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Texts -- Numbers 22:2-41 (NET)

Context
22:2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites . 22:3 And the Moabites were greatly afraid of the people , because they were so numerous . The Moabites were sick with fear because of the Israelites . 22:4 So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian , “Now this mass of people will lick up everything around us, as the bull devours the grass of the field . Now Balak son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at this time . 22:5 And he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor , which is by the Euphrates River in the land of Amaw , to summon him, saying , “Look , a nation has come out of Egypt . They cover the face of the earth , and they are settling next to me. 22:6 So now , please come and curse this nation for me, for they are too powerful for me . Perhaps I will prevail so that we may conquer them and drive them out of the land . For I know that whoever you bless is blessed , and whoever you curse is cursed .” 22:7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fee for divination in their hand . They came to Balaam and reported to him the words of Balak . 22:8 He replied to them, “Stay here tonight , and I will bring back to you whatever word the Lord may speak to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam . 22:9 And God came to Balaam and said , “Who are these men with you?” 22:10 Balaam said to God , “Balak son of Zippor , king of Moab , has sent a message to me, saying, 22:11 “Look , a nation has come out of Egypt , and it covers the face of the earth . Come now and put a curse on them for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them and drive them out .” 22:12 But God said to Balaam , “You must not go with them; you must not curse the people , for they are blessed .” 22:13 So Balaam got up in the morning , and said to the princes of Balak , “Go to your land , for the Lord has refused to permit me to go with you.” 22:14 So the princes of Moab departed and went back to Balak and said , “Balaam refused to come with us.”
Balaam Accompanies the Moabite Princes
22:15 Balak again sent princes , more numerous and more distinguished than the first . 22:16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak son of Zippor : ‘Please do not let anything hinder you from coming to me. 22:17 For I will honor you greatly , and whatever you tell me I will do . So come , put a curse on this nation for me.’” 22:18 Balaam replied to the servants of Balak , “Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold , I could not transgress the commandment of the Lord my God to do less or more . 22:19 Now therefore, please stay the night here also , that I may know what more the Lord might say to me.” 22:20 God came to Balaam that night , and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them; but the word that I will say to you, that you must do .” 22:21 So Balaam got up in the morning , saddled his donkey , and went with the princes of Moab .
God Opposes Balaam
22:22 Then God’s anger was kindled because he went , and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him. 22:23 And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand , so the donkey turned aside from the road and went into the field . But Balaam beat the donkey , to make her turn back to the road . 22:24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a path among the vineyards , where there was a wall on either side . 22:25 And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord , she pressed herself into the wall , and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall . So he beat her again . 22:26 Then the angel of the Lord went farther , and stood in a narrow place , where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left . 22:27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord , she crouched down under Balaam . Then Balaam was angry , and he beat his donkey with a staff . 22:28 Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey , and she said to Balaam , “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times ?” 22:29 And Balaam said to the donkey , “You have made me look stupid ; I wish there were a sword in my hand , for I would kill you right now .” 22:30 The donkey said to Balaam , “Am not I your donkey that you have ridden ever since I was yours until this day ? Have I ever attempted to treat you this way ?” And he said , “No .” 22:31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes , and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his sword drawn in his hand ; so he bowed his head and threw himself down with his face to the ground. 22:32 The angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times ? Look , I came out to oppose you because what you are doing is perverse before me. 22:33 The donkey saw me and turned from me these three times . If she had not turned from me, I would have killed you but saved her alive .” 22:34 Balaam said to the angel of the Lord , “I have sinned , for I did not know that you stood against me in the road . So now , if it is evil in your sight , I will go back home .” 22:35 But the angel of the Lord said to Balaam , “Go with the men , but you may only speak the word that I will speak to you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak .
Balaam Meets Balak
22:36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming , he went out to meet him at a city of Moab which was on the border of the Arnon at the boundary of his territory . 22:37 Balak said to Balaam , “Did I not send again and again to you to summon you? Why did you not come to me ? Am I not able to honor you?” 22:38 Balaam said to Balak , “Look , I have come to you. Now , am I able to speak just anything ? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth .” 22:39 So Balaam went with Balak , and they came to Kiriath-huzoth . 22:40 And Balak sacrificed bulls and sheep , and sent some to Balaam , and to the princes who were with him. 22:41 Then on the next morning Balak took Balaam , and brought him up to Bamoth Baal. From there he saw the extent of the nation .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Balaam

