אָלָ֤ה פִּ֣יהוּ מָ֭לֵא וּמִרְמ֣וֹת וָתֹ֑ךְ תַּ֥חַת לְ֝שׁוֹנ֗וֹ עָמָ֥ל וָאָֽוֶן׃
Mulutnya penuh sumpah, tipu daya, dan kelicikan; di bawah lidahnya tersimpan kelaliman dan kejahatan.
Ramban
HE HATH NOT BEHELD ‘AVEN’ (INIQUITY) IN JACOB. It [the pronoun “He”] refers to “G-d” mentioned [in Verse 19. G-d is not a man, that He should lie, and not to Balaam, who is referred to in Verse 20: Behold, I am bidden to bless], the verse stating that G-d has not beheld iniquity and falsehood in Jacob, nor has He seen in them anything perverse or any provocation that they have committed before Him, and therefore He is with them, and the shout of His Kingdom is among them, for He will cry, yea, He will shout aloud, He will prove Himself mighty against their enemies.149Isaiah 42:13. This is the opinion of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra, and it is correct.
It is also possible to explain that the usage of the word aven here is like [that in the verse], I see the tents of Cushan under ‘aven’ (falsehood).150Habakkuk 3:7. So also the word amal [in the verse before us: neither hath He seen ‘amal’ in Israel — denotes “deception”]. Similarly, under his tongue is ‘amal v’aven’151Psalms 10:7. — meaning “deception and falsehood,” for a thing which will not happen and will not come to pass because it is false, is called aven v’amal [meaning: “trouble and toil”], because a person will only derive from it toil. Balaam is thus stating: “Behold, I am bidden to bless; and when He hath blessed, I cannot call it back,152Verse 20. for no man hath beheld in Jacob nor hath anyone seen in Israel any deceit or falsehood. Their Trust is not false. And their hope of Him is not in vain153See Job 41:1. for all their blessings and their confidence will exist forever.” [The usage of the word hibit in the verse before us: lo ‘hibit’ aven b’Ya’akov] is similar in expression to: behold, such is ‘mabateinu’ (our expectation);154Isaiah 20:6. and they shall be dismayed and ashamed, because of Ethiopia ‘mabatam’ (their expectation)155Ibid., Verse 5. — [thus making the meaning of the verse here to be: “the trust and expectation of Jacob will not end in trouble and sorrow”]. So also ‘v’lo hibatetem’ (but ye looked not) unto Him that hath done this, neither had ye respect unto Him that fashioned it long ago,156Ibid., 22:11. [where the word hibatetem is] an expression of trust and hope [thus the verse is saying: “you trusted not in Him, nor did you hope in Him”].
Balaam states the reason for this, saying: because the Eternal his G-d is with him, Who does not lie nor repent, and the shout of a mighty King is among them, Who will never be vanquished. For by bringing them forth out of Egypt He has [shown] His great might, like the lofty horns of the wild-ox157Verse 22. which are above all animals. And so it is not possible that all their blessings should not be fulfilled, seeing that there is no enchantment or divination in Israel!158Verse 23.
It is also possible to explain that the usage of the word aven here is like [that in the verse], I see the tents of Cushan under ‘aven’ (falsehood).150Habakkuk 3:7. So also the word amal [in the verse before us: neither hath He seen ‘amal’ in Israel — denotes “deception”]. Similarly, under his tongue is ‘amal v’aven’151Psalms 10:7. — meaning “deception and falsehood,” for a thing which will not happen and will not come to pass because it is false, is called aven v’amal [meaning: “trouble and toil”], because a person will only derive from it toil. Balaam is thus stating: “Behold, I am bidden to bless; and when He hath blessed, I cannot call it back,152Verse 20. for no man hath beheld in Jacob nor hath anyone seen in Israel any deceit or falsehood. Their Trust is not false. And their hope of Him is not in vain153See Job 41:1. for all their blessings and their confidence will exist forever.” [The usage of the word hibit in the verse before us: lo ‘hibit’ aven b’Ya’akov] is similar in expression to: behold, such is ‘mabateinu’ (our expectation);154Isaiah 20:6. and they shall be dismayed and ashamed, because of Ethiopia ‘mabatam’ (their expectation)155Ibid., Verse 5. — [thus making the meaning of the verse here to be: “the trust and expectation of Jacob will not end in trouble and sorrow”]. So also ‘v’lo hibatetem’ (but ye looked not) unto Him that hath done this, neither had ye respect unto Him that fashioned it long ago,156Ibid., 22:11. [where the word hibatetem is] an expression of trust and hope [thus the verse is saying: “you trusted not in Him, nor did you hope in Him”].
