Numbers 22
Balaam and the Oracles
1The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.
2Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
3Moab was very afraid of the people, because they were many. Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
4Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this multitude will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.
5He sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, “Behold, there is a people who came out of Egypt. Behold, they cover the surface of the earth, and they are staying opposite me.
6Please come now therefore, and curse this people for me; for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall prevail, that we may strike them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”
7The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand. They came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.
8He said to them, “Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak to me.” The princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9God came to Balaam, and said, “Who are these men with you?”
10Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has said to me,
11‘Behold, the people that has come out of Egypt covers the surface of the earth. Now, come curse them for me. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.’”
12God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”
13Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land; for the LORD refuses to permit me to go with you.”
14The princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”
15Balak again sent princes, more, and more honorable than they.
16They came to Balaam, and said to him, “Balak the son of Zippor says, ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me,
17for I will promote you to very great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Please come therefore, and curse this people for me.’”
18Balaam answered the servants of Balak, “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.
19Now therefore please stay here tonight as well, that I may know what else the LORD will speak to me.”
20God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak to you, that you shall do.”
21Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
22God’s anger burned because he went; and the LORD’s angel placed himself in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
23The donkey saw the LORD’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned out of the path, and went into the field. Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the path.
24Then the LORD’s angel stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
25The donkey saw the LORD’s angel, and she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. He struck her again.
26The LORD’s angel went further, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
27The donkey saw the LORD’s angel, and she lay down under Balaam. Balaam’s anger burned, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
28The LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”
29Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have mocked me, I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would have killed you.”
30The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long until today? Was I ever in the habit of doing so to you?” He said, “No.”
31Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the LORD’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.
32The LORD’s angel said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary, because your way is perverse before me.
33The donkey saw me, and turned away before me these three times. Unless she had turned away from me, surely now I would have killed you, and saved her alive.”
34Balaam said to the LORD’s angel, “I have sinned; for I didn’t know that you stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases you, I will go back again.”
35The LORD’s angel said to Balaam, “Go with the men; but you shall only speak the word that I shall speak to you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
36When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.
37Balak said to Balaam, “Didn’t I earnestly send for you to summon you? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?”
38Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you. Have I now any power at all to speak anything? I will speak the word that God puts in my mouth.”
39Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth.
40Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him.
41In the morning, Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw from there part of the people.
King Balak of Moab, terrified by Israel's military victories, hires the renowned diviner Balaam to curse the Israelites. Despite God's clear prohibition against cursing His blessed people, Balaam wavers when offered greater rewards, seeking God's permission a second time. God permits Balaam to go but warns he must speak only God's words, yet becomes angry when Balaam departs, sending an angel to oppose him on the journey.
Context
This chapter begins the Balaam narrative following Israel's military victories in chapters 20-21, setting up the famous oracles that will follow in chapters 23-24.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-4Moab's Fear of IsraelIsrael camps near Moab, whose king Balak fears their military might after witnessing their victories over the Amorites.
- 5-7Balak Summons BalaamBalak sends messengers with payment to hire the famous diviner Balaam to curse Israel.
- 8-14God's Initial ProhibitionBalaam consults God, who forbids him from going or cursing Israel because they are blessed, leading Balaam to refuse Balak's first request.
- 15-19Balak's Second AttemptBalak sends more prestigious messengers with greater promises of honor and wealth, prompting Balaam to seek God's will again.
- 20-22Conditional Permission and Divine AngerGod permits Balaam to go but only to speak God's words, yet becomes angry when Balaam departs and sends an angel to oppose him.
Balaam and the Oracles
22:1–24:25Balak king of Moab hires the prophet Balaam to curse Israel, but God intervenes to prevent the cursing. The account demonstrates God's protection of His chosen people against spiritual warfare.
person_contrast
Balak's name, typically associated with covenant faithfulness in biblical genealogies, ironically becomes the instrument through which God demonstrates His sovereign protection over Israel against foreign curses.
Numbers 22:1
Numbers 33:48lexicalThey traveled from the mountains of Abarim, and encamped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.
Joshua 13:32lexicalThese are the inheritances which Moses distributed in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan at Jericho, eastward.
