Balak and Balaam
Balak needed supernatural assistance against a prospective foe who had just destroyed enemies who had defeated him. Balaam would only speak the words YHWH would give him. A great contest would take place in the hills of Moab regarding Israel; but Israel would remain momentarily oblivious regarding it all.
It was not like YHWH was entirely happy with Israel. In the Book of Numbers, well named “in the wilderness” in Hebrew (bemidbar), things had started out quite well, but ended up in disastrous rebellion leading to the condemnation of the entire generation YHWH delivered from Egypt (Numbers 1:1-19:22). They had most recently completed their forty years of wandering in the wilderness, with even Aaron and Moses being condemned for their transgressions (Numbers 20:1-29). But YHWH gave Israel victory over the Canaanite king of Arad and the Amorite kings Sihon and Og, and the rest of the people of the southern Levant no doubt took notice (Numbers 21:1-22:1).
Above all people, the Moabites and Midianites proved the most concerned, and for understandable reasons: the Israelites were currently dwelling in the plains of Moab across the Jordan River from Jericho, and what would stop them from devouring everything in the land (Numbers 22:1-3)? Conventional warfare seemed foolish: Sihon had defeated the Moabites and had taken some of their land, and the Israelites had just defeated Sihon (cf. Numbers 21:21-30). And so Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, decided on supernatural warfare: he sent elders of Moab and Midian to Balaam son of Beor who lived at Pethor in Amaw near the Euphrates to come and curse the Israelites for him, for whomever he blessed would be blessed, and whomever he cursed would be cursed (Numbers 22:4-7).
Pethor is associated with the ancient site of Pitru not far south of Carchemish, but still a decent journey from Moab. We have found extra-biblical evidence for Balaam of Beor: in Deir ‘Alla in Jordan, Biblical Succoth, a likely 9th century BCE inscription was discovered setting forth the book of Balaam son of Beor, a “seer of the gods.” A lot of the material in the Deir ‘Alla inscription well paralleled what can be found in Numbers 22:1-24:25: Balaam making known what was in the counsel of God/the gods and providing oracles for the people. Balaam son of Beor, therefore, was a Mesopotamian, a diviner of the will of the gods, and highly regarded by many different people in at least the region of the Transjordan. The Numbers narrative will simultaneously honor and mock Balaam, and its treatment of him was likely strongly associated with how well known he was among the nations.
When the elders of Moab and Midian visited Balaam son of Beor and stated their business, Balaam sought the word of YHWH; YHWH told him to not go with them, for the Israelites were blessed, and thus he would not go with them (Numbers 22:7-14). Balak was miffed and would not be deterred; assuming Balaam was not suitably impressed with the delegates he sent, Balak sent even more honorable and numerous princes, and promised great honor if he would come and curse Israel (Numbers 22:15-17). Balaam insisted he would not transgress what YHWH would say if Balak gave him his palace full of gold and silver, but again sought the word of YHWH (Numbers 22:18-19). YHWH this time told him to go with them but only say the word he was given (Numbers 22:19-21).
God’s anger was then kindled against Balaam, and an angel of YHWH stood as a satan, or opponent, against him. His donkey saw the angel and turned off the road into a field; Balaam beat the donkey so she might return to the road (Numbers 22:22-23). Again the angel stood in his path with a wall on either side; the donkey saw him and pressed herself against the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot in the process, and he beat her again (Numbers 22:24-25). For a third time the angel stood in the road, but this time in a narrow place without anywhere else to go; the donkey again him and crouched down under Balaam (Numbers 22:26-27). Balaam angrily beat the donkey with his staff (Numbers 22:27). But then YHWH opened the mouth of the donkey, and she asked him what she had done to deserve these beatings; he said she made him look stupid, and he would kill her if he had a sword to do so (Numbers 22:28-29). The donkey then compelled Balaam to confess how she had been a faithful donkey in how she had treated him (Numbers 22:30). YHWH finally opened Balaam’s eyes and he saw the angel of YHWH standing as his satan, or opponent (Numbers 22:31). He threw himself to the ground, and the angel chastised him for his treatment of his donkey; if it had not been for his donkey, the angel would have killed him (Numbers 22:32-33). Balaam confessed his sin and offered to return home; the angel told him to go with Balak’s men, but only speak what God would have him to speak (Numbers 22:34-35).
The story of Balaam and his donkey is funny and was intended to be funny. Balaam was made to look ridiculous, and the Israelite audience would no doubt chuckle at how the renowned oracle of Mesopotamia was rebuked by his donkey. But the story has its purpose: Balaam was put on notice about how important it would be to say what YHWH would have him to say. And as it went between Balaam, his donkey, and the angel, so it would go between Balaam, Balak, and the word of YHWH.
Balak met Balaam and rebuked him: did Balaam not think Balak could sufficiently honor him (Numbers 22:37)? Balaam testified how he had come, but strictly warned Balak how he could only speak what God told him to speak (Numbers 22:38). They went to Kiriath-huzoth to offer sacrifice, and then went to Bamoth Baal, the “high place of Baal,” so he might see the extent of Israel (Numbers 22:39-41). Balaam commanded Balak to build seven altars and prepare seven bulls and rams, and Balak did so (Numbers 23:1-2). Balaam went to hear from YHWH at a high place; YHWH met him there and told him to go and give a message to Balak (Numbers 23:3-6). Balaam then issued his first oracle, asking how he could curse or denounce a people YHWH had not cursed or denounced; Israel was a great nation, unique among them, impossible to number; Balaam wished for his life to end like theirs, which would prove ironic in the end (Numbers 23:7-10). Balak asked what was up: he had brought Balaam to curse his enemies, but he had instead blessed them; Balaam reminded him how he could only speak what YHWH put in his mouth (Numbers 23:11-12).
