Numbers22
New Living Translation
1Then the people of Israel traveled to the plains of Moab and camped east of the Jordan River, across from Jericho.
2Balak son of Zippor, the Moabite king, had seen everything the Israelites did to the Amorites.
3And when the people of Moab saw how many Israelites there were, they were terrified.
4The king of Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This mob will devour everything in sight, like an ox devours grass in the field!” So Balak, king of Moab,
5sent messengers to call Balaam son of Beor, who was living in his native land of Pethor near the Euphrates River. His message said: “Look, a vast horde of people has arrived from Egypt. They cover the face of the earth and are threatening me.
6Please come and curse these people for me because they are too powerful for me. Then perhaps I will be able to conquer them and drive them from the land. I know that blessings fall on any people you bless, and curses fall on people you curse.”
7Balak’s messengers, who were elders of Moab and Midian, set out with money to pay Balaam to place a curse upon Israel. They went to Balaam and delivered Balak’s message to him.
8“Stay here overnight,” Balaam said. “In the morning I will tell you whatever the Lord directs me to say.” So the officials from Moab stayed there with Balaam.
9That night God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men visiting you?”
10Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent me this message:
11‘Look, a vast horde of people has arrived from Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come and curse these people for me. Then perhaps I will be able to stand up to them and drive them from the land.’”
12But God told Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse these people, for they have been blessed!”
13The next morning Balaam got up and told Balak’s officials, “Go on home! The Lord will not let me go with you.”
14So the Moabite officials returned to King Balak and reported, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
15Then Balak tried again. This time he sent a larger number of even more distinguished officials than those he had sent the first time.
16They went to Balaam and delivered this message to him: “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Please don’t let anything stop you from coming to help me.
17I will pay you very well and do whatever you tell me. Just come and curse these people for me!”
18But Balaam responded to Balak’s messengers, “Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord my God.
19But stay here one more night, and I will see if the Lord has anything else to say to me.”
20That night God came to Balaam and told him, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But do only what I tell you to do.”
21So the next morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started off with the Moabite officials.
22But God was angry that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the Lord to stand in the road to block his way. As Balaam and two servants were riding along,
23Balaam’s donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat it and turned it back onto the road.
24Then the angel of the Lord stood at a place where the road narrowed between two vineyard walls.
25When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam beat the donkey again.
26Then the angel of the Lord moved farther down the road and stood in a place too narrow for the donkey to get by at all.
27This time when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam. In a fit of rage Balaam beat the animal again with his staff.
28Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?” it asked Balaam.
29“You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”
30“But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life,” the donkey answered. “Have I ever done anything like this before?” “No,” Balaam admitted.
31Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him.
32“Why did you beat your donkey those three times?” the angel of the Lord demanded. “Look, I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me.
33Three times the donkey saw me and shied away; otherwise, I would certainly have killed you by now and spared the donkey.”
34Then Balaam confessed to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I didn’t realize you were standing in the road to block my way. I will return home if you are against my going.”
35But the angel of the Lord told Balaam, “Go with these men, but say only what I tell you to say.” So Balaam went on with Balak’s officials.
36When King Balak heard that Balaam was on the way, he went out to meet him at a Moabite town on the Arnon River at the farthest border of his land.
37“Didn’t I send you an urgent invitation? Why didn’t you come right away?” Balak asked Balaam. “Didn’t you believe me when I said I would reward you richly?”
38Balaam replied, “Look, now I have come, but I have no power to say whatever I want. I will speak only the message that God puts in my mouth.”
39Then Balaam accompanied Balak to Kiriath-huzoth,
40where the king sacrificed cattle and sheep. He sent portions of the meat to Balaam and the officials who were with him.
41The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see some of the people of Israel spread out below him.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Numbers 22.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Balak's fear of Israel, He sends for Balaam. (1–14). Balaam goes to Balak. (15–21). The opposition to Balaam by the way. (22–35). Balaam and Balak meet. (36–41).
vv1-14
The king of Moab formed a plan to get the people of Israel cursed; that is, to set God against them, who had hitherto fought for them. He had a false notion, that if he could get some prophet to pray for evil upon them, and to pronounce a blessing upon himself and his forces, that then he should be able to deal with them. None had so great a reputation as Balaam; and Balak will employ him, though he send a great way for him. It is not known whether the Lord had ever spoken to Balaam, or by him, before this; though it is probable he had, and it is certain he did afterwards. Yet we have abundant proof that he lived and died a wicked man, an enemy to God and his people. And the curse shall not come upon us if there is not a cause, even though men utter it. To prevail with Balaam, they took the wages of unrighteousness, but God laid restraint upon Balaam, forbidding him to curse Israel. Balaam was no stranger to Israel's cause; so that he ought to have answered the messengers at once, that he would never curse a people whom God had blessed; but he takes a night's time to consider what he should do. When we parley with temptations, we are in great danger of being overcome. Balaam was not faithful in returning God's answer to the messengers. Those are a fair mark for Satan's temptation, who lessen Divine restraints; as if to go against God's law were only to go without his leave. The messengers also are not faithful in returning Balaam's answer to Balak. Thus many are abused by the flatteries of those about them, and are prevented from seeing their own faults and follies.
