uineness of which is proved by so many
weighty arguments (compare the enumeration of them in my work on
Balaam), rest, in general, on the fundamental prophecies of Genesis,
but especially on the blessing of Jacob upon Judah.

In Num. xxiii. 24, Balaam says: "Behold, a people, like a full-grown
lion he rises, and like a lion he lifts himself up. Not shall he lie
down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain." This
conclusion of Balaam's second prophecy, which at once demolishes
Balak's vain hopes of victory, by pointing out the dreadful power of
Israel, unconquerable by all his enemies, and crushing them all, has an
intentional reference to Gen. xlix. 9,--a reference specially suitable
for such a conclusion. What was there ascribed to Judah is here
transferred to Israel, whose fore-champion Judah is. "Dost thou think,"
says Balaam to Balak, "of being able to overcome them, to stop them in
their course towards the mark held out to them? Behold, according to an
old revelation of their God, they are a people destroying their enemies
with the lion's strength. Therefore, get thee out of their way, lest
such a fate befall thee."

In Num. xxiv. 9, Balaam says, "He couches, he lies as a lion, and as a
great lion, who shall stir him up?" As in the preceding prophecy he had
pointed out Israel's dreadful power which secures to him victory in the
battle, so here he shows how, even after having finished the battle,
this power so intimidates his enemies, that they do not venture to
disturb his peace. [Pg 88] That which Jacob had said of Judah, is, with
intended literality, here transferred to Israel.

In Num. xxiv. 17, we read: "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but
not nigh: a star goeth out of Jacob, and a sceptre riseth out of
Israel, and smiteth the borders of Moab, and destroyeth all the sons of
the tumult."--As the two preceding utterances carry us back to Gen.
xlix. 9, so this one refers to ver. 10, where the sceptre, the emblem
of dominion, denotes, just as it does in this passage, dominion itself,
and where to Judah, and in him to all Israel, the kingdom is promised
which shall at last be consummated in the Shiloh. The meaning of the
words, "A sceptre riseth out of Israel," is explained in ver. 19 by the
words, "Dominion shall come out of Jacob." Jacob has in view the
internal relations among his descendants, and hence he speaks specially
of Judah; but Balaam, in accordance with his object, speaks of I