Hebrew Bible Study
Hebrew Bible Study

Commentary for Numbers 24:10

וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֤ף בָּלָק֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיִּסְפֹּ֖ק אֶת־כַּפָּ֑יו וַיֹּ֨אמֶר בָּלָ֜ק אֶל־בִּלְעָ֗ם לָקֹ֤ב אֹֽיְבַי֙ קְרָאתִ֔יךָ וְהִנֵּה֙ בֵּרַ֣כְתָּ בָרֵ֔ךְ זֶ֖ה שָׁלֹ֥שׁ פְּעָמִֽים׃

And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together; and Balak said unto Balaam: ‘I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.

Rashi on Numbers

ויספק means he clapped one hand upon the other.
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Sforno on Numbers

ויספק את כפיו, as a sign that he had abandoned hope of achieving his objective, seeing that Bileam was cursing those whom he wanted to be the cursers.
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Or HaChaim on Numbers

ויתר אף בלק..ויספק את כפיו, "Balak became angry… and clapped his hands, etc." He expressed his anger by clapping his hands together.
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Rav Hirsch on Torah

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Or HaChaim on Numbers

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