Why didnt you come to me? Consider this comparison of what Balaam was told by Balaks representatives with what Balaam himself told God, in answer to His question:26, 5 And he sent messengers to Balaam, . Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. Bible Story: Balak and Balaam; Ref: Numbers 22:1-24:25. A prolonged form of a primary verb dao; to teach. in 1971. 9 And God came to Balaam, and said, Who are these men with you? 10 And Balaam said to God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me saying, 11 Look, a nation has come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 30And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar. Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. There are other people who saddle their own donkey a amor like Abrahams yet the rabbis did not compare Abraham to them as far as Im aware. New King James Version (NKJV). 29 How much greater punishment do you think that person deserves who has contempt for the son of God, and profanes the blood of the covenant that made him holy, and insults the Spirit of grace? There are many reasons why we confidently conclude that Balaam was not a true prophet; indeed, that he was not even a true believer in God. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. The term "LORD" is a translation of the Hebrew "Yahweh" (or Jehovah), and "God" is a rendering of "Elohim." "Yahweh" would probably be understood as the technical term for Israel's God. The donkey is a better seer than you. (N)Therefore please come, curse this people for me. , 18Then Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, (O)Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, (P)I could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more. 24:9; Judg. 10Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? In the first place, Balaam must have known more than he lets on. Thyatira, and what is commended and lacking in them. J Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you." Cite this page: Editor: Stephen Smith. 2 And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram. Again you shall plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant and shall enjoy the fruit. There are some very important lessons for us to learn from Balaam. The princes watch as Balaam strikes his donkey repeatedly in the open field, forcing her back onto the path. Balaam and Balak Redemption Bible Church In particular, Balak, the king of Moab, had heard of Israels victory over the Amorites. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? . They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, says the Lord. (5) The story of Balaam underscores the vital role which the Pentateuch33 plays for Old and New Testament saints alike. 2And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram. This did not do his image any good, and it would seem that his image was very important to Balaam. Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. 23 And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned aside from the way and went into the field. Theres a similar case in 1 Kings 2. To fornicate; met: I practice idolatry. How can we explain this, especially when the Angel of the Lord nearly takes Balaams life for going with these men? Bible Verses About Balaam - 57 passages - King James Version (KJV) God told Balaam, in a vision, that he should not go with Balak's emissaries; but after further urging from the messengers, God allowed him to go. They call attention to the large number of Israelites who are approaching. You will recognize them by their fruits. 11 Not only this, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation (Romans 5:8-11). In effect, Balaam was cursing his donkey. 6:17; Dan. After all, this whole caravan was on his account. Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More. 39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth. Please try again or choose an option below. Just because God allows men to sin does not mean that He approves of sin. I doubt very much that Balaam wanted to cross Balak. In effect, Balaams answer to the donkeys question is, Because you made a jackass out of me. However, Balaam's heart was not right with God, and eventually he showed his true colors by betraying Israel and leading them astray. In the KJV, 348 times the term is rendered smite, 92 times slay, 20 times kill, 9 times beat, five times slaughter. It is very often used to depict the utter defeat and wholesale slaughter of Israels enemies in battle. When we catch our children doing something wrong, we may ask, Just what do you think you are doing? We know the answer, but we want to see how forthright they are with their answer. Going on farther, the Angel blocked the donkeys path while she was confined to a very narrow place, and so all she could do was to lie down, refusing to go on. Balaam beat it(AC) to get it back on the road. 11:25; Mic. F A man who was too well-informed about Israel, their God, and their history, might very well decline when asked to curse them. I can almost hear Balaam trying to avoid this very obvious command by saying, God forbade me to go with that first group of men, and for the price they offered for my services. 