Balak and Balaam
Exodus & Wilderness · Draft · BSB
Content revision: 00e9e2e055263ad8 · No editorial review date recorded
Date: c. 1406 BC · Year 40
Balak, king of Moab, alarmed by Israel camped on the plains, sends for the diviner Balaam from Pethor to curse them. On the way Balaam’s donkey sees the angel of the LORD barring the road. From the heights Balaam can only bless Israel, and in his last oracle he sees a star coming out of Jacob and a scepter rising out of Israel.
Primary Scripture
22:1 Then the Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan, across from Jericho.
22:2 Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,
22:3 and Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous. Indeed, Moab dreaded the Israelites.
22:4 So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will devour everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Since Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time,
22:5 he sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people. “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt,” said Balak. “They cover the face of the land and have settled next to me.
22:6 So please come now and put a curse on this people, because they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.”
22:7 The elders of Moab and Midian departed with the fees for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and relayed to him the words of Balak.
22:8 “Spend the night here,” Balaam replied, “and I will give you the answer that the LORD speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
22:9 Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
22:10 And Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:
22:11 ‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them away.’”
22:12 But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.”
22:13 So Balaam got up the next morning and said to Balak’s princes, “Go back to your homeland, because the LORD has refused to let me go with you.”
22:14 And the princes of Moab arose, returned to Balak, and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
22:15 Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first messengers.
22:16 They came to Balaam and said, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me,
22:17 for I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. So please come and put a curse on this people for me!’”
22:18 But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything small or great to go beyond the command of the LORD my God.
22:19 So now, please stay here overnight as the others did, that I may find out what else the LORD has to tell me.”
22:20 That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you.”
22:21 So in the morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
22:22 Then God’s anger was kindled because Balaam was going along, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
22:23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the path and went into a field. So Balaam beat her to return her to the path.
22:24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow passage between two vineyards, with walls on either side.
22:25 And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD and pressed herself against the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat her once again.
22:26 And the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn to the right or left.
22:27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he became furious and beat her with his staff.
22:28 Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”
22:29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!”
22:30 But the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not the donkey you have ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” “No,” he replied.
22:31 Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. And Balaam bowed low and fell facedown.
22:32 The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you, because your way is perverse before me.
22:33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, then by now I would surely have killed you and let her live.”
22:34 “I have sinned,” Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “for I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me. And now, if this is displeasing in your sight, I will go back home.”
22:35 But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you are to speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
22:36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite city on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.
22:37 And he said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not able to reward you richly?”
22:38 “See, I have come to you,” Balaam replied, “but can I say just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.”
22:39 So Balaam accompanied Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.
22:40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and he gave portions to Balaam and the princes who were with him.
22:41 The next morning, Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see the outskirts of the camp of the people.
23:1 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.”
23:2 So Balak did as Balaam had instructed, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
23:3 “Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone,” Balaam said to Balak. “Perhaps the LORD will meet with me. And whatever He reveals to me, I will tell you.” So Balaam went off to a barren height,
23:4 and God met with him. “I have set up seven altars,” Balaam said, “and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”
23:5 Then the LORD put a message in Balaam’s mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and give him this message.”
23:6 So he returned to Balak, who was standing there beside his burnt offering, with all the princes of Moab.
23:7 And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘put a curse on Jacob for me; come and denounce Israel!’
23:8 How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced?
23:9 For I see them from atop the rocky cliffs, and I watch them from the hills. Behold, a people dwelling apart, not reckoning themselves among the nations.
23:10 Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous; let my end be like theirs!”
23:11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to curse my enemies, and behold, you have only blessed them!”
23:12 But Balaam replied, “Should I not speak exactly what the LORD puts in my mouth?”
23:13 Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place where you can see them. You will only see the outskirts of their camp—not all of them. And from there, curse them for me.”
23:14 So Balak took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, where he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
23:15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt offering while I meet the LORD over there.”
23:16 And the LORD met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth, saying, “Return to Balak and speak what I tell you.”
23:17 So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with the princes of Moab. “What did the LORD say?” Balak asked.
23:18 Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Arise, O Balak, and listen; give ear to me, O son of Zippor.
