NUMBERS 22-24. ( JE). THE EPISODE OF BALAK AND BALAAM. It may
reasonably be assumed that the Moabites at first regarded with some
satisfaction the defeat of their former conquerors, the Amorites, by
their own kinsmen the Israelites. But the latter's occupation of the
Amorites-' land aroused their je... [ Continue Reading ]
MOAB'S FEAR OF ISRAEL. Of these verses I comes from P, the rest from
JE (the presence of both constituents being shown by the repetitions
in Numbers 22:3). As the Moabites were great breeders of sheep (2
Kings 3:4), they feared that the pasturage would not suffice for both
themselves and Israel (lik... [ Continue Reading ]
BALAK'S FIRST SUMMONS TO BALAAM, AND YAHWEH'S REFUSAL TO LET HIM GO.
This comes mainly from J. But in Numbers 22:5, if the land of the
children of his people (which can only refer to Balak and yields
little sense) be corrected (after Sam., Syr., Vulg.) to the land of
the children of Ammon, there is... [ Continue Reading ]
BALAK'S SECOND SUMMONS TO BALAAM, AND YAHWEH'S CONSENT THAT HE SHOULD
GO. This section probably comes from E, and represents not a change of
purpose on the part of God, but a difference of attitude ascribed to
Him by the second of the two sources here used, Balaam being allowed
to go but not to curs... [ Continue Reading ]
BALAAM'S JOURNEY TO BALAK WITHOUT GOD'S CONSENT. This section is
clearly not the sequel of the preceding, but the continuation of
Numbers 22:5, and (as far as Numbers 22:34) is derived from J. Balaam
disregards the Divine prohibition to go to Balak which is recorded in
Numbers 22:12, but is made awa... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MEETING OF BALAK AND BALAAM. Partly from E. and partly from J, but
the distribution between the two sources is uncertain. Probably
Numbers 22:36 and Numbers 22:38 belong to E, describing (in
continuation of Numbers 22:21) Balaam's journey to Moab, where he is
met by Balak at the frontier city of... [ Continue Reading ]
NUMBERS 22:41 TO NUMBERS 23:6. BALAK'S SACRIFICES PRELIMINARY TO
BALAAM'S FIRST ORACLE. This section proceeds from E. Balak brought
Balaam to Bamoth-baal (Numbers 22:41 _mg._), the site of a sanctuary
placed where Balaam could have the objects of his expected curse
before him. The sacrifices offered... [ Continue Reading ]