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, the son of Zippor, was king of the Moabites at this time. As I read the Book of Proverbs, I see two paths constantly being described. The third had been checked out once, five years ago, by one of my fellow-elders. God will most certainly reward the righteous and punish the wicked. Snare. Now the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land at that time (Genesis 13:5-7). Start your free trial today! 28 Someone who rejected the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. The name Balak means "devastator," a very evil name. It is God who blesses and curses. They should not have feared for their lives. 14And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar. Balaam ( / belm /; [1] Hebrew: , Standard Blam Tiberian Blm) is a diviner in the Torah ( Pentateuch) whose story begins in Chapter 22 of the Book of Numbers ( Numbers 22 ). 9For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. I think Balaam is well aware that this is Gods prerogative, and not mans. To deliberately and purposefully oppose the will of God is to make God your adversary. Who can possibly keep from giggling as they read of Balaam arguing with his donkey? 37 And the firstborn gave birth to a son, and she called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites of today. A person cannot creep close to a sparrow, as they fly at the slightest movement. He seems to be saying that there is no way he can be persuaded to violate the commandment of Yahweh, his God (verse 18). God delayed His punishment on the land of Canaan, so that its sin would be fully developed, and so that the wickedness of the Canaanites can be clearly seen. And so, once again, Balaam is on his way to Balak, but his mission will produce the opposite of what the Moabites want, and nothing like what Balaam hopes for. Nu 23:1-3; Jos 24:9; Jdg 11:25; Mic 6:5; Rev 2:14, ver 7; Nu 24:25; 31:8, 16; Dt 23:4; Jos 13:22; Ne 13:2; Mic 6:5; S 2Pe 2:15, ver 38; Nu 23:12, 26; 24:13; 1Ki 22:14; 2Ch 18:13; Jer 42:4, ver 35, 38; Nu 23:5, 12, 16, 26; 24:13; 2Ch 18:13, ver 33; Dt 25:4; Pr 12:10; 27:23-27; Mt 15:19, Ge 39:9; Nu 14:40; 1Sa 15:24, 30; 2Sa 12:13; 24:10; Job 33:27; Ps 51:4, NIV, The Woman's Study Bible, Full-Color, Red Letter: Receiving God's Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation, NIV, Verse Mapping Bible, Comfort Print: Find Connections in Scripture Using a Unique 5-Step Process, NIV, Beautiful Word Bible Journal, Revelation, Paperback, Comfort Print, NIV, Lucado Encouraging Word Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New International Version. And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said to Balaam, And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed. BALAK IN THE BIBLE - King James Bible Online The distance may also serve another purpose. First, we see that he refuses to take No for an answer. But he answered them, You see all these, do you not? For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. One would have thought it was all over. 23:26; 24:13; 1 Kin. Also, when Moses fled from Egypt, he settled down in the land of Midian, where he married the daughter of a Midianite priest and had two sons (see Exodus 2:15ff. In his anger, Moses strikes the rock twice with his rod (20:10-11), and for this act of irreverence, Moses himself is forbidden to enter the promised land (20:12-13). While I was preparing to teach on the prophet Balaam, I went to the church library to check out some of the best commentaries on the Book of Numbers. 9(K)Then God came to Balaam and said, Who are these men with you?, 10So Balaam said to God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, 11Look, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. gain access to 50+ premium resources to enhance your study of Scripture. 24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a path among the vineyards, where there was a wall on either side. Stripped to its essentials, Balaams request must therefore have been something like this: Yahweh, there is this group of men here, who have asked me to go with them, so that I can curse Your people. The sin of Ananias and Saphira was used of God to bring fear on the church in Jerusalem (Acts 5:11). Because of their kinship with the Moabites, God commanded the Israelites not to harm them: 9 Then the Lord said to me, Do not harass Moab and provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land as your territory. It is not as though Balaam simply took a switch and struck the animal a few times to get her moving toward Moab; Balaam beat this animal mercilessly, in order to impose his will on it. BALAAM IN THE BIBLE - King James Bible Online The King of Moab Sends for Balaam. 23Now (U)the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. They do not mention war, nor slaughter. