existence, their national deities, and their national religion.

In trying to realize the views and feelings of heathenism under such circumstances, we must beware of

transporting into them our modern ideas. In our days the question is as to the acknowledgment or else the

denial of Jehovah God. In those days it turned upon the acknowledgment or the opposite of Jehovah as the

only true and living God, as this is expressed in the first commandment. Heathenism would never have

thought of denying the existence or power of Jehovah as the national God of the Hebrews (see, for example,

1 Kings 20:23; 2 Kings 18:25, 33-35). What it controverted was, that Jehovah was the only God - all others

being merely idols, the work of men's hands. Prepared as they were to acknowledge Jehovah as the national

Deity of the Hebrews, the question before them would be, whether He or their gods were the more powerful.

It was a point of the deepest interest to them, since, if anything were known of Jehovah, it would be this,

that He was "a jealous God," and that the rites by which He was worshipped were so different from theirs, as

to involve an entire change, not only of religion, but of popular habits and manners. From what has been

stated, it will be understood why, in attempting to break the power of Israel, whose God had hitherto -

whether from accident, fate, or inherent power - proved Himself superior to those of the nations, the king of

Moab had, in the first p lace, recourse to "divination," and why he was so specially anxious to secure the

services of Balaam.

Balaam, or rather Bileam, the son of Beor,6 belonged apparently to a family of magicians who resided at

Pethor, possibly, as has been suggested, a city of professional soothsayers or students of that craft, but

certainly situated in "Aram" or Mesopotamia, and on the banks of the Euphrates (Numbers 22:5; 23:7;

Deuteronomy 23:4). His name, which means "devourer," or "swallower up," and that of his father, which

means "burner up," or "destroyer" - whether given them at birth, or, as is so common in the East, from their

supposed characteristics -indicate alike the claims which they put forth and the estimate in which they were

popularly held.7 If, as has been conjectured,8 Balak, the king of Moab, was of Midianitish origin (his father

having been a Midianitish usurper), it becomes all the more intelligible that in his peculiar circumstances he

would apply for advice and help to the Midianites; that he would ally himself with them; and that through

them he would come to know of, and along with them send for, Balaam (Numbers 22:4, 7, etc.).

At any rate, those Midianite wanderers of the desert which stretched between Mesopotamia and the

dominions of Moab would, like modern Bedawin under similar circumstances, not only know of the existence

of a celebrated magician like Balaam, but probably greatly exaggerate his power. Moreover, being

themselves unable to attack Israel, they would nevertheless gladly make common cause with Moab, and

that, although for the present their territory was not directly threatened, any more than that of the Moabites.

This explains the alliance of Moab and Midian and their common embassy to Balaam.

The object in view was twofold. As already explained, the success of Israel as against the nations, or rather

that of Israel's God against their deities, might, in their opinion, arise from one of two causes. Either their

own national deities - Chemosh and Baal - had not been sufficiently propitiated -sufficient influence or

power had not been brought to bear upon them; or else Jehovah was really stronger than they. In either

case Balaam would bring invaluable, and, if he only chose to exert it, sure help. For, according to heathen

views, a magician had absolute and irresistible power with the gods; power was inherent in him or in the

incantations which he used. And herein lay one of the fundamental differences between heathenism and the

Old Testament, between magic and miracles. In the former it was all of man, in the latter it was shown to be

all of God. No prophet of the Lord ever had or claimed power, like the magicians; but in every case the

gracious influence was specially, and for that time, transmitted directly from God. Only the God-Man had

power in Himself, so that His every contact brought health and life. And in the Christian dispensation also,

however much of the supernatural there maybe experienced and witnessed, nothing is magical; there is no

mere exercise of power or of authority; but all is conveyed to us through the free promises of God, and in the

dispensation of His grace.

But to return. Supposing that Jehovah were really superior to Chemosh and Baal, the king of Moab and his

associates would none the less desire the aid of Balaam. For it was a further principle of heathenism, that