In this chapter, we read that Israel wasn’t only battling with other nations physically, but also morally. The Israelites travelled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho, Numbers 22:1.
Balak, son of Zippor, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, Numbers 21:21-35, and Moab was terrified because there were so many people, Numbers 22:2-3. Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites, Numbers 22:3.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The comparison of Numbers 22:4 with Numbers 21:26 suggests that Balak was not the hereditary king but a Midianite, and that a change of dynasty had taken place. His father’s name, Zippor, ‘Bird,’ reminds us of those of other Midianites, e. g., Oreb, ‘Crow,’ Zeeb, ‘Wolf.’ Possibly the Midianite chieftains had taken advantage of the weakness of the Moabites after the Amorite victories to establish themselves as princes in the land.’
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, Numbers 22:4. It appears that Israel’s plan to take over the land had become well known throughout Palestine.
When the news got to Barak, everyone in the region was gripped by fear because they knew that no one could defeat the Israelites. Balak, who was king of Moab at that time, sent messengers to summon Balaam, son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River, in his native land, Numbers 22:5 / Deuteronomy 23:4.
The name Balaam signifies ‘destroyer,’ or ‘glutton,’ and he was a Gentile who was known by Balak, the king of Moab. He appears to be a religious leader and a prophet, 2 Peter 2:15-16, but apart from what we have recorded here, we don’t know much about him. We do know that he was a leader who was very happy to get paid to say whatever someone wanted him to say, Jude 11 / Revelation 2:14.
Balak tells Balaam a people have come out of Egypt and they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me, Numbers 22:5. Balak now asks Balaam to put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for him, Numbers 22:6.
Perhaps then he will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, Numbers 22:6. Balak thinks he knows that whoever Balaam blesses is blessed, and whoever he curses will be cursed, Numbers 22:6.
The Canaanites appear to be living in peace with one another, which is why there were many cities built in that area. Here we read that the peace they had wasn’t that great because they wouldn’t come together to fight Israel.
Israel had no intentions of destroying Moab, Deuteronomy 2:9; however, Balak, unfortunately for him, didn’t know this, and so, he hired Balaam to pronounce a curse upon Israel.
The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination, 2 Peter 2:15, and when they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said, Numbers 22:7.
Balaam tells them to spend the night here, and he will report back to them with the answer the LORD gives him and so, the Moabite officials stayed with him, Numbers 22:8.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘So it appears he knew the true God, and had been in the habit of consulting him, and receiving oracles from his mouth.’
God came to Balaam and asked, Who are these men with him? Numbers 22:9. Balaam tells God that ‘Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent him this message, which said, a people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land, and now come and put a curse on them for him, perhaps then he will be able to fight them and drive them away, Numbers 22:10-11.
The first delegation from King Balak arrived, and God told Balaam to have nothing to do with them. God’s initial words to Balaam were, Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed, Numbers 22:12.
After Balaam enquired with the Lord as to what they should do, the Lord answered Balak’s messengers and told Balaam that he shouldn’t go with them, Numbers 22:13.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Balaam must surely have known that God’s blessing was on the people with whose marvellous march forth from Egypt he was acquainted, Exodus 15:14 / Exodus 18:1 / Joshua 2:9, and from whom he had himself probably learned much, compare the language of Numbers 23:12 with Genesis 13:6, and that of Numbers 24:9 with Genesis 49:9. But his reply to the messengers next morning, Numbers 22:13, betrays the desire to venture to the utmost of that which God would not forbid rather than to carry out God’s will in hearty sincerity.’
The Moabite officials returned to Balak and told him that Balaam refused to come with them, Numbers 22:14, and so, Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first, Numbers 22:15.
They came to Balaam and said this is what Balak says, do not let anything keep you from coming to him, because he will reward them handsomely and do whatever they say, Numbers 22:16-17. Come and put a curse on these people for him, Numbers 22:17.
