(KJV) Numbers 221

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⥃Balak Summons Balaam

[1] And the children2 of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side3 Jordan [by] Jericho.

[2] [¶]And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.4 [3] And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they [were] many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.5 [4] And Moab said unto the elders6 of Midian, Now shall7 this company lick up all [that are] round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak8 the son of Zippor [was] king of the Moabites at that time. [5] He sent9 messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor10, which [is] by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover11 the face12 of the earth, and they abide over against me: [6] Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me13 this people; for they [are] too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, [that] we may smite them, and [that] I may drive them out of the land: for I wot14 that he whom thou blessest [is] blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed. [7] And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination15 in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak. [8] And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the Lord shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.16 [9] And God17 came unto Balaam, and said, What men18 [are] these with thee? [10] And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, [saying],19 [11] Behold, [there is] a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them20, and drive them out. [12] And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt21 not go with them; thou shalt not curse22 the people: for they23 [are] blessed. [13] And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the Lord24 refuseth to give me leave to go with you. [14] And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth25 to come with us.

[15] And Balak sent yet again princes26, more, and more honourable than they. [16] And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing27, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: [17] For I will promote28 thee unto very great honour, and I will do29 whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come30 therefore, I pray thee, curse me31 this people. [18] And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak32 would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot33 go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more. [19] Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more.34 [20] And God35 came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men36 come to call thee, rise up, [and] go with them; but yet37 the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do. [21] And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.38

⥃The Angel and Balaam’s Donkey

[22] And God’s39 anger was kindled because he went: and the angel40 of the Lord stood41 in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants [were] with him. [23] And the ass saw42 the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned43 aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. [24] But the angel of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall [being] on this side, and a wall on that side. [25] And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s44 foot against the wall: and he smote her again. [26] And the angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place, where [was] no way45 to turn either to the right hand or to the left. [27] And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger46 was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. [28] And the Lord opened47 the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I48 done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? [29] And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would49 I kill thee. [30] And the ass said50 unto Balaam, [Am] not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden51 ever since [I was] thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay. [31] Then the Lord opened52 the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down53 his head, and fell flat on his face54. [32] And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore55 hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee56, because [thy] way57 is perverse before me58: [33] And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely59 now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive. [34] And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned60; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee61, I will get62 me back again. [35] And the angel of the Lord said unto Balaam, Go63 with the men: but only the word that I shall speak64 unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

[36] And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went65 out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which [is] in the border66 of Arnon, which [is] in the utmost coast. [37] And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?67 [38] And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I68 now any power at all to say any thing? the word69 that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak. [39] And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjath–huzoth70. [40] And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that [were] with him.71 [41] And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places72 of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost73 [part] of the people.

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  1. Num 22:1, Balak’s first message for Balaam is refused; Num 22:15, His second message obtains him; Num 22:22, An angel would have slain him, if he had not been saved by his ass; Num 22:36, Balak entertains him. ↩

  2. Num 21:20, Num 33:48-50, Num 36:13; Deut 34:1, Deut 34:8 ↩

  3. Num 32:19, Num 34:15; Deut 1:5, Deut 3:8; Josh 3:16 ↩

  4. Num 21:3, Num 21:20-35; Judg 11:25 ↩

  5. Exod 15:15; Deut 2:25; Josh 2:10-11, Josh 2:24, Josh 9:24; Ps 53:5; Isa 23:5 ↩

  6. Num 22:7, Num 25:15-18, Num 31:8; Josh 13:21-22 ↩

  7. Num 24:17; Jer 48:38 ↩

  8. Num 22:2; Judg 11:25 ↩

  9. Deut 23:4; Josh 13:22, Josh 24:9; Neh 13:1-2; Mic 6:5; 2Pet 2:15-16, son of Bosor, Jude 1:11; Rev 2:14 ↩

  10. Dr. Kennicott justly remarks, that "the description now given of Balaam's residence, instead of being particular, agrees with any place, in any country where there is a river; for he lived by 'Pethor, which is by the river of the land of his people.' But was Pethor, then, near the Nile in Egypt? Or in Canaan, near Jordan? Or in Mesopotamia, near the Euphrates, and belonging to the Ammonites? This last was in fact the case; and therefore, it is well that twelve Hebrew manuscripts (with two of De Rossi's) confirm the Samaritan text here, in reading instead of âmmo, 'his people,' Ammon, with the Syriac and Vulgate versions." Houbigant justly contends for this reading; and necessity urges the propriety of adopting it, and it thus agrees with Deut 23:4. Ptolemy calls Pethor, Pachura, and Eusebius, Pathura; who places it in upper Mesopotamia. Calmet is of opinion, that it was situated towards Thapsacus, beyond the Euphrates. Num 23:7; Deut 23:4 ↩

  11. Gen 13:16; Exod 1:7-10; Ps 105:24 ↩

  12. Heb. eye ↩

  13. Num 23:7-8, Num 24:9; Gen 12:3, Gen 27:29; Deut 23:4; Josh 24:9; 1Sam 17:43; Neh 13:2; Ps 109:17-18 ↩

  14. 1Kgs 22:6, 1Kgs 22:8, 1Kgs 22:13; Ps 109:28; Prov 26:2; Isa 47:12-13; Ezek 13:6; Acts 8:9-10, Acts 16:16 ↩

