But G-d did not hearken to him and his intention, but told him: Thus shalt thou speak.

AND THE ETERNAL PUT A WORD IN BALAAM’S MOUTH. Some commentators explain that Balaam did not understand the words [he said], but G-d filled him with words and said to him: “Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak, for the words will come forth [automatically] from your mouth.” Perhaps this is also the opinion of our Rabbis, who have said: 12; Bamidbar Rabbah 20:16. “He shaped his mouth and formed it [so that he would speak as He desired], like a person who fixes a nail onto a board. Rabbi Eleazar says: It was an angel that spoke: Rabbi Yehoshua says: etc.”). But it does not appear to me to be correct [that Balaam did not know what he was saying], because he said [that he] heareth the words of G-d; seeth the vision of the Almighty. But the meaning of [the word] ‘vayasem’ (and He put) is “instruction,” signifying He taught him the words so that he should recite them with his mouth, and he should not forget or omit any part of it, similar to [the expression], teach thou it the children of Israel; ‘simah’ (put it) in their mouths. Similarly, for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been ‘sumah’ (‘put; determined’).

FOR FROM THE TOP OF THE ROCKS I SEE HIM. The meaning of this is that since Balak had brought him up to Bamoth-baal [which was a high place] to see Israel, Balaam said: “From the top of the rocks and from the hills I look and I see him, for he [is a people that] shall dwell alone, and there is no other nation with him that can be counted together with him, in the way that many [different] peoples and various nations gather together to become one camp — for these [people of Israel] all have one law and one ordinance,, 15:16. and are one nation, dwelling alone by the name of Jacob and Israel.” Therefore he [Balaam] mentioned, Come, curse me Jacob, and come defy Israel, referring to them [both] by their name of honor [Israel] and by the name of their ancestor [Jacob], meaning to say that they are a people alone, and have names befitting them from their ancestors. For Balak did not tell him [Balaam] the name “Israel,” but merely said, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt, as if he was a stranger to them and did not know them, and he was not grateful for the favor that their father had done. And the meaning of Balaam’s words is that “just as I see him now dwelling alone, so will he forever dwell in safety, the fountain of Jacob alone, and he will always be at the head, for no nation will [ever] prevail over him [and cause him to perish], and he will never become assimilated to them [i.e., other nations].

WHO HATH COUNTED THE DUST OF JACOB? Balaam is saying: “I see them from the top of the rocks dwelling alone, and I cannot count them for they alone are like the dust of the earth, and no man can number the dust of the earth; nor can I count even rova Yisrael (one fourth of Israel) when they are encamped under four standards.” Thus he prophesied that they would increase in number and they shall not be diminished, and the seed of Jacob will always be alone as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered. This is Onkelos’ opinion [as to the meaning] of rova Yisrael [that it means “one fourth” of the total population of Israel, i.e., one standard of the four in which the people encamped]. It is also correct that the term rova be [interpreted as in the expression], Thou dost measure my going about ‘v’riv’i’ (and my lying down), of [the same root as in]: Thou shalt not let thy cattle ‘tharbia’ (gender) with a diverse kind, and similar in expression to: and are come forth out of the fountain of Jacob. Balaam said [in this verse]: Let me die the death of ‘yesharim’ (the righteous), and let mine end be like his, meaning that they are those who are inheritors of the Garden of Eden [i.e., they are assured of eternal life after death]. For since the end of man is death, therefore he wanted to die the death of ‘yesharim’ (the righteous), these being Israel, who are called Yeshurun, because they spend their days in goodness. And let mine end be like his — like that of Israel whose portion is in [eternal] life, and who do not go to Gehenna and destruction. Thus the general tenor of Balaam’s prophecy this time was that G-d does not want us to be cursed, and that we are a people [dwelling] alone, His portion and His people; we shall not mix with the [other] nations, nor be counted amongst them, and our end will be good, according to the way of the righteous.

AND THE ETERNAL HAPPENED TO MEET BALAAM. Now, in honor of Israel, this man ascended to [the level of] prophesying through the Divine attribute of mercy, by the Great Name [i.e., the Tetragrammaton — here translated as “the Eternal”] that had been revealed to Moses, for until now it says about Balaam: and G-d ‘happened to meet’ Balaam, and G-d ‘came’ unto Balaam., 22:9. But now he knew that he would not be able to curse them under any circumstances, seeing that He [wanted] to deal graciously with them through the attribute of mercy. For until now, since he [Balaam] heard [the words of G-d] through the attribute of justice, [the Divine Name of Elokim, symbolizing the attribute of justice, is used in all the previous verses], he thought that he might find some pretext [to curse] them because of some sin that they had committed — so that G-d would consent to the curse falling upon them], as we find in [the verse saying]: Therefore He was to be their enemy, Himself fought against them; or [he hoped] that some evil would befall them from G-d, from which they would not be able to save themselves because of the attribute of justice [but now when G-d spoke to him through the attribute of mercy, he knew that he would not succeed in cursing the people under any circumstances]. This is the meaning of [the verse], And Balaam saw that it pleased the Eternal to bless Israel, for Yea, the Eternal will give that which is good in the blessing. The student learned [in the mysteries of the Cabala] will understand.