Balaam tells them even if Balak gave him all the silver and gold in his palace, he couldn’t do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the LORD his God, Numbers 22:18.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Balaam knew God too well to suppose he could reverse any of his purposes, and he respected him too much to attempt to do anything without his permission. Though he was covetous, yet he dared not, even when strongly tempted both by riches and honours, to go contrary to the command of his God.’
Notice all the officials got involved in the bribing of Balaam; however, despite saying that if he was offered silver and gold, he wouldn’t go, Numbers 22:18, he still went ahead anyway.
Once again he asks them to spend the night here so that he can find out what else the LORD will tell him, Numbers 22:19. God came to Balaam again and tells him, since these men have come to summon him, go with them, but do only what He tells him, Numbers 22:20. Balaam wanted to go with them and God allowed him to go.
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The Moabites’ attempts to frustrate the fulfilment of God’s promise to give Israel the land demonstrates His power in overcoming these enemies and His faithfulness, Genesis 12:3.’
Balaam, who was open to the seduction of money, eventually gave in to the request of Balak. Remember, Balaam was a religious leader who was happy to get paid to preach whatever anyone wanted him to preach if the price was right, Jude 11.
Jude tells us that some people today are like Balaam, they are greedy, they are covetous and willing to do any dishonourable thing whatever for the sake of money. Balaam lusted after the riches and prestige offered to him, and God gave him over to his own sin. God warned Balaam to turn back when he was on the way to see Balak. Yet his heart was set on the rich reward King Balak promised, and he continued on.
Balaam got up from bed very early in the morning for his long journey and went with the Moabite officials, Numbers 22:21. He would be travelling with the prince from Moab. ‘Wow what an honour!’ he thought to himself, not even thinking that God may be very angry because of his disobedience, Numbers 22:22.
Balaam leapt upon his trusted donkey, and along with his two servants followed right behind the prince, Numbers 22:22. Everything was great, and I’m sure Balaam would have had a big smile on his face.
Here we read that God approached Balaam in three different ways, to remind him of his position in relation to Balak and the Israelites.
1. The first obstacle to preventing Balaam from going to Balak came from the angel of the Lord, who could be seen only by the donkey, Numbers 22:23 / Numbers 20:16 / Daniel 10:7 / Acts 9:7.
Who is this angel of the LORD? This is a Christophany, which suggests that this is a preincarnate appearance of Christ, Genesis 12:7 / Joshua 6:13. Remember the word ‘angel’ in Hebrew is ‘malak’ and it simply means messenger.
Haynes Jr, in his commentary, says the following.
‘A study of these passages reveals that the Angel of the Lord appeared in human form, Genesis 18:2 / Genesis 22:1-18 / Hebrews 13:2, and performed normal human functions, Genesis 32:24 / Numbers 22:23 / Numbers 22:31, yet he was an awe-inspiring figure, Genesis 32:30 / Judges 6:22 / Judges 13:22, exhibiting divine attributes and prerogatives including predicting the future, Genesis 16:10-12, forgiving sin, Exodus 23:21, and receiving worship, Exodus 3:5 / Judges 13:9-20.’
The angel of the Lord stood in the road in order to restrict the passage of Balaam and the donkey saw the angel of the Lord with a sharp sword right there in the middle of the path, blocking the way, Numbers 22:23. And so, instead of going straight ahead, she ran into a nearby field to avoid being hurt by the sword, but Balaam didn’t see anything, Numbers 22:23.
He was very upset that his donkey would do such a thing. ‘How embarrassing!’ he thought, ‘you bad donkey’, and so, Balaam yelled as he beat her with a stick, Numbers 22:23. Finally, he was able to get the sore donkey back onto the path.
2. The second effort to prevent Balaam was when the angel of the Lord stood in the road in the vineyard in order to block the passage of Balaam, Numbers 22:24.
After going a little further, they came to a narrow passage with steep walls of rock on both sides, Numbers 22:24. The donkey once again saw the angel of the Lord blocking the way and so she moved as close to the wall as possible to avoid being hurt by the sword, Numbers 22:25.