    [isbe] BALAAM - ba'-lam bil`am, "devourer"): The son of Beor, from a city in Mesopotamia called Pethor, a man possessing the gift of prophecy, whose remarkable history may be found in Nu 22:2 through 24:25; compare Num 31:8,16; Dt ...
    [smith] (B.C. 1451), the son of beor, a man endowed with the gift of prophecy. (Numbers 22:5) He is mentioned in conjunction with the five kings of Midian, apparently as a person of the same rank. (Numbers 31:8) cf. Numb 31:16 He see...
    [nave] BALAAM, son of Beor. From Mesopotamia, Deut. 23:4. A soothsayer, Josh. 13:22. A prophet, Num. 24:2-9; 2 Pet. 2:14, 16. Balak sends for, to curse Israel, Num. 22:5-7; Josh. 24:9; Neh. 13:2; Mic. 6:5. Anger of, rebuked by h...

  • Balak

    [ebd] empty; spoiler, a son of Zippor, and king of the Moabites (Num. 22:2, 4). From fear of the Israelites, who were encamped near the confines of his territory, he applied to Balaam (q.v.) to curse them; but in vain (Josh. 24:9)...
    [isbe] BALAK - ba'-ak balaq, "devastator" or "one who lays waste"): Mentioned in connection with the story of Balaam/Balak (Nu 22 through 24; compare Josh 24:9; Jdg 11:25; Mic 6:5; Rev 2:14). He was the king of Moab who hired Balaa...
    [smith] (spoiler), son of Zippor, king of the Moabites, who hired Balaam to curse the Israelites; but his designs were frustrated int he manner recorded in (Numbers 22:24) (B.C. 1451.)
    [nave] BALAK, king of Moab, Num. 22:4; Josh. 24:9; Judg. 11:25; Mic. 6:5. Tries to bribe Balaam to curse Israel, Num. 22:5-7, 15-17. See: Balaam.

  • Angel

    [isbe] ANGEL - an'-jel (mal'akh; Septuagint and New Testament, aggelos): I. DEFINITION AND SCRIPTURE TERMS II. ANGELS IN OLD TESTAMENT 1. Nature, Appearances and Functions 2. The Angelic Host 3. The Angel of the Theophany III. ANGE...
    [nave] ANGEL. One of the Holy Trinity Trinitarian authorities interpret the Scriptures cited under this topic as referring to Christ, who according to this view was the divine presence in the wilderness. Called Angel, Acts 7:30, ...

  • ASS

    [ebd] frequently mentioned throughout Scripture. Of the domesticated species we read of, (1.) The she ass (Heb. 'athon), so named from its slowness (Gen. 12:16; 45:23; Num. 22:23; 1 Sam. 9:3). (2.) The male ass (Heb. hamor), the c...
    [isbe] ASS - as (chamowr or chamor, compare Arabic chamar, apparently connected with Arabic root 'achmar, "red," but referred by some to root hamal, "to carry"; also, but less commonly, both in Hebrew and in Arabic, 'athon, Arabic ...

  • Moabites

    [nave] MOABITES Descendants of Lot through his son Moab, Gen. 19:37. Called the people of Chemosh, Num. 21:29. The territory E. of Jordan, bounded on the N. by the river Arnon, Num. 21:13; Judg. 11:18. Children of Israel command...

  • Sorcery

    [nave] SORCERY, divination by an alleged assistance of evil spirits. Forbidden, Lev. 19:26-28, 31; 20:6; Deut. 18:9-14. Denounced, Isa. 8:19; Mal. 3:5. Practiced: By the Egyptians, Isa. 19:3, 11, 12; by the magicians, Ex. 7:11, 22...

  • CHARM

    [isbe] CHARM - charm: Definition.--The word charm is derived from the Latin carmen, "a song," and denotes strictly what is sung; then it comes to mean a magical formula chanted or recited with a view to certain desired results. Cha...

  • Heathen

    [nave] HEATHEN Under this head are grouped all who are not embraced under the Abrahamic covenant. Cast out of Canaan, Lev. 18:24, 25; Psa. 44:2; and their land given to Israel, Psa. 78:55; 105:44; 135:12; 136:21, 22; Isa. 54:1-3. ...

  • MOAB; MOABITES

    [isbe] MOAB; MOABITES - mo'-ab, mo'-ab-its (Moab, mo'abh, Moabite Stone, M-'-B; Greek (Septuagint) Moab, he Moabeitis, Moabitis; Moabite, mo'abhi; Moabites, bene mo'abh): 1. The Land: Moab was the district East of the Dead Sea, ext...

