Rashi on TanakhNumbers 24

Bil’am saw that it was favorable, etc. He said, “it is no longer necessary for me to test the Holy One, Blessed is He, for He will never want to curse them.

He did not approach, as at each time. As he had done twice.

Towards sorcery. To divine whether God would perhaps chance to appear to him as he wished. He said, “Whether or not He wants to curse them, I will mention their sins, so that the curse will descend with the mention of their sins.”

He set his face toward the wilderness. As Targum [Onkelos] renders.

Bil’am raised his eyes. He strove to induce the evil eye in them. Here you have his three characteristics, the evil eye, false vanity, and greed, as stated above.

Encamped according to its tribes. He saw each tribe dwelling by itself, without mingling. He saw that their entrances did not face each other, so that one should not look into his neighbor’s tent.

And the spirit of God rested upon him. It occurred to him not to curse them.

The son of (lit. his son was) Be’or. Like לְמַעְיְנוֹ מָיִם, “into a spring of water.” According to Midrash Aggadah: Both were greater than their forefathers; “Balak, his son Tzipor” — his father was his son in royalty, and Bil’am was greater than his father in prophecy, he was a coin, the son of half a coin.

Of the open-socketed eye. His eye had been put out and removed, and its socket appeared open. The word [שְׁתֻם] is in the Mishnah; ”enough for it to have been opened, sealed, and dried.” The Rabbis remark, because he said, “He counts the seed of Yisroel” — that the Holy One, Blessed is He, sits and counts the seed of the Israelites, awaiting the drop from which a saint will be born, he thought, “the One who is Holy, and whose ministering angels are holy, looks at these things”? For this, Bil’am’s eye was blinded. However, some interpret שְׁתֻם הָעָיִן as “of the open eye,” as Targum [Onkelos] renders. And since he said “of the open eye,” but did not say “of the open eyes,” we learn that he was blind in one of his eyes.

Fallen, with opened eyes. The plain interpretation is like Targum [Onkelos], that He (God) did not reveal Himself to him except at night, when he was lying down. According to Midrash, when He revealed Himself to him, he did not have the strength to stand on his feet, but fell to his face, because he was uncircumcised, and it was disgusting to be revealed to him when he stood upright before Him.

How goodly are your tents. Because he saw that their entrances were not facing each other.

Your dwelling places. Your camps, as Targum [Onkelos] renders. Another interpretation of how goodly are your tents: How goodly is the tent of Shiloh and the Eternal Temple when they are inhabited, for sacrifices are offered in them to bring you forgiveness.

Your dwelling places. Even when they are desolate, since they are held as security for you, and their desolation brings atonement for your souls, as it is said, “Adonoy expended his fury” — and how did He expend it? “He ignited a fire in Tziyon.”

They stretch forth like streams. Which extend and flow, stretching across the distance. The Rabbis remark, ‘from that wicked one’s blessings, we learn how he intended to curse them, when he decided to set his face towards the wilderness. When the Omnipresent overturned [the words of] his mouth, his blessings corresponded with his intended curses, etc.,’ as stated in “Chelek.”

Like the aloe trees. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, meaning the same as “myrrh and aloes.”

That Adonoy has planted. In the garden of Eden. Another interpretation of כַּאֲהָלִים נָטַע ה', like the heavens stretched taut like a tent [as it is said, “He stretched them taut like a tent to be dwelt in”].

That Adonoy has planted, The expression נְטִיעָה is found with relation to tents, as it is said, “he stretched taut his palatial tents.”

From his buckets. From his wells. The explanation is as Targum [Onkelos] interprets.

And his seed will have an abundant flow. This denotes success, like a seed planted near water.

His king will be greater than Agag. Their first king shall conquer Agag, king of Amalek.

And his monarchy shall be uplifted. Yaakov’s [monarchy] more and more, as he (Shaul) shall be followed by Dovid and Shlomo.

God Who has brought him out of Egypt. Who gave them this eminence? God, who delivered them from Egypt with his power and exaltedness, shall consume the nations who oppress him.

Their bones. Of the oppressors.

He shall crush. Menachem interprets this as denoting breaking. Similarly, “[wolves in the evening] who did not break any bones in the morning.” Similarly, “you shall crush its earthen vessels.” I say that the meaning is “bone.” He strips the surrounding flesh with his teeth, and the marrow from inside, leaving the bone exposed.