23:19 God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?
23:20 I have indeed received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot change it.
23:21 He considers no disaster for Jacob; He sees no trouble for Israel. The LORD their God is with them, and the shout of the King is among them.
23:22 God brought them out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox.
23:23 For there is no spell against Jacob and no divination against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and Israel, ‘What great things God has done!’
23:24 Behold, the people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion, not resting until they devour their prey and drink the blood of the slain.”
23:25 Now Balak said to Balaam, “Then neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!”
23:26 But Balaam replied, “Did I not tell you that whatever the LORD says, I must do?”
23:27 “Please come,” said Balak, “I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you curse them for me from there.”
23:28 And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the wasteland.
23:29 Then Balaam said, “Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.”
23:30 So Balak did as Balaam had instructed, and he offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
24:1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not seek omens as on previous occasions, but he turned his face toward the wilderness.
24:2 When Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came upon him,
24:3 and he lifted up an oracle, saying: “This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of a man whose eyes are open,
24:4 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open:
24:5 How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel!
24:6 They spread out like palm groves, like gardens beside a stream, like aloes the LORD has planted, like cedars beside the waters.
24:7 Water will flow from his buckets, and his seed will have abundant water. His king will be greater than Agag, and his kingdom will be exalted.
24:8 God brought him out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox, to devour hostile nations and crush their bones, to pierce them with arrows.
24:9 He crouches, he lies down like a lion, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? Blessed are those who bless you and cursed are those who curse you.”
24:10 Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together and said to Balaam, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have persisted in blessing them these three times.
24:11 Therefore, flee at once to your home! I said I would reward you richly, but instead the LORD has denied your reward.”
24:12 Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not already tell the messengers you sent me
24:13 that even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD? I must speak whatever the LORD says.
24:14 Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you what this people will do to your people in the days to come.”
24:15 Then Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying, “This is the prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of a man whose eyes are open,
24:16 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open:
24:17 I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab and strike down all the sons of Sheth.
24:18 Edom will become a possession, as will Seir, his enemy; but Israel will perform with valor.
24:19 A ruler will come from Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.”
24:20 Then Balaam saw Amalek and lifted up an oracle, saying: “Amalek was first among the nations, but his end is destruction.”
24:21 Next he saw the Kenites and lifted up an oracle, saying: “Your dwelling place is secure, and your nest is set in a cliff.
24:22 Yet Kain will be destroyed when Asshur takes you captive.”
24:23 Once more Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Ah, who can live unless God has ordained it?
24:24 Ships will come from the coasts of Cyprus; they will subdue Asshur and Eber, but they too will perish forever.”
24:25 Then Balaam arose and returned to his homeland, and Balak also went on his way.
Related Scripture
Deuteronomy 23:4–5 · recollection
The LORD turned the curse into a blessing because he loved Israel.
Micah calls Israel to remember Balak and Balaam.
The teaching of Balaam is named as a snare.
Location evidence
Event map marker: Approximate region; [longitude, latitude] = [35.64, 31.85]. This is a teaching marker, not an exact event venue.
Plains of Moab: Approximate region. Coordinates [longitude, latitude]: [35.64, 31.85]. Classification source: editorial.
Illustrative regional extent: [[35.56,31.77],[35.7,31.91]]; not a measured confidence interval.
Numbers 33:48–49 · extent of the camp
Pethor: Proposed site. Coordinates [longitude, latitude]: [38.0865, 36.7014]. Classification source: editorial.
Numbers 33:48–49 · extent of the camp
For the class
What does this story show about God’s care for Israel when they did not even know it?
Interpretation and reuse
Narrative order is a reading arrangement, not a proven chronology. Dates retain their stated uncertainty. An identified locality does not establish the exact venue or prove an event. Region extents and routes are illustrative, not surveyed boundaries or ancient roads. Draft material has not completed editorial review.
Record source: editorial (content/authored/exodus-wilderness.json)
Place coordinates from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding Data, CC BY 4.0.
Teaching stops, summaries and regional extents are original editorial content of this atlas.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), public domain. https://berean.bible/licensing.htm