seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Numbers 22:1 Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.
2 Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, 3 and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites.
4 The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.”
So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, 5 sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River, in his native land. Balak said:
“A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. 6 Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”
7 The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.
8 “Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I will report back to you with the answer the Lord gives me.” So the Moabite officials stayed with him.
9 God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
10 Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: 11 ‘A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.’”
12 But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.”
13 The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your own country, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”
14 So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
15 Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. 16 They came to Balaam and said:
“This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, 17 because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me.”
18 But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God. 19 Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the Lord will tell me.”
20 That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”
Here's the link to the commentary I use.Therefore please come at once, curse this people for me: Balak wanted Balaam to curse Israel, to cripple them spiritually so they could be defeated in battle. Balak seemed to know the strength of Israel was spiritually rooted, and they had to be cut off from their source of power if they were to be conquered.
The diviner’s fee: This suggests a standard fee for the work of a prophet. They took this standard fee in hand and approached Balaam.
You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed: This specific word from God to Balaam is crystal clear. He said, “Balaam, do not go, and do not curse.”
That I may know what more the Lord will say to me: This sounds so spiritual. “Let me seek the Lord about this one” — but it was completely carnal. Balaam was like a child who, having once heard the father’s answer, will ask again, hoping the father’s will might change.
Balaam rose in the morning: No doubt, he woke up at the break of dawn. He could not wait to do the wrong his heart desired, and he is so happy God is “blessing” by allowing him to go!
We can imagine Balaam all sullen and depressed when God said “no” through both conscience and clear word. Then he was happy and excited, believing he had convinced God to say “yes” — with no idea what God was really doing.
I would suggest that everyone read the whole commentary on these verses.OK... here's a new character, Balaam, who comes out of nowhere.
On top of that... God talks to Balaam like God talks to Moses. As a matter of fact, God talks to this guy Balaam more like a father than an employee or slave.
God understands Balaam's talent for "divination" and it seems God respects [answers] Balaam's calls for God to go against a human.
This guy Balaam had a different kind of relationship with God than Moses.
Balaam is more of a crooked preacher, taking money for favoritism or blessings. Moses was more like a cherished Usher... bringing everyone to their seats.
Balak.... was King of Moab. King Balak had a problem. Moses moved in next door with all those refugees and their slaves and their livestock. On top of that... Moses had just totally decimated King Og's land. When Moses' army was done with King Og, there were no survivors.
Now King Balak needed Balaam to put a kink in Moses' plans. Apparently when Balaam put a curse on someone, it lasted. King Balak figured if he could pay Balaam to curse Moses, his problems would be solved.
Apparently, Balaam had a track record for this kind of thing... because there is something called a "divination fee" [verse 7].
When King Balak upped the Anty and offered Balaam even a bigger fee, God let Balaam go with King Balak's men... but warned Balaam not to curse those Israelites. God made it clear to Balaam that Moses and company were important to Him.
So, Balaam packed his donkey to talk to King Balak face to face.
It occurs to me that Balaam isn't going to help King Balak shoo Moses and the refugees away.
Balaam wasn't a nice guy going to mediate a treaty. Balaam was paid big money to deliver "curses".
BUT..
There would be no curses on the Israelites.
God protects Israel!