And dip His arrows [in their blood]. Onkelos interprets “the oppressors’ half,” their portion, like בַּעֲלֵי חִצִּים, [translated as] מָרֵי פַלְגּוּתָא (meaning portion, or half), יִמְחָץ is similar, meaning the same as “she split [his skull], passing through his forehead” — they shall apportion their land. Also, this may be interpreted as actually denoting arrows. The arrows of the Holy One, Blessed is He, will יִמְחַץ in the blood of the oppressors, He shall dip and stain with their blood, as in, “that your foot may wade through blood” This is not a departure from the connotation of “wound,” as in “I have wounded,” since someone stained with blood appears to have been injured and wounded.

He crouches and lies like a lion. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, they will settle in their land with strength and power.

[He] clapped his hands. He struck one against the other.

Transgress the word of Adonoy. Here “my” God is not stated, as it was originally, for he knew that he was loathed by the Holy One, Blessed is He, and that he had been repudiated.

Am returning to my people. I am now like the rest of my people — the Holy One, Blessed is He, had forsaken him.

Come, I will advise you. Concerning the action you should take. What was the advice? The God of these people hates promiscuity, etc., as stated in “Chelek.” The proof that Bil’am instigated his advice so that they would be ensnared into immorality is from Scripture’s declaration, “they were involved with the Israelites through Bil’am’s advice.”

What this people will do to your people. This is a shortened passage; I will advise you about ensnaring them, and I will tell you how they are destined to destroy Moav at the end of days — “and smash the great men of Moav.” Targum [Onkelos] explains where the Hebrew falls short.

And knows the thoughts of the Most Exalted. To pinpoint the moment of His anger.

I see it. I see the praise and greatness of Yaakov. Not, however, now, but at a later time.

A star has gone forth. As Targum [Onkelos] interprets. דָּרַךְ means the same as דָּרַךְ קַשְׁתּוֹ, “He hurled with His bow,” as a star travels like an arrow. In Old French, “destente” (“hurl”). As if to say, “a constellation shall rise.”

A staff has arisen. A king who subdues and rules.

Smash the corners of Moav. This refers to David, of whom it is said, “he laid them on the ground and measured two strings to kill, etc.”

And impale. The meaning is to penetrate, like, “I have excavated,” “the pit ax which quarried you” “let the ravens of the river gouge it.” “Forjier” (“pierce”), in Old French.

All of the sons of Sheis. All the nations, since they were all descended from Sheis, the son of Adam.

Seir shall become the possession of his enemies. His enemies, the Bnei Yisroel.

A ruler shall come from Yaakov. Yet another ruler shall come from Yaakov.

Who will annihilate the survivors of the city. Of the most prominent city of Edom, Rome. He said this concerning King Mashiach, of whom it is said, “he shall rule from sea to sea,” “there will be no survivors of the house of Eisav.”

[Bil’am] Saw Amalek. He gazed at Amalek’s punishment.

Amalek was the first among nations. He preceded them all in waging war against Israel. This, too, is Targum’s [Onkelos] interpretation. And his end. Will be to perish by their hand, as it is said, “you shall obliterate the memory of Amalek.”

He saw the Keinite. Because the Keinite was encamped near Amalek, as in the incident of which it is said, “Shaul said to the Keinite, etc.,” he mentioned him after Amalek. He gazed at the greatness of Yisro’s descendants, of whom it is said, ”Tirasites, Shimasites, Sochasites.”

How powerful is your dwelling place. I wonder how you merited this. Were you not with me in counseling “come, let us deal shrewdly with them”? Yet now you have settled yourself in the power and strength of Israel.

For, if Kayin is to be uprooted, etc. How fortunate you are to be encamped in this stronghold, so that you will no longer be driven from the world. For, even if you are destined to be exiled with the ten tribes, and will be uprooted from the place where you settled, what of it?

Until where (lit. what) will Ashur take you captive. Until where will he exile you? Perhaps to Chalach and Chavor? This is not considered being driven from the world, but being shifted from place to place, and you shall return with the other exiles.

He set forth his parable, etc. Since he mentioned the captivity by Ashur, he said: Alas! who can survive from God’s devastation Who is capable of self-survival against His putting these — so that He shall not put them [into effect] against him — He who decrees (God) — these? Sancheriv shall arise and commingle all the nations. Furthermore, Warships will come from Kittim — Kitites, meaning Romans, shall go forth in great ships against Ashur.

And cause suffering to those at the other side. Shall cause suffering for those at the other side of the river.

They, too, shall be lost for eternity. Similarly, Doniel explains, “until the animal was killed, and its body destroyed.”

Warships. Great ships, as it is written, וְצִי אַדִּיר, rendered by Targum as “great ships.”