Numbers 22

Numbers 22:1 Then the people of Israel advanced and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.

Numbers 22:2 And Balak, the son of Zippor, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

Numbers 22:3 And Moab was very afraid of the people because they were many. Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel.

Numbers 22:4 And Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This congregation will now chew up all that is around us, as the ox chews up the grass of the field.” So Balak, the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time,

Numbers 22:5 sent messengers to Balaam, the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the people of Amaw, to call him, and this is what he said: “notice, a people have come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the land, and they are staying just opposite me.

Numbers 22:6 Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Maybe I will be able to defeat them and drive them from the land because I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

Numbers 22:7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand. And they came to Balaam and gave him Balak’s message.

Numbers 22:8 And he said to them, “Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as Yahveh speaks to me.” So, the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

Numbers 22:9 And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”

Numbers 22:10 And Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, and this is what he said,

Numbers 22:11 ‘notice a people have come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the land. Now come, curse them for me. Maybe I will be able to fight against them and drive them out.'”

Numbers 22:12 God said to Balaam, “You will not go with them. You will not curse the people because they are blessed.”

Numbers 22:13 So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land because Yahveh has refused to let me go with you.”

Numbers 22:14 So the princes of Moab got up and went to Balak and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

Numbers 22:15 Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and higher ranking than these.

Numbers 22:16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, “This is what Balak the son of Zippor says: ‘Let nothing keep you from coming to me,

Numbers 22:17 because I will indeed treat you with great honor, and whatever you say to me, I will do. Come, curse this people for me.'”

Numbers 22:18 But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak was to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of Yahveh my God to do less or more.

Numbers 22:19 So you, too, please stay here tonight, that I may know what more Yahveh will say to me.”

Numbers 22:20 And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you.”

Numbers 22:21 So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.

Numbers 22:22 But God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the agent of Yahveh took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now, he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him.

Numbers 22:23 And the donkey saw the agent of Yahveh standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey to turn her into the road.

Numbers 22:24 Then the agent of Yahveh stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side.

Numbers 22:25 And when the donkey saw the agent of Yahveh, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So, he struck her again.

Numbers 22:26 Then the agent of Yahveh went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left.

Numbers 22:27 When the donkey saw the agent of Yahveh, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

Numbers 22:28 Then Yahveh 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?”

Numbers 22:29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand because then I would kill you.”

Numbers 22:30 And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.”

Numbers 22:31 Then Yahveh opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the agent of Yahveh standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face.

Numbers 22:32 And the agent of Yahveh said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Notice, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse in the sight of me.

Numbers 22:33 The donkey saw me and turned aside at my face these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now, I would have killed you and let her live.”

Numbers 22:34 Then Balaam said to the agent of Yahveh, “I have sinned because I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now, therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.”

Numbers 22:35 And the agent of Yahveh said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.” So, Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.

Numbers 22:36 When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, on the border formed by the Arnon, at the extremity of the border.

Numbers 22:37 And Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?”

Numbers 22:38 Balaam said to Balak, “Notice, I have come to you! Do I now have any power of my own to speak anything? I have to speak the word that God puts in my mouth.”

Numbers 22:39 Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.

Numbers 22:40 And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep and sent for Balaam and for the princes who were with him.

Numbers 22:41 And in the morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal, and from there he saw a fraction of the people.

Numbers 22 quotes:

“Little do they know … that the biggest battle of the first five books of the Bible (excluding the victory at the Red Sea) is staring them dead in the face—closer than Jericho, indeed as close as the hills above their heads. While their journey has been continually jeopardized by threats within, and while the chapters preceding and following this story provide practice skirmishes regarding threats without, the Mother of All Battles now looms in these hills so peaceful in appearance (“Is that smoke, or just fog on that peak toward Bamoth-baal?” see Num. 22:41); yet all they, their leaders, and Moses do (for the next three chapters!) is “camp” (22:1). We enter now one of Scripture’s grandest stories of the providential care and protection of our God. “O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Rom. 11:33).”

Boyce Richard Nelson. Leviticus and Numbers. 1st ed. Westminster John Knox Press 2008. p. 203.

“It was not the most comfortable of journeys either for the animal or for its passenger. On three occasions an angel blocked their path. Each time, the donkey, aware of this divine messenger brandishing a sword, kept turning aside, and during one encounter Balaam’s foot was badly crushed against a wall. Not knowing why the animal was being so extraordinarily stubborn, Balaam struck her with his staff. Annoyed by this unjustified beating, the donkey suddenly provided a unique contribution to the story by making a strident vocal protest. Astonished to be in the company of a talking donkey, Balaam suddenly saw the angel for himself and promptly realized why his normally compliant animal had been so difficult. The angel told him that the awkward donkey had saved his life, and but for her repeated refusal to go ahead God’s messenger would have killed him.”

Brown Raymond. The Message of Numbers : Journey to the Promised Land. InterVarsity Press 2002. p. 205.

“Here is a grave warning for all preachers, teachers, and parents: If we get our desire without God’s blessing, His purpose will be accomplished in spite of us. Each attempt by Balaam to do the king’s wishes resulted in the prophecy of blessing upon Israel.”

Gutzke, Manford George. Plain Talk on Leviticus and Numbers. Zondervan Pub. House., 1981. p. 119.

“Meet Balaam, a prophet for hire. His focus on the almighty dollar, metaphorically speaking, was known by God and by the king of the Moabites, Balak. Would Balaam compromise principle to gain wealth? Was Balaam’s conscience so seared that he would sell out God’s people for advancement? And what would God think of all this? The story of Balaam is a picture of many people in this world who are caught between desire and faithfulness to God.”

Martin, Glen, and Max E. Anders. Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers. Broadman & Holman, 2002. p. 339.

“When studying any character or subject in the Bible, one should first gather together and consider all that Scripture says about it, and then draw conclusions. Regarding Balaam, first look at 2 Peter 2:15,16. Here we learn that Balaam “loved the wages of unrighteousness.” Then see Jude 11, which tells us that Balaam was in error regarding this reward. Now read Numbers 25:1-3, in connection with Revelation 2:14 and Numbers 31:15,16.
From these last passages we gather that Balaam had failed to get Balak’s gold by cursing the people, but yet he was determined to have it. So, back from his far-off northern home he comes, and counsels Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, by inviting them to join in the worship of their gods, which worship was accompanied by vile and obscene practices. Of course, if Israel had joined the Moabites and Midianites in worship, there was no fear of hostilities, and this is what Balak sought to avoid. So the women of these heathen tribes beguile the Israelites, and we read in Numbers 25:1, 2 and 31 :15, 16 the sad result. Balaam perishes with these people who have hired him against Israel (Numbers 31 :8). Poor, wretched, self-willed, covetous Balaam! He said in one of his parables: “Let me die the death of the righteous.” Many others would like to die the death of the righteous ; but they forget that the way to die the death of the righteous is to possess and exhibit the life of the righteous.”

Saxe, Grace. Studies in Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Grace Saxe, 1921. p. 48.