§21Ἄνβρωπος ὁ ἀληλινῶς ὀρῶν. Ἐγὼ ὁ ποτὲ Βαλαὰμ, ὁ λαὸς ὁ μάταιος, διανοίξας τοὺς ἔσω μου ὀφθαλμοὺς τοῦ νοὸς, καὶ ἰδὼν τὸν πνευματικόν ποτε Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ τὴν κατʼ αὐτὸν οἰκονομίαν, τῆς τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἀξιοῦμαι.
"The man who truly sees." I, who was once Balaam, the vain people, having opened the inner eyes of my mind, and having seen the once-spiritual Israel and the dispensation concerning it, am deemed worthy of the Holy Spirit.
Οὐχ ἁρμόζει τῷ ποτὲ Βαλαὰμ τὸ, « Φησὶν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ ἀληθινῶς ὀρῶν, » καὶ τὰ ἐξῆς, ἀλλʼ ἁρμόζει τῷ νῦν Βαλαάμ.
The saying, "Thus says the man who truly sees," and so forth, does not fit the former Balaam, but fits the present Balaam.
Ὡς καλοὶ οἱ οἶκοί σου, Ἰακὼβ, αἱ σκηνοί σου, Ἰσραήλ. Τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Ἰακὼβ, οὐ τοῦ ἐνοικοῦντός ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ οἴκου· τὸ δὲ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ὄνομα, τοῦ ἐνοικοῦντός ἐστι· τοῦ γὰρ σωματικοῦ πράγματός ἐστι τὸ, Ἰακοώβ.
"How beautiful are your houses, O Jacob, and your tents, O Israel!" The name of Jacob is not of the inhabitant, but of the house; but the name of Israel is of the inhabitant; for "Jacob" is of the bodily matter.
§22Ὡσεὶ νάπαι σκιάζουσαι. Νάπαι νοηταί εἰσι σκιάζουσαι τὸ ἐν ᾧ λογικὰ ἔγκαρπα καὶ κατάκομα τῆς πραγματικῆς ἀρετῆς.
"Like shading valleys." They are spiritual valleys, shading that in which are the rational fruits and leafy branches of practical virtue.
Παράδεισοι ἐπὶ ποταμόν εἰσι νοητοὶ, τοπὸς ἐν ᾧ λογικὰ πεφύτευται ἀρδόμενα ἤτοι τῇ θεωρίᾳ τῶν γεγονότων, ἢ τῇ θεωρίᾳ τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος.
They are spiritual paradises by a river, a place in which rational beings have been planted, watered either by the contemplation of created things or by the contemplation of the Holy Trinity.
§23Τοῦ αὐτοῦ.
By the same.
Οἱ ἐν σκηναῖς οἰκοῦντες, τῶν ὁδευόντων εἰσὶ, καὶ ἔστιν ἔξω τοῦ κόσμου τούτου ὀδὸς μεγάλη καὶ πολλαὶ σκηναί.
Those who dwell in tents belong to those who are on the journey, and outside this world there is a great road and many tents.
Οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες, οὐκ εἰσὶ τῶν ὁδευόντων, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἱσταμένων.
Those who settle within do not belong to those who are on the journey, but to those who stand firm.
§24Ὡσεὶ κέδροι παῤ ὕδατα. Κέδροι εἰσὶ νοηταὶ παῤ ὕδατα φυεῖσαι ψυχαὶ λογικαὶ ἀρδόμεναι τῇ γνώσει τῆς ἀληθείας.
"Like cedars by the waters." Spiritual cedars planted by the waters are rational souls watered by the knowledge of the truth.
§25Καὶ κυριεύσει ἐθνῶν πολλῶν. Κύριός ἐστιν ὁ ἐξουσιαστικῶς προστάσσων, δοῦλος δὲ ὁ δουλικῶς ὑπακούων.
"And he shall rule over many nations." A lord is one who commands with authority, and a slave is one who obeys slavishly.