But as she did, Balaam’s foot was crushed against the rocks, and he became very angry again. ‘You dumb donkey!’ Balaam yelled as he beat her several more times with a stick, Numbers 22:25.
3. The third effort of God to stop Balaam was when the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow passage where it was impossible for the donkey to pass, Numbers 22:26.
A little further, along the way, the angel of the Lord appeared again. Balaam still couldn’t see the angel, but the donkey could. There was no way to turn this time, and the donkey thought to herself, ‘What can I do now? I can’t go left, I can’t go right, and I can’t even back up.’
She did the only thing possible and sat down right there on the path, Numbers 22:26. ‘What a stupid donkey!’ Balaam cried out as he beat her even harder than before, Numbers 22:27.
Notice, despite these three efforts, Balaam complained to the donkey and unmercifully struck his donkey, 2 Peter 2:16. At this point, he hadn’t seen the angel of the Lord, but we can only imagine what was going through Balaam’s mind when the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth and started speaking to him, Numbers 22:28.
Suddenly, the donkey turned to Balaam, opened her mouth, and said, ‘Hey! What did I do to you that you should beat me three times with a stick?’ Numbers 22:28. For some reason, Balaam wasn’t impressed to hear a donkey talk.
He only answered, ‘You made me look like a fool, not following the path, and crushing me against the wall, then sitting down like a stubborn old mule. If I only had a sword, I’d stick it in you right now,’ Numbers 22:29.
‘Why are you saying this?’ the donkey replied, ‘Haven’t I been faithful to you all these years, have I ever tried to harm you or make you look foolish?’ Numbers 22:30.
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Why did Balaam answer his donkey as though he normally conversed with it, Numbers 22:29? Perhaps spirits had spoken to him through animals previously, Genesis 3:1 / Genesis 3:4. Maybe the donkey exasperated him to the point that he answered before he realised what he was doing.’
Just then, Balaam saw the angel of the Lord standing there on the road, and Balaam fell to his knees and put his face very low to the ground to show his respect, Numbers 22:31.
Then the angel of the Lord spoke to Balaam, ‘Why are you beating your donkey? He has come here to oppose Baalam because his path is a reckless one before Him, Numbers 22:32 / 2 Peter 2:16.
She saw the angel of the Lord in the path and didn’t come near because she knew He would strike Baalam with God’s sword, Numbers 22:33. Baalam had asked before if he could go to Moab, and He said, NO Balaam! But you went anyway. You asked for God’s guidance, and He tried to guide him to do the right thing, but Balaam did not listen.
The Word of the Lord was final, NO Balaam! Balaam knew that he had done wrong when he said, I have sinned. I did not realise you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back, Numbers 22:34.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Here is a proof that though he loved the wages of unrighteousness, yet he still feared God; and he is now willing to drop the enterprise if God be displeased with his proceeding.’
The angel of the LORD tells Balaam to go with the men but speak only what He tells him, Numbers 22:35 / Numbers 22:20, and so Balaam went with Balak’s officials, Numbers 22:35.
He would continue on his journey with the prince after all, but God would not let him curse His people. When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory, Numbers 22:36.
Balak then says to Balaam, did he not send him an urgent summons? Why didn’t he come to him? Is he really not able to reward Balaam? Numbers 22:37. Balaam tells Balak, he has come to him, but he can’t say whatever he wants, he must speak only what God puts in his mouth, Numbers 22:38.
Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth, Numbers 22:39, and Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and notice he gave some to Balaam and the officials who were with him, Numbers 22:40.
Allen, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The pieces given to Balaam presumably would have included the livers; for as a Baru diviner, Balaam was a specialist in liver divination.’
Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, which is the first reference to Baal worship in the Old Testament, and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp, Numbers 22:41.
Ralph, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Israel struggled with Baal and his worshippers from the beginning to the end of her national history. Baal worship was the most serious challenge and threat to the worship of Yahweh of all the pagan religions in the ancient Near East. This was true because some similarities and some vast differences existed between Baal and Yahweh.’