1 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.

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

3And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

4And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.

5He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor 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 face of the earth, and they abide over against me:

6Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they aretoo mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.

7And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.

8And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.

9And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?

10And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,

11Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.

12And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.

13And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.

14And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.

15And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.

16And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:

17For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.

18And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.

19Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.

20And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.

21And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

22And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.

23And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.

24But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.

25And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.

26And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

27And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.

28And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

29And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.

30And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.

31Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.

32And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:

33And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.

34And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.

35And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

36And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.

37And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?

38And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.

39And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth.

40And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.

41And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.

1 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plaines of Moab, on this side Iordane by Iericho.

2 And Balak the sonne of Zippor, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

3And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many, and Moab was distressed, because of the children of Israel.

4And Moab said vnto the elders of Midian; Now shall this company licke vp all that are round about vs, as the oxe licketh vp the grasse of the field. And Balak the sonne of Zippor, was King of the Moabites at that time.

5He sent messengers therefore vnto Balaam the sonne of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the riuer of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: beholde, they couer the face of the earth, and they abide ouer against me.

6Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse mee this people, for they are too mightie for me: peraduenture I shall preuaile, that we may smite them, and that I may driue them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest, is blessed, and hee whom thou cursest, is cursed.

7And the elders of Moab, and the elders of Midian departed, with the rewards of diuination in their hand; and they came vnto Balaam, and spake vnto him the words of Balak.

8And hee said vnto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word againe as the Lord shal speake vnto mee: and the Princes of Moab abode with Balaam.

9And God came vnto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?

10And Balaam said vnto God, Balak the sonne of Zippor, King of Moab, hath sent vnto me, saying;

11Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which couereth the face of the earth: Come now, curse me them; peraduenture I shalbe able to ouercome them, and driue them out.

12And God saide vnto Balaam; Thou shalt not goe with them, thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.

13And Balaam rose vp in the morning, and said vnto the Princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the Lord refuseth to giue mee leaue to goe with you.

14And the Princes of Moab rose vp, and they went vnto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with vs.

15 And Balak sent yet againe Princes, moe, and more honourable then they.

16And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor; Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from comming vnto me:

17For I wil promote thee vnto very great honour, and I will do whatsoeuer thou saiest vnto me: Come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.

18And Balaam answered and said vnto the seruants of Balak, If Balak would giue me his house full of siluer and gold, I cannot goe beyond the word of the Lord my God, to doe lesse or more.

19Now therefore, I pray you, tarie yee also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will say vnto me more.

20And God came vnto Balaam at night, and said vnto him, If the men come to call thee, rise vp, and goe with them: but yet the word which I shall say vnto thee, that shalt thou doe.

21And Balaam rose vp in the morning, and sadled his asse, and went with the princes of Moab.

22 And Gods anger was kindled, because he went: and the Angel of the Lord stood in the way for an aduersarie against him: Now he was riding vpon his asse, and his two seruants were with him.

23And the Asse sawe the Angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawen in his hand: and the asse turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the asse, to turne her into the way.

24But the Angel of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, & a wall on that side.

25And when the asse saw the Angel of the Lord, she thrust her selfe vnto the wall, and crusht Balaams foote against the wall: and hee smote her againe.

26And the Angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrowe place, where was no way to turne, either to the right hand, or to the left.

27And when the asse sawe the Angel of the Lord, shee fell downe vnder Balaam, and Balaams anger was kindled, and hee smote the asse with a staffe.

28And the Lord opened the mouth of the asse, and shee saide vnto Balaam, What haue I done vnto thee, that thou hast smitten mee these three times?

29And Balaam said vnto the asse, Because thou hast mocked mee: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.

30And the asse said vnto Balaam, Am not I thine asse, vpon which thou hast ridden euer since I was thine, vnto this day? was I euer wont to do so vnto thee? And he said, Nay.

31Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and hee saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawen in his hand: and hee bowed downe his head, and fell flat on his face.

32And the Angel of the Lord said vnto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine asse these three times? Behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is peruerse before me.

33And the asse saw me, and turned from me these three times: vnlesse shee had turned from me, surely now also I had slaine thee, and saued her aliue.

34And Balaam said vnto the Angel of the Lord, I haue sinned: for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against mee: Now therefore if it displease thee, I will get mee backe againe.

35And the Angel of the Lord said vnto Balaam, Goe with the men: but onely the word that I shall speake vnto thee, that thou shalt speake: So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

36 And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, hee went out to meete him, vnto a citie of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the vtmost coast.

37And Balak said vnto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send vnto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not vnto me? Am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?

38And Balaam saide vnto Balak, Loe, I am come vnto thee: haue I now any power at all to say any thing? the worde that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speake.

39And Balaam went with Balak, and they came vnto Kiriath-Huzoth.

40And Balak offered oxen, and sheepe, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.