Κύριός ἐστιν ὁ τοῖς ἰδίοις πόνοις ὀνούμενος καὶ τῇ κυριότητι πεποιωμένος ἐλεύθερος πάθους.
A lord is one who benefits by his own labors and, characterized by lordship, is free from passion.
Δοῦλός ἐστιν ὁ ἐμπαθὴς καὶ ἐπιδεὴς τοῦ κρείττονος, καὶ χρῄζων τῆς ἐπιστασίας τοῦ ἰδίου κυρίου.
A slave is one who is passionate and in need of the better, and requiring the supervision of his own lord.
Εἰσὶ δὲ κύριοι πολλοὶ, μακάριοι δὲ οἱ τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἔχοντες κύριον.
And there are many lords, but blessed are those who have our Lord Jesus Christ as lord.
§26Καὶ ὑψωθήσεται ἡ Γὼγ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ. Βασιλεία Γὼγ ἑρμηνεύεται δόματα.
"And his kingdom shall be exalted above Gog." The kingdom of Gog is interpreted as "gifts".
Κατὰ μίαν μὲν ἐκδοχὴν δόματά ἐστιν αἱ δωρεαὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος· κατὰ δὲ ἄλλην, « Ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ δώματος μὴ καταβάτω εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ. » Ἔστιν οὖν βασιλεία τῆς τοιαύτης ἕξεως.
According to one interpretation, "gifts" are the gifts of the Holy Spirit; but according to another, "Let him who is on the rooftop not go down into his house." It is, therefore, a kingdom of such a state.
§27Ὁ Θεὸς ὡδήγησεν αὐτὸν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου. Καὶ τὸν Σωτῆρα κατὰ τὸ, « Ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐκάλεσα τὸν υἱόν μου, » καὶ τὸν Ἰσραήλ.
"God led him out of Egypt." [This refers to] both the Savior, according to "Out of Egypt I called my son", and Israel.
Τὸν μὲν ἐκβάλλει, τὸν δὲ καλεῖ.
The one He brings out, the other He calls.
§28Τοῦ αὐτοῦ.
By the same.
Ὁ χρηματισμὸς, τὸν Κύριον ἥξειν εἰς Αἴγυπτον, ἐδήλου τὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ διακομιδὴν τὴν ἅμα τοῖς γονεῦσιν αὐτοῦ γενησομένην.
The oracle that the Lord would come into Egypt indicated the journey of our Savior Jesus Christ which was to take place along with His parents.
Ἀἰγύπτῳ δὲ καὶ ὁ κόσμος οὗτος παραβάλλεται.
And to Egypt this world also is compared.
§29Ὡς δόξα μονοκέρωτος αὐτῷ. Μονόκερώς ἐστιν νοητῶς ὁ Χριστὸς κατὰ τὸ συμβεβηκός·
"Like the glory of a unicorn to him." Christ is spiritually a unicorn by way of attribute; from whom are many unicorns.
ἐξ οὗ μονόκεροι πολλοί. Ἀπὸ γὰρ ἑνὸς Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ πολλοὶ μετέσχον εἶναι χριστοί.
For from the one Jesus Christ, many participated in being christs.
Τινές φασι καὶ τὸν ἔλαφον μονόκερον εἶναι.
Some say that the stag also is a unicorn.
§30Ἔδεται ἔθνη τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτοῦ. Περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ· ἐχθρῶν αὐτοῦ ἔθν ἦμέν ποτε ἡμεῖς.
"He shall eat the nations of his enemies." Concerning Christ; we were once the nations of His enemies.
Ἔδε. ται οὖν ἡμᾶς ὁ Χριστὸς, ἡ οὐσιώδης ἀρετὴ νεμομενη ἡμᾶς, καθὰ λέγει· « Ἐμὸν βρῶμά ἐστι τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με. §31Καὶ τὰ πάχη αὐτῶν ἐκμυελιεῖ. Τότε, φησὶν, ὅταν τὴν σαρκικὴν κατάστασιν εἰς πνευματικὴν διὰ τῆς πραγματικῆς μεταποιῇ.