HE HATH NOT BEHELD ‘AVEN’ (INIQUITY) IN JACOB. It [the pronoun “He”] refers to “G-d” mentioned [in Verse 19. G-d is not a man, that He should lie, and not to Balaam, who is referred to in Verse 20: Behold, I am bidden to bless], the verse stating that G-d has not beheld iniquity and falsehood in Jacob, nor has He seen in them anything perverse or any provocation that they have committed before Him, and therefore He is with them, and the shout of His Kingdom is among them, for He will cry, yea, He will shout aloud, He will prove Himself mighty against their enemies. This is the opinion of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra, and it is correct. It is also possible to explain that the usage of the word aven here is like [that in the verse], I see the tents of Cushan under ‘aven’ (falsehood). So also the word amal [in the verse before us: neither hath He seen ‘amal’ in Israel — denotes “deception”]. Similarly, under his tongue is ‘amal v’aven’ — meaning “deception and falsehood,” for a thing which will not happen and will not come to pass because it is false, is called aven v’amal [meaning: “trouble and toil”], because a person will only derive from it toil. Balaam is thus stating: “Behold, I am bidden to bless; and when He hath blessed, I cannot call it back, for no man hath beheld in Jacob nor hath anyone seen in Israel any deceit or falsehood. Their Trust is not false. And their hope of Him is not in vain for all their blessings and their confidence will exist forever.” [The usage of the word hibit in the verse before us: lo ‘hibit’ aven b’Ya’akov] is similar in expression to: behold, such is ‘mabateinu’ (our expectation); and they shall be dismayed and ashamed, because of Ethiopia ‘mabatam’ (their expectation), Verse 5. — [thus making the meaning of the verse here to be: “the trust and expectation of Jacob will not end in trouble and sorrow”]. So also ‘v’lo hibatetem’ (but ye looked not) unto Him that hath done this, neither had ye respect unto Him that fashioned it long ago,, 22:11. [where the word hibatetem is] an expression of trust and hope [thus the verse is saying: “you trusted not in Him, nor did you hope in Him”]. Balaam states the reason for this, saying: because the Eternal his G-d is with him, Who does not lie nor repent, and the shout of a mighty King is among them, Who will never be vanquished. For by bringing them forth out of Egypt He has [shown] His great might, like the lofty horns of the wild-ox which are above all animals. And so it is not possible that all their blessings should not be fulfilled, seeing that there is no enchantment or divination in Israel!

FOR THERE IS NO ENCHANTMENT IN JACOB. “They do not need an enchanter or a diviner to tell Jacob and Israel what hath G-d wrought and what are His decrees on high. They practice neither enchantment nor divination [in order to know such matters], because they are told through the word of the prophets the decree of G-d, or the Urim and Thummim declare it to them.” This is Rashi’s language. The correct interpretation appears to me to be that since Balaam [himself] was a diviner, and Balak sent to him saying, for I know that he whom thou blessest through thy means of divination is blessed, and he whom thou cursest through them is cursed, and he sent him the tools of divination,, Verse 7: And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed ‘u’ksamim’ (and the implements of magic) in their hand. therefore Balaam said to Balak: “There is no enchantment in Jacob which can do them evil or good, neither is there any divination in Israel to harm them or to benefit them, for at all times it shall be said to Jacob and to Israel: ‘What hath G-d wrought for them?’” For out of the mouth of the Most High proceedeth to them evil and good,.” But it is actually a rhetorical question — (see J.P.S. translation), and Ramban therefore quotes it in paraphrase, in a positive form. meaning to say that the portion of the Eternal is His people, and they are not under the rule of the [celestial] princes and the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof, so that one should be able to harm them by means of divination and enchantment, as [one can harm] other nations. This is similar to that which Moses said: [… all the host of heaven …] which the Eternal thy G-d hath allotted unto all the peoples under the whole heaven. But you hath the Eternal taken and brought forth out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be unto Him a people of inheritance, as I have explained in Seder Acharei Moth.

Balaam prophesied also about them [Israel] that he will rise up ‘k’lavi,’ which is the lion’s whelp, and afterwards he will lift himself up like a [fully-grown] lion, and he will not rest in his Land until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the kings of Canaan, as Onkelos explained it. Thus Balaam added now in this second prophecy [to the words of his first prophecy], telling Balak that they [the Israelites] would conquer the Land and kill mighty kings. Now Balak knew that the Israelites would not receive his land as an inheritance, and therefore although Balaam told them now that the Israelites would ultimately conquer the kings of Canaan, Balak still wanted [Balaam] to curse them so that [Balak] would be victorious [over them], and that he would be able to overcome them, and possibly he could fight against them and inflict losses on them. Therefore he still said, [Come now], I will take thee unto another place; peradventure it will please G-d that thou mayest curse me them from thence. Balak did not [ask Balaam] to withdraw the blessing [which he had previously given Israel], since he had already informed him, G-d is not a man, that He should lie, neither the son of man, that He should repent, but he thought: “Indeed the Israelites are destined to conquer the land of Canaan, which is their inheritance, and to kill their kings; but it is still possible that I will prevail over them and inflict losses on them, as did the Amalekite and the Canaanite who dwelt in that hill-country, who smote them even unto Hormah.” Balak intended to do this because of his fear of them, as he mentioned to the elders of Midian,, 22:3-4. or it may be that his purpose was that he should be able to reconquer all [that land] which the Israelites had captured from the possession of Sihon which originally belonged to Moab, as is stated explicitly in the words of Jephthah. I have already mentioned this.