41And it came to passe on the morrow, that Balak tooke Balaam, and brought him vp into the high places of Baal, that thence hee might see the vtmost part of the people.

I == Num 33:48

 

II == Judg 11:25

 

III == Ex 15:15

 

 

IV == Num 31:8 ; Josh 13:21

 

 

 

 

V == Num 23:7 ; Deut 23:4 ; Josh 13:22 ; 24:9 ; Neh 13:1-2 ; Mic 6:5 ; 2nd Peter 2:15 ; Jude 1:11 ; Rev 2:14

 

VI == Num 23:7

 

 

 

 

 

VII == 1st Sam 9:7-8

 

 

VIII == Num 22:19

 

 

 

IX == Gen 20:3 ; Num 22:20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XII == Num 23:20 ; Rom 11:29

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XVII == Num 22:6

 

 

 

XVIII == Num 24:13 ; 1st Kings 22:14 ; 2nd Chr 18:13

 

XIX == Num 22:8

 

XX == Num 22:9 , 35 ; 23:12 , 26 ; 24:13

 

 

 

 

XXII == Ex 4:24

 

 

 

XXIII == 2nd Kings 6:17 ; Dan 10:7 ; Acts 22:9 ; 2nd Peters 2:16 ; Jude 1:11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXVIII == 2nd Peter 2:16

 

 

 

 

 

XXIX == Prov 12:10

 

 

XXX == 2nd Peter 2:16

 

 

 

 

XXXI == Gen 21:19 ; Ex 34:8 ; 2nd Kings 6:17 ; Luke 24:16 , 31

XXXII == 2nd Peter 2:14-15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXXIV == 1st Sam 15:24 , 30 ; 26:21 ; 2nd Sam 12:13 ; Job 34:31-32

 

XXXV == Num 22:20

 

 

 

XXXVI == Gen 14:17 ; Num 21:13

 

XXXVII == Num 22:17 ; 24:11

 

 

XXXVIII == Num 23:26 ; 24:13 ; 1st Kings 22:14 ; 2nd Chr 18:13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XLI == Deut 12:2

 

 

 

 

1 Then the Israelites moved on and encamped in the plains of Moab on the other side of the Jericho stretch of the Jordan.

2 Now Balak, son of Zippor, saw all that Israel did to the Amorites.

3 Indeed, Moab feared the Israelites greatly because of their numbers, and detested them.

4 So Moab said to the elders of Midian, "Soon this horde will devour all the country around us as an ox devours the grass of the field." And Balak, Zippor's son, who was king of Moab at that time,

5 sent messengers to Balaam, son of Beor, at Pethor on the Euphrates, in the land of the Amawites, summoning him with these words, "A people has come here from Egypt who now cover the face of the earth and are settling down opposite us!

6 Please come and curse this people for us; they are stronger than we are. We may then be able to defeat them and drive them out of the country. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed and whoever you curse is cursed."

7 Then the elders of Moab and of Midian left with the divination fee in hand and went to Balaam. When they had given him Balak's message,

8 he said to them in reply, "Stay here overnight, and I will give you whatever answer the LORD gives me." So the princes of Moab lodged with Balaam.

9 Then God came to Balaam and said, "Who are these men visiting you?"

10 Balaam answered God, "Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me the message:

11 'This people that came here from Egypt now cover the face of the earth. Please come and lay a curse on them for us; we may then be able to give them battle and drive them out.'"

12 But God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them and do not curse this people, for they are blessed."

13 The next morning Balaam arose and told the princes of Balak, "Go back to your own country, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you."

14 So the princes of Moab went back to Balak with the report, "Balaam refused to come with us."

15 Balak again sent princes, who were more numerous and more distinguished than the others.

16 On coming to Balaam they told him, "This is what Balak, son of Zippor, has to say: Please do not refuse to come to me.

17 I will reward you very handsomely and will do anything you ask of me. Please come and lay a curse on this people for me."

18 But Balaam replied to Balak's officials, "Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, small or great, contrary to the command of the LORD, my God.

19 But, you too shall stay here overnight, till I learn what else the LORD may tell me."

20 That night God came to Balaam and said to him, "If these men have come to summon you, you may go with them; yet only on the condition that you do exactly as I tell you."

21 So the next morning when Balaam arose, he saddled his ass, and went off with the princes of Moab.

22 But now the anger of God flared up at him for going, and the angel of the LORD stationed himself on the road to hinder him as he was riding along on his ass, accompanied by two of his servants.

23 When the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing on the road with sword drawn, she turned off the road and went into the field, and Balaam had to beat her to bring her back on the road.

24 Then the angel of the LORD took his stand in a narrow lane between vineyards with a stone wall on each side.

25 When the ass saw the angel of the LORD there, she shrank against the wall; and since she squeezed Balaam's leg against it, he beat her again.