Therefore Christ, who is essential virtue feeding upon us, eats us, just as He says: "My food is to do the will of Him who sent me." "And he shall suck the marrow of their fatness." This is, he says, when He transforms the fleshly state into a spiritual one through practical [virtue].
§32Οἱ εὐλογοῦντές σε ηὐλόγηνται. Δύο πρόσωπ σημαίνει ἐπὶ τούτοις· εἰσὶ δὲ τῶν πιστῶν καὶ ἀπίστων ἐπὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ.
"Those who bless you are blessed." He signifies two classes in these; they are of the believers and unbelievers regarding Christ.
Καὶ μετʼ ὀλίγα· Ἐν τούτοις μὲν οὖν ἀνατέτραπται καὶ ἡ τῶν ἐναντιουμένων τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἐγχείρησις, καὶ ἡ τῆς μαγείας κακοτεχνία.
And after a few words: therefore, in these things, both the undertaking of those opposing Israel and the evil art of magic have been overturned.
§33Καὶ ἐδεβηλώθη ὁ λαὸς ἐκπορνεῦσα. Ἡ δὲ γνώμη τοῦ πορνεῦσαι τοὺς Ἑβραίους καὶ προσκυνῆσαι τῷ Βεελφεγὼρ, τοῦ μάντεως ἦν.
"And the people were defiled by playing the harlot." And the design to make the Hebrews play the harlot and worship Baal-peor was that of the diviner.
Διὸ φησὶ Μωϋσῆς· « Αὗται δὲ ἦσαν τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ, κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα Βαλαὰμ, τοῦ ἀποστῆσαι καὶ ὑπεριδεῖν τὸ ῥῆμα Κυρίου ἕνεκεν Βεελφτγώρ. » §34Καὶ ἔσται ὑμῖν τὸ κλίτος, τὸ πρὸς Αίβα. Ἀπὸ τοῦ ποταμοῦ Αἰγύπτου ἕως τοῦ ποταμοῦ Εὐφράτου ἐπηγγείλατο τῷ Ἀβραάμ.
Therefore Moses says: "These were they that caused the children of Israel, through the word of Balaam, to depart from and disregard the word of the Lord, for the sake of Baal-peor." "And your border on the south side shall be [your possession]." From the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates He promised Abraham.
Διὰ τί οὖν οὐκ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς;
Why then did He not give it to them?
Οἱ γὰρ Ἀριθμοὶ ἐλαττοτέραν διδομένην σημαίνουσιν.
For the [book of] Numbers signifies that a smaller [land] was given.
Οἶμαι δὲ ὅτι δέδωκεν ἂν, εἰ κατὰ τὸν λαβόντα τὰς ἐπαγγελίας, πιστοὶ ἦσαν.
But I think that He would have given it, if they had been faithful like the one who received the promises.
Καὶ τοῦτο εἰκότως.
And this with good reason.
Πολλάκις γὰρ κακὰ ἀπειλήσας οὐκ ἐπἠγαγε, μετενόησαν γὰρ,ὡς ἐπὶ τῶν Νινευιτῶν.
For often, having threatened evils, He did not bring them, because they repented, as in the case of the Ninevites.
§35Πλὴν ἐκ τοῦ δήμου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν ἔσονται γυναῖκες. Προστάττει οὖν ὁ Θεὸς πλὴν τῆς Ἰούδα καὶ τῆς Λευῒ μὴ ἐξεῖναι ἀπὸ φυλῆς εἰς φυλὴν συνάπτεσθαι, ἵνα μὴ ξένον τοῦ Σωτῆρος δειχθῇ ἄνωθεν ἐρχόμενον, τὸ, « Βασιλεὺς καὶ ἱερεὺς κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδέκ. »
"Only they shall marry to the family of the tribe of their father." Therefore God commands that, except for Judah and Levi, it is not permitted to marry from tribe to tribe, so that the saying, "A King and Priest after the order of Melchizedek," coming from above, might not be shown as something foreign to the Savior.