Commentaries:
Adam Clarke
I shall see him, but not now - Or, I shall see him, but he is not now. I shall behold him, but not nigh - I shall have a full view of him, but the time is yet distant. That is, The person of whom I am now prophesying does not at present exist among these Israelites, nor shall he appear in this generation. There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel - a person eminent for wisdom, and formidable for strength and power, shall arise as king among this people. He shall smite the corners of Moab - he shall bring the Moabites perfectly under subjection; (See II Samuel 8:2); and destroy all the children of Sheth. The original word karkar , from karah , to meet, associate, join, blend, and the like, is variously translated; vastabit , he shall waste, Vulgate - , shall prey on, Sept - yishlot , shall rule over, Targum - Shall shake, Arabic - barbend , shall put a yoke on, Pers - Shall unwall, Ainsworth, etc., etc.
The Targum of Onkelos translates the whole passage thus:
\ri720 "I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but he is not near. When a king shall arise from the house of Jacob, and the Messiah be anointed from the house of Israel, he shall slay the princes of Moab, and rule over all the children of men."
The Jerusalem Targum is a little different:
\ri720 "A king shall arise from the house of Jacob, a redeemer and governor from the house of Israel, who shall slay the chiefs of the Moabites, and empty out and destroy all the children of the East."
Rabbi Moses ben Maimon has, in my opinion, perfectly hit the meaning of the prophecy in the following paraphrase of the text:
\ri720 "I shall see him, but not now. This is David - I shall behold him, but not nigh. This is the king Messiah - A Star shall come out of Jacob. This is David - And a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel. This is the king Messiah - And shall smite the corners of Moab. This is David, (as it is written, II Samuel 8:2 : And he smote Moab, casting them down to the ground) - And shall destroy all the children of Sheth. This is the king Messiah, of whom it is written, (Psalms 72:8), He shall have dominion from sea to sea."
Other Adam Clarke entries containing Numbers 24:17:
Numbers 24:19
Numbers 24:19
1 Samuel 2:1
Matthew 2:2
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