Numbers 23

Numbers 23:1-12

**D. THE FIRST BLESSING OF BALAAM (Numbers 23:1-12)

TEXT**

Numbers 23:1. And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams. 2. And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram. 3. And Balaam said unto Balak Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the Lord will come to meet me; and whatsoever he showeth me I will tell thee. And he went to a high place. 4. And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram. 5. And the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak. 6. And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab. 7. And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the Mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel. 8. How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied? 9. For 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. 10. Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his! 11. And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether. 12. And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth? 13. And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: curse me them from thence.

PARAPHRASE

Numbers 23:1. And Balaam said to Balak, Build seven altars for me here, and supply me with seven bulls and seven rams. 2. And Balak did as Balaam asked; and Balak and Balaam sacrificed upon each altar one bullock and one ram. 3. And Balaam said to Balak, Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet me; and whatever he shows me, I will tell you. And he went to a steep place. 4. And God met Balaam. And Balaam said to him, I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered upon each altar a bull and a ram. 5. And the Lord put a message in Balaam’s mouth and said, Return to Balak, and this is what you shall speak. 6. And He returned to him, and behold, he stood by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab. 7. And he began his message, and said, Balak has brought me from Aram: the king of Moab from the eastern mountains. Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel. 8. How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? or how shall I defy whom the Lord has not defied? 9. For 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. 10. Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my end be like his! 11. And Balak said unto Balaam, What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them. 12. And he answered, Must I not be careful to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?

COMMENTARY

The first action of Balaam now is to order the construction of seven altars, upon each of which a bullock and a ram is sacrificed. Numerologists would have the number of great significance, based upon an ancient and almost universal belief to this effect. Among the Hebrews, it typified the seven days of creation, and was applied to those matters which pleased God. Such may have been the thought as Balaam specified the circumstances under which he would deliver his message. Since he has given the orders, it seems correct to assume that the sacrifices were given in the name of Jehovah. Balak made certain that the precise instructions were carried out: indeed, he, not Balaam, seems to have presided at the sacrifices since the subject of the verb offered seems originally to have been singular, and Balak requests the king to stand beside the offering while he consults the Lord for His words. Just what did Balaam now expect the Lord to tell him? Is there any reasonable ground upon which he might hope the situation will turn to his own advantage? We can hardly imagine what rationalizations he might have permitted in his mind; but he pledges to relate only what the Lord tells him. Is he playing both ends against the middle, ready now to convey God’s message with an eye to some future moment when he will disregard the message if Balak makes it really worth while and the reward is sufficiently large? It would be an interesting ploy. The high place is literally a bald height. Pagan prophets were wont to choose such sites among the barren mountain peaks, where they followed their auguries. Immediately God informed Balaam of the words to be given Balak. They have not changed. When he spoke to the king, Balaam at first reviewed the situation, beginning with the request made of his services. He had been asked to curse Jacob (the Israelites), a request God disallowed altogether. These people had been especially blessed, and Balak had asked the impossible. When Balaam returned, he delivered the prophecies exactly as he received them. His words were a glowing tribute to the people the Lord loved and chose as His own; they could neither be cursed nor defied; they were unique among all the nations; they were special recipients of God’s blessings and favor; they had become a vast multitude under His care; and, the prophet himself hoped for a fate as great as theirs. Upon hearing these words, Balak is distraught. They are far from his expectations, and quite a bitter disappointment. He protests vigorously, blaming Balaam, who reaffirms that he can do nothing other than what God has ordered him to do. Acting upon the concept that the gods had limited and prescribed areas of jurisdiction and power, Balak requests that the same ritual be performed at another placein a more favored spot, where all the Israelites are not visible.

QUESTIONS AND RESEARCH ITEMS

Explain the reason for erecting and sacrificing upon seven altars.

Why should Balak, rather than Balaam, have presided at the rituals of the sacrifices themselves?

How might Balaam have expected to turn the persistent words of the Lord to his own advantage?

Research references to the high places of pagan worship. Learn where they were located, and what elements of worship were involved.

Analyze God’s words to Balaam, showing the elements of his personal history, those of the request of Balak, the message Balaam was to deliver, and the divine promises to Israel.

What advantage did Balak seek in ordering Balaam to another place, and why did he expect anything to be different in the second location?

Numbers 23:13-24

E. BALAAM’S SECOND BLESSING vv. 13-24 TEXT

Numbers 23:13. And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me to another place, from whence thou mayest see them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence. 14. And 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. 15. And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the Lord yonder. 16. And the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus. 17. And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the Lord spoken? 18. And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor: 19. God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? 20. Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it. 21. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them. 22. God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of a unicorn. 23. Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought! 24. Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey and drink the blood of the slain.

PARAPHRASE

Numbers 23:13. And Balak said to him, Come, please, to another place, from which you may see them. You shall see only the nearest of them, not all of them: then curse them for me there.

14. And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and build seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 15. And he said unto Balak, Stand here beside your burnt offering, while I meet the Lord yonder. 16. And the Lord met Balaam and put a message in his mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and speak to him so. 17. And he came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, along with the princes of Moab. And Balak said to him, What has the Lord said? 18. And Balam began his speech, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; listen to me, you son of Zippor: 19. God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should repent. Has he spoken, and will he not perform it? or has he foretold, and will he not make it good? 20. Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot reverse it. 21. He has not beheld iniquity in Jacob, nor has he seen perverseness in Israel. The Lord their God is with them, and the trumpeting of a king is in their midst. 22. God is bringing out of Egypt; he has, as it were, the strength of a wild ox. 23. Surely there is no enchantment in Jacob, nor any divination in Israel: in due time it shall be said of Jacob and Israel, What has God wrought! 24. Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he has eaten of the prey, and drunk the blood of the slain.

