I shall see him, but not now] This prophecie is of Christ his coming in the flesh, whom Balaam foreseeth that he shall see him, but not now, saith he, not in this life, and not till Balaam rise againe, and Christ come downe againe. Or he prophecieth this in the person of posteritie, in respect unto the wise men (of his profession) of the East, who came to worship Christ, Matthew 2:2. not nigh] Neither of his comings are nigh, but afarre off. a starre] Meaning Christ; at his first appearance he seemed little, like the starre, Matthew 2:2. which brought the tidings of his coming though glorious, Revel. 22, 16. but afterward his glory increased to the brightnesse of the Sunne, Malachi 4:2. Scepter] See Annot. on Gen. 49. 5: 10. corners of Moab] That is, from one side to another, round about; as the house supplanted in the foure corners is utterly ruined, Job 1:19. Some apply this to Davids subduing the Moabites and Idumeans, whereof afterward: but it reacheth farre beyond his time, to the prevailing of the Christian Religion over Pagan opinions and people. of Seth] The word may be rendered those who are behinde; that is, when Balaam turned his face toward Israel, vers. 1. the Easterne people were behinde him, as the Ammonites, and Midianites, &c. but if we take Seth for a proper name, as Genesis 4:25. viz. for the third sonne of Adam, Abel being slaine, the posteritie of Cain owned; by Seth may be understood all the race of Adam, but then the word destroy, belonging to the wicked, must limit the word all, onely to all the ungodly of the world, or to the world of the ungodly, especially of the Edomites, 1 Kings 11:15.