vv15-21
A second embassy was sent to Balaam. It were well for us, if we were as earnest and constant in prosecuting a good work, notwithstanding disappointments. Balak laid a bait, not only for Balaam's covetousness, but for his pride and ambition. How earnestly should we beg of God daily to mortify such desires in us! Thus sinners stick at no pains, spare no cost, and care not how low they stoop, to gratify their luxury, or their malice. Shall we then be unwilling to do what is right? God forbid! Balaam's convictions charged him to keep to the command of God; nor could any man have spoken better. But many call God theirs, who are not his, not truly because not only his. There is no judging men by their words; God knows the heart. Balaam's corruptions at the same time inclined him to go contrary to the command. He seemed to refuse the temptation; but he expressed no abhorrence of it. He had a strong desire to accept the offer, and hoped that God might give him leave to go. He had already been told what the will of God was. It is a certain evidence of the ruling of corruption in the heart, to beg leave to sin. God gave Balaam up to his own heart's lusts. As God sometimes denies the prayers of his people in love, so sometimes he grants the desires of the wicked in wrath.
vv22-35
We must not think, that because God does not always by his providence restrain men from sin, therefore he approves of it, or that it is not hateful to him. The holy angels oppose sin, and perhaps are employed in preventing it more than we are aware. This angel was an adversary to Balaam, because Balaam counted him his adversary; those are really our best friends, and we ought so to reckon them, who stop our progress in sinful ways. Balaam has notice of God's displeasure by the ass. It is common for those whose hearts are fully set in them to do evil, to push on violently, through the difficulties Providence lays in their way. The Lord opened the mouth of the ass. This was a great miracle wrought by the power of God. He who made man speak, could, when he pleased, make the ass to speak with man's voice. The ass complained of Balaam's cruelty. The righteous God does not allow the meanest or weakest to be abused; but they shall be able to speak in their own defence, or he will some way or other speak for them. Balaam at length has his eyes opened. God has many ways to bring down the hard and unhumbled heart. When our eyes are opened, we shall see the danger of sinful ways, and how much it was for our advantage to be crossed. Balaam seemed to relent; I have sinned; but it does not appear that he was sensible of this wickedness of his heart, or willing to own it. If he finds he cannot go forward, he will be content, since there is no remedy, to go back. Thus many leave their sins, only because their sins have left them. The angel declared that he should not only be unable to curse Israel, but should be forced to bless them: this would be more for the glory of God, and to his own confusion, than if he had turned back.
Key Words
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
נָסַע: properly, to pull up, especially the tent-pins, i.e. start on ajourney
חָנָה: properly, to incline; by implication, to decline (of the slanting rays of evening); specifically, to pitch atent; gen. to encamp (for abode or siege)
עֲרָבָה: a desert; especially (with the article prefix) the (generally) sterile valley of the Jordan and its continuation to the Red Sea
מוֹאָב: Moab, an incestuous son of Lot; also his territory and descendants
עֵבֶר: properly, a region across; but used only adverbially (with or without a preposition) on the opposite side (especially of the Jordan; ususally meaning the east)
יַרְדֵּן: Jarden, the principal river of Palestine
יְרִיחוֹ: Jericho or Jerecho, a place in Palestine
בָּלָק: Balak, a Moabitish king
Cross References
Numbers 22New Testament identification of Balaam's greed and loving 'the wages of unrighteousness.'
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Explicit NT confirmation of the literal miracle of the dumb ass speaking to forbid the prophet's madness.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Historical record of hiring Balaam of Pethor to curse Israel.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Warning against running greedily after the error of Balaam for reward.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Explains God turned the intended curse into a blessing because He loved Israel.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Fulfillment of the Exodus song predicting that trembling would take hold of Moab.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Prophetic call to remember Balak's consultation and Balaam's answer.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Explicitly names Balaam as a soothsayer or diviner slain by Israel.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The divine promise that those who curse Abraham's seed will be cursed.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Jephthah's historical defense referencing Balak's non-aggression against Israel.
Supported by Matthew Poole
God's promise to put the dread of Israel upon the nations.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Balaam's subsequent doctrine of stumbling blocks before Israel.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Repeats Balaam's protestation that he cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord.
Supported by Matthew Poole
How God uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.
Supported by JFB