‘And the children of Israel journeyed, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.' Their warfare being in successful process of completion, the people of Israel encamped in the plains of Moab opposite Jericho in Beyond Jordan. The plains of Moab were a large relatively uninhab... [ Continue Reading ]
BALAK'S ENTREATY TO BALAAM (NUMBERS 22:2). The story began with Balak sending important messengers to Balaam. These were ‘chieftains' (sarim - ‘nobles', ‘chieftains', ‘princes') who would seek to persuade him to come to Moab and curse Israel. This was to be the subject of the first fourteen verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ELDERS LEAVE WITH REWARDS IN THEIR HAND TO PERSUADE BALAAM TO CURSE ISRAEL (NUMBERS 22:7). Numbers 22:7 ‘And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand, and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.' Certain Midianite prin... [ Continue Reading ]
BALAAM TELLS THEM TO WAIT WHILE HE OBTAINS WORDS FROM YAHWEH. (NUMBERS 22:8). Numbers 22:8 ‘And he said to them, “Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as Yahweh shall speak to me,” and the chieftains of Moab abode with Balaam.' Balaam clearly had a fairly large establishment as... [ Continue Reading ]
YAHWEH COMES WITH WORDS FOR BALAAM (NUMBERS 22:9). Balaam wasted no time. That night he sought to make contact with Yahweh. We are not informed of what methods he used, but they were seemingly successful, for ‘God came to Balaam'. (Not just another god, but the only God). Numbers 22:9 ‘And God ca... [ Continue Reading ]
BALAAM EXPLAINS THAT BALAK HAS SENT THEM, WANTING ISRAEL TO BE CURSED (NUMBERS 22:10) Numbers 22:10 ‘And Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, “Behold, the people which is come out of Egypt, it covers the face of the earth. Now, come curse me them, pe... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD TELLS HIM NOT TO GO AND NOT TO CURSE ISRAEL (NUMBERS 22:12) Numbers 22:12 ‘And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” ' Note again that the One Who spoke to him was called ‘God' and not ‘Yahweh'. He was not to be seen as one of... [ Continue Reading ]
BALAAM TELLS THE MESSENGERS TO RETURN HOME, AND THEY RETURN (NUMBERS 22:13) Numbers 22:13 ‘And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the nobles/chieftains of Balak, “Get you into your land, for Yahweh refuses to give me leave to go with you.” ' Next morning therefore Balaam told ‘the nobles... [ Continue Reading ]
BALAK'S SECOND ENTREATY TO BALAAM FOLLOWED BY THE THREEFOLD ACTIVITY OF BALAAM'S ASS (NUMBERS 22:15). No doubt feeling that the reason why Balaam had not come was because he was not satisfied with the price offered, ‘the rewards of divination' (Numbers 22:7) that he had previously sent, Balak sent... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WORDS OF GOD (NUMBERS 22:20). Numbers 22:20 ‘And God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, “If the men are come to call you, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak to you, that shall you do.” ' Once the deputation were settled down Balaam began his rites for contacting Ya... [ Continue Reading ]
BALAAM THEREFORE GOES WITH THE CHIEFTAINS OF MOAB (NUMBERS 22:21). Numbers 22:21 ‘And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the chieftains of Moab.' As God had bidden him Balaam rose, saddled his ass, and went with the chieftains of Moab. Note that he was now supposed... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ANGEL OF YAHWEH BARS THE WAY THREE TIMES (NUMBERS 22:22). Numbers 22:22 ‘And God's anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of Yahweh placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his ass, and his two servants were with him.' This verse puzzles many peo... [ Continue Reading ]
BALAAM'S ARRIVAL IN MOAB (NUMBERS 22:36). Numbers 22:36 ‘And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab (or ‘a city of Moab'), which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.' Meanwhile Balak learned that he was coming, and... [ Continue Reading ]
THE THREEFOLD ACTIVITY OF BALAAM IN MOAB (22:41-24:13). In what follows we now have a triad of attempts by Balak to curse Israel which all follow the same pattern. These are sandwiched between Balaam going with Balak (Numbers 22:41) and Balaam being bidden to return home (Numbers 24:12). This parall... [ Continue Reading ]