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. God hates our sin, and He punishes sinners for their sins. Numbers 24:2 Meaning 3 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: Numbers 24:3 Meaning Balaam, a man highly regarded for his ability to influence or control the gods, cannot manage to make his donkey go where he wants. Now therefore, if it [i]displeases You, I will turn back.. He has no regard for your commands, he disdains all his enemies. (1) It is never more dangerous or foolish than to be for what God is against, and against what God is for. Twelve men, each representing one tribe of Israel, were sent to spy out the land, and while all had glowing reports of the bounty of the promised land, ten of the men expressed fears concerning the size of the Canaanites and doubts about Israels ability to take the land from them. Balaam was a wicked prophet in the Bible and is noteworthy because, although he was a wicked prophet, he was not a false prophet. He did not come clean with God, and tell all. Isaiah 57:14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people. Think of it. And yet the Moabites feared the presence of the Israelites, so much so that they were willing to hire a man like Balaam to put a curse on them. 15 And Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more honorable than the first. Of course God knows who these men are. 41So it was, the next day, that Balak took Balaam and brought him up to the (AG)high places of Baal, that from there he might observe [j]the extent of the people. 15And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the Lord yonder. 19 Now therefore, please stay the night here also, that I might know what more the LORD might say to me. 20 And God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, If the men come to call you, rise up and go with them; but the word which I will say to you, that you must do.27 21 So Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. Balak, king of Moab, afraid of the invading Israelites who vastly outnumbered Moab, asked Balaam to come and curse the people of Israel. Numbers begins with the Israelites at Mount Sinai, after the giving of the law. We read, Now the men who were traveling with him stood there speechless, because they heard the voice but saw no one (Acts 9:7). 2:15; Jude 11; Rev. (6) Beware of the grave danger of seeking to use God. And Balak did as Balaam had said, and . So now, please come and curse this nation for me, for they are too powerful for me. This week, I want to look at the comparison that rabbinic literature famously makes between Balaam and Abraham. 4So Moab said to (D)the elders of Midian, Now this company will [a]lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. Balak initially sought to flatter Balaam with the delegation of princes he had sent, and with the money they had in their hands as a fee for divination. 22 Then Gods anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the way to oppose him. He is a false prophet who seeks to curse Israel, but who can only pronounce blessings upon Gods people. Michael Carasik has a Ph.D. in Bible and the Ancient Near East from Brandeis University and taught for many years at the University of Pennsylvania. Urgency of case. It is from the Pentateuch that we are first warned about diviners, like Balaam, who are false prophets (see Deuteronomy 13, 18). Her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed. For out of the north a nation has come up against her, which shall make her land a desolation, and none shall dwell in it; both man and beast shall flee away. Along the way Israel comes to the wilderness of Zin, the same place to which the Israelites had come shortly after crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 16:1). In Genesis 22, when God tells Abraham to go and offer up his son Isaac, and in . I am speaking of the story of Balaam, the diviner, who was hired to curse Israel by Balak, the King of Moab. Who Were Balaam and His Talking Donkey in the Bible? - Christianity By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. 9 He lies in ambush in a hidden place, like a lion in a thicket, he lies in ambush, waiting to catch the oppressed; he catches the oppressed by pulling in his net. 27And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence. (7) There is nothing more important than being on the right path, nor more dangerous than being on the wrong one. When the Israelites send messengers to Sihon, the king of the Amorites, asking for his permission to pass through his land, he refuses, assembling his army to wage war against them (Numbers 21:21-23). Berean Literal Bible King Solomon had put him under house arrest, and this was Solomons excuse to kill him. Because of this, the Israelites rebelled against God and refused to attack the Canaanites. KJV, Value Thinline Bible, Large Print, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, King James Version, KJV Study Bible, Large Print, Red Letter Edition: Second Edition, KJV, Deluxe Reference Bible, Super Giant Print, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print, KJV, Thinline Bible, Large Print, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, King James Version, KJV, The King James Study Bible, Red Letter, Full-Color Edition: KJV Holy Bible, KJV, Reference Bible, Center-Column Giant Print, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print. Some of these false teachers, including Balaam . And beyond this, cursing and blessing are determined on the basis of how one deals with Abraham and his offspring. You were about to kill her for saving your life. When he realizes his advice has not been followed and the coup will fail, Ahithophel saddles his donkey [ ], rides home, and hangs himself (2 Sam 17:23). Now come and put a curse on them for me. Scandal; probably from a derivative of kampto; a trap-stick, i.e. This must have been quite a scene to behold. Labs The Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament) brings the events of Numbers 22-25 into focus. Actually, her words make a lot of sense. For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation. For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. 