COMMENTARY

The field of Zophim (the watchers), to which Balaam is now brought, permits a broad view of the surrounding country side, including the camp of the Israelites. The peak of Pisgah, from which Moses will later be allowed to inspect the Promised Land, rises sharply above the surrounding terrain. The exact meaning of the two phrases which refer to the sight before Balaam is not clear. The first seems to suggest that he is able to see the entire company, while the second says he sees only a portion of the camp. A reconciliation of the thoughts is probably found in the possibility that, while the outermost reaches of the camp of Israel are visible from the spot from which Balaam looks, some areas are not within sight, being obscured by projections of the mountain at a lower level, or by intervening peaks. For the second time seven altars are erected and seven sacrifices offered. Just as had done the first time, Balaam leaves Balak beside the spot as he consults the Lord about the message for Balak. When the answer comes, it is by far the most complete and definitive of which we have record. There would be no way for Balaam to misconstrue God’s words without deliberately lying. When Balaam returns to Balak, he quickly responds to the king’s inquiry by taking up his parable, or oracle. The premise upon which Balaam bases all he is now to tell Balak is the unchanging nature of God and the immutability of His will. He is no mere man, whose whimsies and fickle desires result in inconstant conduct. His decrees are unalterable, and they are to be executed precisely as they are given. Any terms used to express such attributes are anthropomorphic, but the impact is only strengthened by use of this figure. The second oracle goes beyond the first in that it is more than a refusal to curse Israel; it is a strong declaration of blessing upon the nation. Eight emphatic points are established in the poem: 1) God’s blessing is irreversibly upon Israel: 2) the nation is found less iniquitous than others (certainly not perfect, and not without sin among the individual citizens, but relative to other nations, the people are not without virtue); 3) God is with them as their King, which is an occasion for their shouting; 4) the hand of God has already brought about some wonderful works, such as their delivery from slavery in Egypt, with a strength like that of the wild ox (the term unicorn is an unfortunate and inaccurate translation from the Septuagint herethe animal intended resembles a large bison); 5) no manner or number of auguries, enchantments, or other divination can prevail against the chosen people of God; 6) future generations will marvel at all the great and glorious things He has accomplished through His people; 7) the people will be much feared, as a hunting lion; and, 8) they will not stop their exploits until their enemies are fully subjugated. Balak could find nothing hopeful in this!

QUESTIONS AND RESEARCH ITEMS

Using a good Bible gazette, review the area of Mt. Pisgah. Where might the Israelites have been encamped?

Why did Balak and Balaam go through the time-consuming process of building seven more altars and offering fourteen more animals?

Upon what firm basis are all of Balaam’s words premised?

How is the figure of anthropomorphism used in the passage?

List the eight points emphasized in the message Balaam delivered.

Explain the appearance of the word unicorn in the text. What is actually intended?

What portions of the prophecy referred to the past, and what to the future of Israel?

Numbers 23:25-30

F. THE THIRD BLESSING vv. 25-30 TEXT

Numbers 23:25. And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all. 26. But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the Lord speaketh, that I must do?

And 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. 28. And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon. 29. And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams. 30. And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.

PARAPHRASE

Numbers 23:25. And Balak said to Balaam, Neither curse them nor bless them at all! 26. But Balaam replied, Did I not tell you, -All that the Lord says, I must do?-'

27. And Balak said to Balaam, Come now; I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God for you to curse them for me there. 28. So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the desert. 29. And Balaam said to Balak, Build seven altars here for me, and provide me with seven bulls and seven rams. 30. And Balak did as Balaam had asked, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

COMMENTARY

Substantially, Balak’s first reaction to the previous words of Balaam are, If you can-’t say something bad about these people, don-’t say anything at all! He has had no grounds for reassurance from anything yet spoken, and we can only be amazed that he should want to try again to gain a favorable word from Balaam unless he had some reason to believe that the prophet was still susceptible to bribery, or that yet another change of location would bring a change of message, If this is true, Balaam may have given some slight hint, ever so subtle or even subconscious, which Balak detected.

Although the exact peak indicated here cannot be positively identified, it is in the Abarim range, which includes Pisgah, Nearby was the village of Beth-Peor, in which vicinity Moses would later be buried (Deuteronomy 34:6). The area was across the Jordan from Jericho. From the site Balaam could see the entire camp of Israel spread out before him (Numbers 24:2). Jeshimon, the waste, is primarily the plains area at the east and northeast section of the Dead Seaa barren, rarely-inhabited region which extended to the southern end of the Jordan valley.

QUESTIONS AND RESEARCH ITEMS

How could Balak possibly hope now that Balaam would say anything different from what he had prophesied previously?

Do you believe Balaam was sincere and honest when he said he could not say anything other than what God revealed for him? Defend your answer.

Locate and describe the place to which Balaam was led for the third round of sacrifices and prophecies.

Identify Jeshimon, and describe the terrain.