Balaam states the reason for this, saying: because the Eternal his G-d is with him, Who does not lie nor repent, and the shout of a mighty King is among them, Who will never be vanquished. For by bringing them forth out of Egypt He has [shown] His great might, like the lofty horns of the wild-ox157Verse 22. which are above all animals. And so it is not possible that all their blessings should not be fulfilled, seeing that there is no enchantment or divination in Israel!158Verse 23.
Rabbeinu Bahya
Going back to the verse in Song of Songs 3,7 about the 60 armed guards surrounding Solomon’s bed, the author tries to explain why the author of that Book commenced with G’d in the present rather than in the past, progressing to the future via the present. He explains that Solomon wanted to make the point that none of G’d’s “years” belong exclusively to the past. One cannot speak of, nor must one think of G’d as “in the past,” something which has ceased to exist at least partially. Such thoughts are reflected in Psalms 102,28 ואתה הוא ושנותיך לא יתמו, “but You are forever the same, and Your years will never end.” This is why we include this concept in our daily prayers when we say ה' מלך, ה' מלך, ה' ימלוך לעולם ועד, “the Lord is king, the Lord was king, and the Lord will remain king forever more.” [Note that the author of the liturgical poem also begins with the present when referring to G’d, not with the past. Ed.] You are also perfectly familiar with the fact that this is not the only verse in Psalms in which this chronologically peculiar sequence is applied to G’d. There are numerous such verses.
You may be tempted to retort that in Psalm 10,7 the psalmist refers to G’d as in the future asking G’d למה ה' תעמוד בחוץ, “why O Lord will You stand aloof, etc.,” whereas in verse 16 in that same psalm the author declares that ה' מלך that G’d is king, i.e. “He is never aloof.” Remember that you will not find that David had referred to the kingdom of heaven at all in the preceding nine Psalms. Whatever is said in this psalm then cannot be viewed as a reversal of a previous policy of the author. In fact, you will find something confirming what we said in psalm 20, which is the tenth after psalm 10 where G’d is first mentioned as king at all, that David appeals here for the first time to the Lord, the King, to grant victory, ה' הושיעה המלך יעננו ביום קראנו, “O Lord, grant victory! May the king answer us when we call.” The timing of this plea is significant as this “tenth” hymn is dedicated to the “tenth emanation" כתר, “crown,” the one symbolizing G’d as King. If we find on occasion that David relates to G’d’s kingship in the order “past-present-future,” he took his cue from Moses himself who made this sequence part of the song he composed after crossing the sea of reeds when he recorded ה' ימלוך לעולם ועד, “the Lord will rule forever more.” (Exodus 15,18).
You may be tempted to retort that in Psalm 10,7 the psalmist refers to G’d as in the future asking G’d למה ה' תעמוד בחוץ, “why O Lord will You stand aloof, etc.,” whereas in verse 16 in that same psalm the author declares that ה' מלך that G’d is king, i.e. “He is never aloof.” Remember that you will not find that David had referred to the kingdom of heaven at all in the preceding nine Psalms. Whatever is said in this psalm then cannot be viewed as a reversal of a previous policy of the author. In fact, you will find something confirming what we said in psalm 20, which is the tenth after psalm 10 where G’d is first mentioned as king at all, that David appeals here for the first time to the Lord, the King, to grant victory, ה' הושיעה המלך יעננו ביום קראנו, “O Lord, grant victory! May the king answer us when we call.” The timing of this plea is significant as this “tenth” hymn is dedicated to the “tenth emanation" כתר, “crown,” the one symbolizing G’d as King. If we find on occasion that David relates to G’d’s kingship in the order “past-present-future,” he took his cue from Moses himself who made this sequence part of the song he composed after crossing the sea of reeds when he recorded ה' ימלוך לעולם ועד, “the Lord will rule forever more.” (Exodus 15,18).