וירא בלק. ראה פורענות שעשו ישראל לאמורי, נוח לרשעים שיהו סומין, שעיניהם מביאין מאירה לעולם, בדור המבול [כתיב] ויראו בני האלהים את בנות האדם וגו' (בראשית ו ב), [וכתיב] וירא חם אבי כנען (שם ט כב), [וכתיב] ויראו אותה שרי פרעה וגו' (שם יב טו), [וכתיב] וירא אותה שכם בן חמור וגו' (שם לד ב), וכן [כאן] וירא בלק, משל למי שהושיב שומרין לשומרו מן הגייס, והיה בטוח עליהן שהיו גבורים, עבר הגייס והרגן, והיה מרתת על עצמו, אף בלק כך, ראה מה נעשה בסיחון ועוג, שהיה מעלה עליהן שכר לשומרו, ונתיירא מעצמו, ועוד שראה נסים של נחלי ארנון.
(Numb. 22:2:) NOW BALAK <BEN ZIPPOR> SAW. He saw retribution which Israel inflicted against the Ammonites.3Tanh., 7:2; Numb. R. 20:2. It would have been better for the wicked if they had been blind,4Cf. Matthew 5:29; 18:9 // Mark 9:47. for their eyes bring a curse to the world. With reference to the generation of the flood, [it is written] (in Gen. 6:2): THE SONS OF GOD SAW <HOW BEAUTIFUL> THE HUMAN DAUGHTERS WERE <AND TOOK WHOMEVER THEY CHOSE AS THEIR WIVES>. [It is also written] (in Gen. 9:22): THEN HAM, THE FATHER OF CANAAN, SAW <THE NAKEDNESS OF HIS FATHER AND TOLD HIS TWO BROTHERS OUTSIDE>. [It is also written] (in Gen. 12:15): SO PHARAOH'S COURTIERS SAW HER (i.e., Abram's wife Sarah) <AND PRAISED HER TO PHARAOH, AND THE WOMAN WAS TAKEN TO PHARAOH'S HOUSE>. [It is also written] (in Gen. 34:1–2): <NOW LEAH'S DAUGHTER DINAH WENT OUT….> THEN SHECHEM BEN HAMOR <THE HIVITE, THE PRINCE OF THE LAND,> SAW HER…. So also <here> (in Numb. 22:2): NOW BALAK <BEN ZIPPOR> SAW. <The matter> is comparable to someone who appointed guards to guard from an invader; and he had confidence in them, because they were warriors. When the invader came over and killed them, he trembled with fear for himself. It was the same also with Balak. When he saw what happened with Sihon and Og to whom he had been sending payment to guard him, he was afraid for himself. And in addition to that, he had seen the miracles at the wadies of Arnon.5According to Numb. 21:26-31, Sihon defeated the King of Moab and captured his territory as far at the Arnon. See above, Numb. 6:47 // Numb. R. 19:25, for a description of the miracles. See also below, Numb. 7:6 // Numb. R. 20:7, according to which Sihon’s victory resulted from a curse by Balaam.
וירא בלק. ראה פורענות שעשו ישראל לאמורי, נוח לרשעים שיהו סומין, שעיניהם מביאין מאירה לעולם, בדור המבול [כתיב] ויראו בני האלהים את בנות האדם וגו' (בראשית ו ב), [וכתיב] וירא חם אבי כנען (שם ט כב), [וכתיב] ויראו אותה שרי פרעה וגו' (שם יב טו), [וכתיב] וירא אותה שכם בן חמור וגו' (שם לד ב), וכן [כאן] וירא בלק, משל למי שהושיב שומרין לשומרו מן הגייס, והיה בטוח עליהן שהיו גבורים, עבר הגייס והרגן, והיה מרתת על עצמו, אף בלק כך, ראה מה נעשה בסיחון ועוג, שהיה מעלה עליהן שכר לשומרו, ונתיירא מעצמו, ועוד שראה נסים של נחלי ארנון.
(Numb. 22:2:) NOW BALAK <BEN ZIPPOR> SAW. He saw retribution which Israel inflicted against the Ammonites.3Tanh., 7:2; Numb. R. 20:2. It would have been better for the wicked if they had been blind,4Cf. Matthew 5:29; 18:9 // Mark 9:47. for their eyes bring a curse to the world. With reference to the generation of the flood, [it is written] (in Gen. 6:2): THE SONS OF GOD SAW <HOW BEAUTIFUL> THE HUMAN DAUGHTERS WERE <AND TOOK WHOMEVER THEY CHOSE AS THEIR WIVES>. [It is also written] (in Gen. 9:22): THEN HAM, THE FATHER OF CANAAN, SAW <THE NAKEDNESS OF HIS FATHER AND TOLD HIS TWO BROTHERS OUTSIDE>. [It is also written] (in Gen. 12:15): SO PHARAOH'S COURTIERS SAW HER (i.e., Abram's wife Sarah) <AND PRAISED HER TO PHARAOH, AND THE WOMAN WAS TAKEN TO PHARAOH'S HOUSE>. [It is also written] (in Gen. 34:1–2): <NOW LEAH'S DAUGHTER DINAH WENT OUT….> THEN SHECHEM BEN HAMOR <THE HIVITE, THE PRINCE OF THE LAND,> SAW HER…. So also <here> (in Numb. 22:2): NOW BALAK <BEN ZIPPOR> SAW. <The matter> is comparable to someone who appointed guards to guard from an invader; and he had confidence in them, because they were warriors. When the invader came over and killed them, he trembled with fear for himself. It was the same also with Balak. When he saw what happened with Sihon and Og to whom he had been sending payment to guard him, he was afraid for himself. And in addition to that, he had seen the miracles at the wadies of Arnon.5According to Numb. 21:26-31, Sihon defeated the King of Moab and captured his territory as far at the Arnon. See above, Numb. 6:47 // Numb. R. 19:25, for a description of the miracles. See also below, Numb. 7:6 // Numb. R. 20:7, according to which Sihon’s victory resulted from a curse by Balaam.