Numbers 33:50lexicalThe LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,
Numbers 35:1lexicalThe LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,
Numbers 31:12lexicalThey brought the captives with the prey and the plunder, to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of…
Numbers 22:4
Judges 11:25lexicalNow are you anything better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive against Israel, or did he eve…
Joshua 24:9lexicalThen Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. He sent and called Balaam the son of Beor t…
1 Chronicles 1:46lexicalHusham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who struck Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his place; and the name of h…
Genesis 36:35lexicalHusham died, and Hadad, the son of Bedad, who struck Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his place. The name of his…
Ezra 10:14lexicalNow let our princes be appointed for all the assembly, and let all those who are in our cities who have married foreign…
Numbers 22:6
1 Samuel 26:19lexicalNow therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is so that the LORD has stirred you up a…
Isaiah 47:12lexical“Stand now with your enchantments and with the multitude of your sorceries, in which you have labored from your youth, a…
1 Samuel 9:6lexicalThe servant said to him, “Behold now, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor. All that…
2 Samuel 14:15lexicalNow therefore, seeing that I have come to speak this word to my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afr…
Numbers 22:7
Micah 6:5lexicalMy people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gi…
Joshua 24:9lexicalThen Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. He sent and called Balaam the son of Beor t…
Numbers 22:10
Joshua 24:9lexicalThen Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. He sent and called Balaam the son of Beor t…
Judges 11:25lexicalNow are you anything better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive against Israel, or did he eve…
Micah 6:5lexicalMy people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gi…
Numbers 22:14
Micah 6:5lexicalMy people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gi…
Joshua 24:9lexicalThen Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. He sent and called Balaam the son of Beor t…
Numbers 23:17lexicalHe came to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. Balak said to him,…
Numbers 22:16
Joshua 24:9lexicalThen Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. He sent and called Balaam the son of Beor t…
Micah 6:5lexicalMy people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gi…
Numbers 23:27lexicalBalak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse them fo…
Numbers 22:18
Numbers 24:13lexical‘If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond the LORD’s word, to do either good or bad f…
Numbers 23:26lexicalBut Balaam answered Balak, “Didn’t I tell you, saying, ‘All that the LORD speaks, that I must do’?”
Micah 6:5lexicalMy people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gi…
Numbers 22:22
2 Kings 4:24lexicalThen she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, “Drive, and go forward! Don’t slow down for me, unless I ask you to.…
Habakkuk 3:8lexicalWas the LORD displeased with the rivers? Was your anger against the rivers, or your wrath against the sea, that you rode…
Numbers 22:26
Numbers 20:17lexical“Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or through vineyard, neither will we drink from th…
Proverbs 4:27lexicalDon’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
2 Samuel 2:21lexicalAbner said to him, “Turn away to your right hand or to your left, and grab one of the young men, and take his armor.” Bu…
2 Samuel 2:19lexicalAsahel pursued Abner. He didn’t turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.
Numbers 22:29
Joshua 13:22lexicalThe children of Israel also killed Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, with the sword, among the rest of their slain…
Numbers 31:8lexicalThey killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian.…
Numbers 22:31
2 Chronicles 20:18lexicalJehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before…
1 Kings 1:31lexicalThen Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth and showed respect to the king, and said, “Let my lord King David live f…
1 Samuel 28:14lexicalHe said to her, “What does he look like?” She said, “An old man comes up. He is covered with a robe.” Saul perceived tha…
Nehemiah 8:6lexicalThen Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. All the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with the lifting up of their hands. Th…
1 Chronicles 21:16lexicalDavid lifted up his eyes, and saw the LORD’s angel standing between earth and the sky, having a drawn sword in his hand…
Numbers 22:35
Numbers 24:12lexicalBalaam said to Balak, “Didn’t I also tell your messengers whom you sent to me, saying,
Numbers 22:36
Numbers 23:3lexicalBalaam said to Balak, “Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet me. Whatever he s…
Micah 6:5lexicalMy people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gi…
Joshua 24:9lexicalThen Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. He sent and called Balaam the son of Beor t…
Judges 11:18lexicalThen they went through the wilderness, and went around the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side…
Numbers 21:13lexicalFrom there they traveled, and encamped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that comes out of the…
Numbers 22:40
1 Kings 8:5lexicalKing Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who were assembled to him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sh…
2 Chronicles 18:2lexicalAfter some years, he went down to Ahab to Samaria. Ahab killed sheep and cattle for him in abundance, and for the people…
Deuteronomy 12:21lexicalIf the place which the LORD your God shall choose to put his name is too far from you, then you shall kill of your herd…
1 Kings 1:9lexicalAdonijah killed sheep, cattle, and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En Rogel; and he called all his br…
1 Samuel 15:21lexicalBut the people took of the plunder, sheep and cattle, the best of the devoted things, to sacrifice to the LORD your God…
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