Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol I:
IRENÆUS: XXII.

XXII.

“Thou shall not go with them, neither shalt thou curse the people.” 4832 He does not hint at anything with regard to the people, for they all lay before his view, but [he refers] to the mystery of Christ pointed out beforehand. For as He was to be born of the fathers according to the flesh, the Spirit gives instructions to the man (Balaam) beforehand, lest, going forth in ignorance, he might pronounce a curse upon the people. 4833 Not, indeed, that [his curse] could take any effect contrary to the will of God; but [this was done] as an exhibition of the providence of God which He exercised towards them on account of their forefathers.

Footnotes

Num. xxii. 12.

The conjectural emendation of Harvey has been adopted here, but the text is very corrupt and uncertain.