When
Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at Ir-moab,
on the boundary formed by the Arnon, at the farthest point of the
boundary. Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send to summon you? Why
did you not come to me? Am I not able to honour you?”1
Balaam said to Balak, “I have come to you now, but do I have power to say just anything? The word God puts in my mouth, that is what I must say.”2
Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep,3 and sent them to Balaam and to the officials who were with him. On the next day Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal; and from there he could see part of the people of Israel. Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.”4
Balak did as Balaam had said; and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar. Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt-offerings while I go aside. Perhaps5 the Lord will come to meet me. Whatever he shows me I will tell you.”6 And he went to a bare height.
Then God met Balaam; and Balaam said to him, “I have arranged the seven altars, and have offered a bull and a ram on each altar.”7
The Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and this is what you must say.”8
So he returned to Balak, who was standing beside his burnt-offerings with all the officials of Moab. Then Balaam uttered his oracle,9 saying:
“Balak has brought me from Aram,
the king of Moab from the eastern mountains:
'Come, curse Jacob for me;
Come, denounce Israel!'
How can I curse whom God has not cursed?
How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced?10
For from the top of the crags I see him,
from the hills I behold him;
Here is a people living alone,
and not reckoning itself among the nations!
Who can count the dust of Jacob,
or number the dust-cloud of Israel?11
Let me die the death of the upright,
and let my end be like his!”
Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but now you have done nothing but bless them.”12
He answered, “Must I not take care to say what the Lord puts into my mouth?”13
Balaam said to Balak, “I have come to you now, but do I have power to say just anything? The word God puts in my mouth, that is what I must say.”2
Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep,3 and sent them to Balaam and to the officials who were with him. On the next day Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal; and from there he could see part of the people of Israel. Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.”4
Balak did as Balaam had said; and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar. Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt-offerings while I go aside. Perhaps5 the Lord will come to meet me. Whatever he shows me I will tell you.”6 And he went to a bare height.
Then God met Balaam; and Balaam said to him, “I have arranged the seven altars, and have offered a bull and a ram on each altar.”7
The Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and this is what you must say.”8
So he returned to Balak, who was standing beside his burnt-offerings with all the officials of Moab. Then Balaam uttered his oracle,9 saying:
“Balak has brought me from Aram,
the king of Moab from the eastern mountains:
'Come, curse Jacob for me;
Come, denounce Israel!'
How can I curse whom God has not cursed?
How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced?10
For from the top of the crags I see him,
from the hills I behold him;
Here is a people living alone,
and not reckoning itself among the nations!
Who can count the dust of Jacob,
or number the dust-cloud of Israel?11
Let me die the death of the upright,
and let my end be like his!”
Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but now you have done nothing but bless them.”12
He answered, “Must I not take care to say what the Lord puts into my mouth?”13
1
Again, King Balak is assuming that Balaam will be motivated by the
gifts he can grant with his power.
2
Balaam emphasizes the power of God and his own obedience to God yet
again.
3
Is Balak's sacrifice to YHWH, or is it pagan? Is it acceptable to
God?
4
Balaam, who seems to be in God's favor, can build alters and perform
sacrifices outside the tabernacle without being condemned by God.
5
Once again Balaam points out that it's all in God's hands – he can
not predict with certainty what God will do.
6
Emphasizing again to King Balak that he can only be obedient to God.
7
It appears quite clear that the alters are to God.
8
And God seems to accept the sacrifice.
9
Once again obedient to God.
10
Yet again emphasizing - “I can not be disobedient to God!” The
source of true power is clear.
11
Balaam, who previously seemed unaware of Israel, is quite familiar
with them now.
12
Strange how he continues to recognize God's power (at least through
Balaam), yet fails to recognize that God, not Balaam, is the source
of that power.
13
Yet again emphasizing his obedience.
Take-home: The necessity of obedience to God, and the clear fact that all true power comes from him, is made clear through the words and actions of a foreign prophet.
Take-home: The necessity of obedience to God, and the clear fact that all true power comes from him, is made clear through the words and actions of a foreign prophet.
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