How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!
The tents, tabernacles, dwellings and encampment of Jacob and Israel are goodly, beautiful and impressive. The tribes are arranged in order under their standards around the tabernacle, with the camp seen lying beneath it. The sight is made glorious by God's presence overshadowing the tabernacle, protecting and guiding the people.
The lines that follow extend the picture to a spreading out like valleys and gardens by rivers, and like trees planted, nourished and watered by God. That imagery presents the prosperity and flourishing of God's people as a promise of strength and blessing. The flourishing trees especially include the strong and stately cedar. The cedar also represents the righteous, so even the lowliest disciple of Jesus who humbly walks with God holds a higher place in God's sight than kings and princes.
The verse belongs to Balaam's inspired prophetic blessing on Israel. That prophetic blessing foretells Israel's flourishing and eventual triumph over its enemies. In its setting Balak moved Balaam from place to place hoping to turn the blessing into a curse, but the effort failed.
The tents, tabernacles, dwellings and encampment of Jacob and Israel are goodly, beautiful and impressive. The tribes are arranged in order under their standards around the tabernacle, with the camp seen lying beneath it. The sight is made glorious by God's presence overshadowing the tabernacle, protecting and guiding the people.
The lines that follow extend the picture to a spreading out like valleys and gardens by rivers, and like trees planted, nourished and watered by God. That imagery presents the prosperity and flourishing of God's people as a promise of strength and blessing. The flourishing trees especially include the strong and stately cedar. The cedar also represents the righteous, so even the lowliest disciple of Jesus who humbly walks with God holds a higher place in God's sight than kings and princes.
The verse belongs to Balaam's inspired prophetic blessing on Israel. That prophetic blessing foretells Israel's flourishing and eventual triumph over its enemies. In its setting Balak moved Balaam from place to place hoping to turn the blessing into a curse, but the effort failed.