26 The angel of the LORD then went ahead, and stopped next in a passage so narrow that there was no room to move either to the right or to the left.

27 When the ass saw the angel of the LORD there, she cowered under Balaam. So, in anger, he again beat the ass with his stick.

28 But now the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she asked Balaam, "What have I done to you that you should beat me these three times?"

29 "You have acted so willfully against me," said Balaam to the ass, "that if I but had a sword at hand, I would kill you here and now."

30 But the ass said to Balaam, "Am I not your own beast, and have you not always ridden upon me until now? Have I been in the habit of treating you this way before?" "No," replied Balaam.

31 Then the LORD removed the veil from Balaam's eyes, so that he too saw the angel of the LORD standing on the road with sword drawn; and he fell on his knees and bowed to the ground.

32 But the angel of the LORD said to him, "Why have you beaten your ass these three times? It is I who have come armed to hinder you because this rash journey of yours is directly opposed to me.

33 When the ass saw me, she turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away from me, I would have killed you; her I would have spared."

34 Then Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned. Yet I did not know that you stood against me to oppose my journey. Since it has displeased you, I will go back home."

35 But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men; but you may say only what I tell you." So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.

36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the boundary city Ir-Moab on the Arnon at the end of the Moabite territory.

37 And he said to Balaam, "I sent an urgent summons to you! Why did you not come to me? Did you think I could not reward you?"

38 Balaam answered him, "Well, I have come to you after all. But what power have I to say anything? I can speak only what God puts in my mouth."

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

40 Here Balak slaughtered oxen and sheep, and sent portions to Balaam and to the princes who were with him.

41 The next morning Balak took Balaam up on Bamoth-baal, and from there he saw some of the clans.

v 1. The Israelites are on the plains of Moab anticipating crossing the Jordan into the land of promise. This sets the stage for the next four chapters.

v 2-4. No doubt Moses had informed Moabites the Lord had forbidden him to harm them, Deut. 2:9, and Israel merely passed on the border. But when Moab’s king Balak saw their immense number and power over Amorites he was afraid.

v 5-8. Sometimes the logistics of 2 or 3 million traveling together seem mind boggling, that there must be a misunderstanding, but Balak’s observation, “They cover the face of the earth” is evidence the numbers do add up as stated. Balak’s solution was to call in a diviner to curse the Israelites, so he sent elders of Midian with wages for Balaam. Deut. 23:4 places Pethor in Mesopotamia along the Euphrates near a great city, Mari, near Carchemish. Cuneiform writings indicate there was a large cult of seers and diviners there. This was 150-200 miles north, so Balaam did not return but must have continued among the nearby Midianites, Num. 31:8. He was a a famed heathen diviner who had the power to bless or curse people. Nevertheless, he knew some of the things of the Lord, and acknowledged that his power came from the Lord. He may have been in the same category as Simon Magnus in Acts 8:10, or other men in Jesus time who were not believers themselves, yet did many mighty works in Jesus’ name, Mk 9:38, or still others who make that claim at the judgment, Matt. 7:22. Balak may have felt he would have the best success if could deal directly with Israel’s God.

v 9-12. God did speak to Balaam, and after getting an admission of the problem, told him not to go or curse them because they were blessed.

v 13,14. Balaam sent the elders away with word that the Lord wouldn’t let him go. The men merely reported that he refused to come, so Balak thought he wanted more money, and that is probably the impression Balaam intended to give.

v 15,16 Balak sent a more prominent delegation and promise of greater rewards.

v 18,19. Saying “The Lord my God’ does not make Balaam a believer, but in the category of those in Zeph 1:5 who worship and that swear by the LORD, and swear by Malcham. Even so, his answer was right till he added he would try the Lord again.

v 20,21. God said, “go if they call thee, but Balaam arose without waiting for their call. Knowing Balaam’s lustful heart, God still permits him to go with them, but placed a restriction of saying only what God told him.

v 22-27. Balaam’s rebellion angered God and he blocked the donkey’s way by an angel. First from the path into a field, next between two walls where Balak’s foot was crushed, and finally in a narrow place, where the donkey could only fall down. Balak could not see the angel and each time beat the donkey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 28-30. Balaam conversed with the donkey, maybe thinking it a demon voice. 

 

 

 

 

v 31-35. Finally Balaam fell on his face when he saw the angel with a sword. The wording of v 32 and 35 indicate that this is none other than the Incarnate Christ, who could have killed him. Balaam admits his sin and offers to go back, but again God gives him His permissive will, not His directive will. He allows Balaam to pursue wealth, but again places the limitation on what he can say. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 36-41. Balak greets Balaam with more indication of reward and offers some sacrifices. Balaam reports he can only say what the Lord says, but goes to a high place with Balak where he can see the utmost, or one fourth of the people, 23:10.