Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 221The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went to Balaam withthe rewards of enchantment in their hand (Num. 22:7).When Balaam saw that it was good in the eyes of Jehovah to blessIsrael, he went not as in former times to meet with divinations (Num.24:1).And in Joshua:Balaam also, the son of Beor, the diviner, did the sons of Israel slaywith the sword upon their slain (Joshua 13:22).That he was called by Balak, king of Moab, to curse the people ofIsrael, see Num. 22:5, 6, 16, 17; Deut. 23:3, 4; but that Jehovahprevented this, and granted him to speak prophetically, Num. 22:9,10, 12, 20; 23:5, 16; the prophecies which he uttered may be seenNum. 23:7–15, 18–24; 24:5–9, 16–19, 20–24; all which things aretruths, because it is said that:Jehovah put a word into his mouth (Num. 23:5, 12, 16).[2] That afterwards he counselled with Balak to destroy thepeople of Israel by craft, by leading them away from the worship ofJehovah to the worship of Baal-peor, is evident from these words inMoses:In Shittim the people began to commit whoredom with thedaughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices oftheir gods; and the people did eat and bowed down to their gods.Especially did Israel join himself unto Baal-peor. Therefore there werekilled of Israel twenty and four thousand (Num. 25:1–3, 9, 18).They slew Balaam amongst the Midianites; and the sons of Israelled captive all the women of the Midianites; which was of the counsel ofBalaam, to deliver them to prevarication against Jehovah, in the matterof Peor (Num. 31:8, 9, 16).That by “Balaam” those are meant who have been illuminated inrespect to the understanding, and who teach truths, follows fromwhat has now been shown, for he spoke prophetically truths about