2:14, Josh. 32The angel of the Lord asked him, Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? In other words, his actions cannot be justified as self-defense, but rather are the protection of national self-interest. Balak, son of Zippor, King of Moab. This is why the Apostle John instructs that false teachers not be shown such hospitality: 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not remain in the teaching about Christ does not have God. 2 And Balak did just as Balaam spoke, and Balak offered Balaam a bull and a ram on the altar. These were men who were seeking to persuade Balaam to curse the very people God had blessed. Look, I came out to oppose you, because what you are doing is perverse before me. In verses 15 and 16, Balaam repeats what he has already declared in 23:2-3. 22 But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. In order to avoid the Angel, the donkey presses hard against one wall, crushing Balaams foot between her body and the wall. The reason is, I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as their possession. Balaam was raising the same question to which God had already answered, No.. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. (4) God does not approve of everything He allows. (2) God held communication with him ( Numbers 22:9, 12, 20, 31; Numbers 23:4, 5 ). (a) there, yonder, in that place, (b) thither, there. 23 GWT; Ch. 31:8, 16; Deut. (O) When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said. Who was Balaam in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org 2 Peter 2:15 - Bible Hub 7 Their prosperity causes them to do wrong, their thoughts are sinful. These princes watch as Balaam completely loses control of himself, cruelly beating his animal. Geocoding For ever since our ancestors fell asleep, all things have continued as they were from the beginning of creation. 5 For they deliberately suppress this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed from water and by water. And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 38And Balaam said to Balak, Look, I have come to you! 9 Much more then, because we have now been declared righteous by his blood, we will be saved through him from Gods wrath. Balaam is on the wrong path. They were aware of how the Israelites had prevailed over those who opposed them along the way. 18:13, NKJV, The American Patriot's Bible: The Word of God and the Shaping of America, NKJV, The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People, NKJV, Chronological Study Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version, NKJV, Spirit-Filled Life Bible, Third Edition, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Kingdom Equipping Through the Power of the Word, NKJV, Abide Bible, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version, NKJV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Red Letter Edition: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture. Revelation 2:14. Is it my habit to treat you this way? And he said, No.. Part of an idolatrous offering. Is the sovereign one aware of what goes on? (Psalm 73:6-11). For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. Numbers 23:1 Context Crossref Comm Hebrew Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Balaam said, "Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me." New Living Translation Then Balaam said to King Balak, "Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven young bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice." And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. Balaam was a man who was supposed to be in touch with the spiritual forces (especially those on the dark side). Let no prophet ever attempt to take credit for what he sees and says, for God can do as much through a donkey. (3) He was also a warrior-chief ( Numbers 31:8 ). Revelation 2:4,20 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 34 Then in the morning the firstborn said to the younger, Since I lay with my father last night, lets make him drink wine also tonight, and then you go and lie with him, to preserve the family from our father. 35 So they made their father drink wine that night as well, and the younger arose and lay with him; and he did not know when she lay down and when she got up. To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. But when Balak says to Balaam, For I know that whomever you bless is blessed, and whomever you curse is cursed, I am absolutely amazed. Numbers 23:1 - Bible Hub Imagine you are Balak, and another king in the area wrote you because he was thinking about hiring Balaam to curse his enemies. 2023 The Times of Israel , All Rights Reserved. A Prophet NUMBERS 24:2-9 Verses in the Bible 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.
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