  • MAGIC; MAGICIAN

    [isbe] MAGIC; MAGICIAN - maj'-ik, ma-jish'-an: I. DEFINITION II. DIVISION OF THE SUBJECT 1. Magic as Impersonal 2. Margic as Personal III. MAGIC AND RELIGION IV. MAGIC IN THE BIBLE 1. Hostility to Magic 2. Potency of Magical Words ...

  • Greed

    [nave] GREED. Ex. 18:21; Ex. 20:17 Deut. 5:21. Neh. 5:7; Job 20:15; Job 31:24, 25, 28; Psa. 10:3; Psa. 119:36; Prov. 1:19; Prov. 11:24, 26; Prov. 15:27; Prov. 21:25, 26; Prov. 22:16; Prov. 23:4, 5; Prov. 30:8, 9; Eccl. 1:8 vs. 2-8...

  • Temptation

    [nave] TEMPTATION. Gen. 3:1-13; Gen. 20:6; Ex. 34:12 vs. 13-16.; Deut. 7:25; Deut. 8:11-14, 17, 18; Deut. 13:3; 1 Chr. 21:1; 2 Chr. 32:30, 31; Psa. 119:165; Prov. 1:10-17; Prov. 2:10-12, 16; Prov. 4:14, 15; Prov. 5:6-21; Prov. 6:2...

  • DIVINATION

    [isbe] DIVINATION - div-i-na'-shun: 1. Definition 2. Kinds of Divination 3. Fundamental Assumption in Divination 4. Legitimate and Illegitimate Divination 5. The Bible and Divination 6. Modes of Divination Mentioned in the Bible: T...

  • Hypocrisy

    [nave] HYPOCRISY. Job 8:13-15; Job 13:16; Job 15:31, 33, 34; Job 17:8; Job 20:4, 5 vs. 6-18.; Job 27:8-10 vs. 13-18.; Job 31:33, 34; Job 34:30; Job 36:13, 14; Psa. 5:9; Psa. 50:16, 17; Psa. 52:4; Psa. 55:12-14, 20, 21, 23; Psa. 78...

  • Worldliness

    [nave] WORLDLINESS. 1 Sam. 8:19, 20; Job 20:4-29; Job 21:11-15; Psa. 49:16-18; Psa. 73:2-22; Prov. 14:12, 13; Prov. 15:21; Prov. 21:17; Prov. 23:20, 21; Prov. 27:1, 7; Eccl. 1:8; Eccl. 2:1-12; Eccl. 6:11, 12; Eccl. 8:15-17; Eccl. ...

  • ABEL-SHITTIM

    [isbe] ABEL-SHITTIM - a'-bel-shit'-tim ('abhel ha-shiTTim, "the meadow of the Acacias"): The name appears only in Nu 33:49; but the name Shittim is used to denote the same locality (Nu 25:1; Josh 2:1; 3:1; Mic 6:5). The name always...

  • WANDERINGS OF ISRAEL

    [isbe] WANDERINGS OF ISRAEL - won'-der-ingz: I. CONDITIONS 1. The Wilderness 2. Four Separate Regions Included 3. "The Sandy Tract" 4. Description of the Arabah 5. Physical Condition of the Wilderness 6. Difficulties Regarding the ...

  • Zippor

    [ebd] a little bird, the father of Balak, king of Moab (Num. 22:2, 4).
    [isbe] ZIPPOR - zip'-or (tsippor; in Nu 22:4; 23:18; tsippor, "bird," "swallow" (HPN, 94)): Father of Balak, king of Moab (Nu 22:2,10,16; Josh 24:9; Jdg 11:25).
    [smith] (sparrow), father of Balak king of Moab. (Numbers 22:2,4,10,16; 23:18; Joshua 24:9; Judges 11:25) Whether he was the "former king of Moab" alluded to in (Numbers 21:26) we are not told. (B.C. 1451.)
    [nave] ZIPPOR, father of Balak, Num. 22:2, 4, 10, 16; 23:18; Josh. 24:9.