Balak then wanted Balaam to see but a portion of Israel from the top of Mount Pisgah; there again seven altars were built and a bull and a ram were offered on each altar; again Balaam went to meet YHWH, and YHWH met him and again told him to say only the message given (Numbers 23:13-17). Balaam then issued his second oracle, which began as a chastisement of Balak: God was not a man who would lie or change his mind; He will do what He said He will do; Balaam was commanded to bless Israel, and it could not be reversed; YHWH was King in Israel, and they would not experience trouble; God brought them out of Egypt and they had the strength of a bull; no spell or divination would work against them; they would rise up like lions (Numbers 23:18-24). Balak then told Balaam, essentially, to shut up: to not bless or curse them, and Balaam again told him how he could only say what YHWH would speak (Numbers 23:25-26).
Balak should have gotten the hint, but he was desperate and therefore hoped maybe YHWH might provide a curse from a third place; they went to Peor and built the altars and offered the animals (Numbers 23:28-30). We are told Balaam did not go and seek for omens this time as the other times, which explains what Balaam was doing beforehand (Numbers 24:1). Instead, he saw the camp of Israel, the Spirit of God came upon him, and he uttered his third oracle as the man whose eyes were open, hearing the words of God, seeing visions from the Almighty: the dwelling places of Israel are beautiful and like a garden or cedar trees; their descendants would be abundant and their king would be great; God brought them out of Egypt and they would devour hostile people; they maintain power and strength like lions; blessed were those who blessed Israel, and cursed were those who cursed them (Numbers 24:2-9).
Balak had seen and heard more than enough: he was angry, and struck his hands together: he had called Balaam to curse his enemies, but he had done nothing but bless them (Numbers 24:10). Balak commanded Balaam to return to his home: he would have greatly honored Balaam, that is, he would have given him a lot of money, but Balak insisted YHWH stood in the way of his honor (Numbers 24:11). Balaam again appealed to his consistent message from the beginning: he could only say what YHWH would have him speak (Numbers 24:13).
Balaam intended to return to his people, but before he left he would prophesy what Israel would to do to Moab in the future, presenting a fourth and final oracle, again as the one whose eyes were open, hearing the words of God and knowing the knowledge of the Most High, seeing visions from the Almighty: he saw a king rising from Israel, crushing Moab and the sons of Sheth making a possession of Edom; Amalek would perish; the Kenites would seem strong and secure, but Asshur would take them captive; ships would come from Cyprus or Greece to afflict Asshur and Eber, and he would perish (Numbers 24:14-24). The narrative ended abruptly: Balaam departed and returned to his home, and Balak went on his way as well (Numbers 24:25).
The details regarding much of Balaam’s fourth oracle remain in dispute, but the overall picture seems to foretell the rise of David, Solomon, and Israelite hegemony over the Transjordan and the elimination of Amalek. In terms of Numbers 24:21-24, while we would naturally associate Asshur with Assyria, but there was also a people of north Arabia known as Asshur who might well be in view here (cf. Genesis 25:3). Later people would associate the ships from Cyprus or Greece with Alexander and the Macedonians, but considering the antiquity of the oracle, Balaam might well have the “Sea Peoples” in view (ca. 1200 BCE).
In the end, both Balak and Balaam walk away frustrated. Balak’s motivations were apparent throughout. We can understand his desire to have Israel cursed, but he certainly got what he deserved when he kept asking Balaam to try cursing Israel again in a different place. Balak did not truly know YHWH or His relationship with His people Israel. Balak got the opposite of what he wanted, for now Israel was more blessed than before; perhaps the kings of the other nations heard, took notice, and would not attempt the same thing.
Balaam thought very highly of himself, perhaps for understandable reasons. He was a diviner with such great insight from the gods of all the nations as to be hired by a king hundreds of miles away for his services. Balaam seemed to be faithful to the word of YHWH based on all which has been recorded in Numbers 22:2-24:25; but this would not be the end of the story regarding Balak, Balaam, Moab, Midian, and Israel, as later material in Numbers would attest. Balaam’s passion and desire to obtain wealth and honor would become his undoing. The Israelites would have reason to confess Balaam son of Beor as a diviner and a non-Israelite prophet of God/the gods, as would the nations around them. But Israel had reason to mock Balaam as the prophet who was humiliated by his donkey, and Balaam’s end would come at the hands of Israel.
For the first time in Numbers, and for the longest time so far in the whole Torah, the narrative shifted away from Israelite activity. Throughout Numbers 22:2-24:25, Israel was blissfully unaware of what was transpiring right above their heads. YHWH might have all kinds of reasons to be frustrated with His people; some of those Israelites dwelling in the plains of Moab remained subject to condemnation to death in the wilderness. Despite all those frustrations, however, Israel remained the people of YHWH, and YHWH was not about to countenance a Moabite king obtaining advantage against them through curses from a well-regarded diviner. Israel was blessed by YHWH, their fathers, and even one of the most highly regarded Mesopotamian diviners, and Israel should never forget it. May we learn from the story of Balak, Balaam, and Israel, and live so as to glorify God in Christ through the Spirit!
Ethan R. Longhenry
The post Balak and Balaam appeared first on de Verbo vitae.