  • Repentance

    [isbe] REPENTANCE - re-pen'-tans: I. OLD TESTAMENT TERMS 1. To Repent--"to Pant," "to Sigh" 2. To Repent--"to Turn" or "Return" II. NEW TESTAMENT TERMS 1. Repent--"to Care," "Be Concerned" 2. Repent--"to Change the Mind" 3. Repent-...
    [nave] REPENTANCE Attributed to God, Gen. 6:6, 7; Ex. 32:14; Deut. 32:36; Judg. 2:18; 1 Sam. 15:11, 29, 35; 2 Sam. 24:16; 1 Chr. 21:15; Psa. 106:45; 110:4; 135:14; Jer. 15:6; 18:8, 10; 26:3; 42:10; Joel 2:13; Amos 7:3, 6; Jonah 3:9...

  • Donkey

    [nave] DONKEY Domesticated Herds of, Gen. 12:16; 24:35; 32:5; 34:28; Num. 31:34, 45; 1 Chr. 5:21; Ezra 2:67; Neh. 7:69. Used for riding, Gen. 22:3; Num. 22:21-33; Josh. 15:18; Judg. 1:14; 5:10; 1 Sam. 25:23; 2 Chr. 28:15; Zech. ...
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Arts

Questions

  • They were the descendants of Lot and were neighbors of the Amorites on the opposite side of the River Arnon (Num. 21:13). They were governed by kings and possessed many great cities (Num. 21:28-30; Is. 15:1; Num. 23:7). They ...
  • You need to read the entire story in Numbers 22 to get a complete idea of the situation. Balaam was in the first instance forbidden to go. That answer should have been sufficient for Balaam, but when the princes came with all...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • This pericope serves a double purpose. It introduces the rigorous conditions under which the Egyptians forced the Israelites to live, and it sets the stage for the birth of Moses.1:8-14 The new king (v. 8) was perhaps Ahmose ...
  • To formulate a statement that summarizes the teaching of this book it will be helpful to identify some of the major revelations in Numbers. These constitute the unique values of the book.The first major value of Numbers is th...
  • I. Experiences of the older generation in the wilderness chs. 1-25A. Preparations for entering the Promised Land from the south chs. 1-101. The first census and the organization of the people chs. 1-42. Commands and rituals t...
  • 22:1-20 Moab had not attacked Israel as the people of God had moved north along Moab's eastern border. In fact the Moabites sold the Israelites bread and water (Deut. 2:29). The Moabites probably counted on Sihon, who had for...
  • "Chapters 23 and 24 are two of the brightest chapters in the book of Numbers. Scores of wonderful things are said about Israel, mainly prophetical. The dark sins of the past were forgotten; only happy deliverance from Egypt w...
  • This chapter contains one of the great failures of Israel that followed one of its great blessings.238As God was preparing to bless His people they were preparing to disobey Him."So now we come to the ultimate rebellion of Is...
  • The writer now recorded the fulfillment of God's instructions to Moses that Israel should destroy the Midianites (25:16-18). In this account, the aftermath of the battle receives more attention than the battle itself. Evident...
  • In the preceding chapter Moses explained the proper types of marital union. In this chapter he set forth the proper types of union of individuals with the covenant community.This section of verses (vv. 1-8) deals with people ...
  • 5:13-15 "Despite Joshua's long military experience he had never led an attack on a fortified city that was prepared for a long siege. In fact, of all the walled cities in Palestine, Jericho was probably the most invincible. T...
  • Jephthah did not rush into battle but wisely tried to settle the Ammonites' grievance with Israel peacefully. His approach reveals his humility as well as his wisdom. Most men would have wanted to demonstrate their prowess in...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • The analogies in chapter 25 dealt with both wise and foolish conduct, but those in chapter 26 deal mainly with fools and folly.26:2 If someone curses another person who does not deserve it, the curse will not be effective (cf...
  • 6:1-2 Micah called his audience to hear what Yahweh had told him to say. Yahweh had a case (lawsuit, Heb. rib) to bring against His people. The Lord was summoning Israel to defend herself in a courtroom setting. He addressed ...
  • 2:8 Probably Zephaniah linked Moab and Ammon because both nations descended from Lot (Gen. 19:30-38) as well as because both lay to Judah's east. Both nations had taunted and reviled the Israelites from their earliest history...
  • "And I looked"(Gr. kai eidon) signals a new scene in John's vision. John next saw, on earth, an eagle interrupt the angels by flying through the sky and warning those living on the earth to beware of the last three trumpet ju...
  • 14:9 A third angel followed the former two with a third message in this sequence warning the beast-worshippers of their judgment (cf. 13:11-17). The goal of this warning is to alert potential beast-worshippers to their doom, ...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beer to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the fa...
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