  15. 1Sam 9:7-8; Isa 56:11; Ezek 13:19; Mic 3:11; Rom 16:18; 1Tim 6:9-10; Titus 1:11; 2Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11 ↩

  16. Num 22:19-20, Num 12:6, Num 23:12; Jer 12:2; Ezek 33:31 ↩

  17. Num 22:20; Gen 20:3, Gen 31:24, Gen 41:25; Dan 2:45, Dan 4:31-32; Matt 7:22, Matt 24:24; John 11:51 ↩

  18. Gen 3:9-11, Gen 4:9, Gen 16:8; Exod 4:2; 2Kgs 20:14-15 ↩

  19. Num 22:4-6 ↩

  20. Heb. prevail in fighting against them, Num 22:11 ↩

  21. Num 22:20; Job 33:15-17; Matt 27:19 ↩

  22. Num 22:19, Num 23:3, Num 23:13-15, Num 23:19, Num 23:23; Mic 6:5 ↩

  23. Num 23:20; Gen 12:2, Gen 22:16-18; Deut 23:5, Deut 33:29; Ps 144:15, Ps 146:5; Rom 4:6-7, Rom 11:29; Eph 1:3 ↩

  24. Num 22:14; Deut 23:5 ↩

  25. Num 22:13, Num 22:37 ↩

  26. Num 22:7-8; Acts 10:7-8 ↩

  27. etc. Heb. Be not thou letted from, etc. Num 22:16 ↩

  28. Num 24:11; Deut 16:9; Esth 5:11, Esth 7:9; Matt 4:8-9, Matt 16:26 ↩

  29. Num 23:2-3, Num 23:29-30; Matt 14:7 ↩

  30. Num 22:6 ↩

  31. An erroneous opinion prevailed, both in those days and in after ages, that some men had the power, by the help of their gods, to devote, not only particular persons, but cities and whole armies, to destruction. This they are said to have done sometimes by words of imprecation; of which there was a set form among some people, which Ζschines calls διοριζομενην αραν , "the determinate curse." Macrobius has a whole chapter on this subject. He gives us two of the ancient forms used in reference to the destruction of Carthage; the first, which was only pronounced by the dictator, or general, was to call over the protecting deities to their side, and the other to devote the city to destruction, which they were supposed to have abandoned. The Romans held, that no city would be taken till its tutelary god had forsaken it; or if it could be taken, it would be unlawful, as it would be sacrilege to lead the gods into captivity. Virgil intimates, that Troy was destroyed because Excessere omnes adytis, arisque relictis dii, quibus imperium hoc steterat, "All the gods, by whose assistance the empire had hitherto been preserved, forsook their altars and temples." See more on this subject in Dr. A. Clarke, Bp. Patrick, and Burder's Oriental Customs, No. 734. ↩

  32. Num 24:13; Titus 1:16 ↩

  33. Num 23:26, Num 24:13; 1Kgs 22:14; 2Chr 18:13; Dan 5:17; Acts 8:20 ↩

  34. Num 22:7-8; 1Tim 6:9-10; 2Pet 2:3, 2Pet 2:15; Jude 1:11 ↩

  35. Num 22:9 ↩

  36. 1Sam 8:5-9, 1Sam 12:12-19; Ps 81:12; Ezek 14:2-5; 2Thess 2:9-12 ↩

  37. Num 22:35, Num 23:12, Num 23:26, Num 24:13; Ps 33:10-11, Ps 78:30-31; Isa 37:29; Hos 13:11 ↩

  38. Prov 1:15-16 ↩

  39. 2Kgs 10:20; Hos 1:4 ↩

  40. Num 22:35; Gen 48:15-16; Exod 3:2-6; Hos 12:4-5 ↩

  41. Num 22:32; Exod 4:24; Lam 2:4 ↩

  42. 2Kgs 6:17; 1Chr 21:16; Dan 10:7; Acts 22:9; 1Cor 1:27-29; 2Pet 2:16; Jude 1:11 ↩

  43. Jer 8:7 ↩

  44. Job 5:13-15; Isa 47:12 ↩

  45. Isa 26:11; Hos 2:6 ↩

  46. Prov 14:16, Prov 27:3-4 ↩

  47. And where is the wonder of all this? If the ass had opened her own mouth, and reproved the rash prophet, we might well be astonished; but when God opens the mouth, an ass can speak as well as a man. It is to no purpose to speak of the construction of the ass's mouth, of the formation of the tongue and jaws being unfit for speaking; for an adequate cause is assigned for this wonderful effect, "The Lord opened the mouth of the ass"; and no one who believes in a God, can doubt of his power to do this and much more. Exod 4:11; Luke 1:37; 1Cor 1:19; 2Pet 2:16 ↩

  48. Rom 8:22 ↩

  49. Prov 12:10, Prov 12:16; Eccl 9:3 ↩

  50. 2Pet 2:16 ↩

  51. Heb. who hast ridden upon me, ever since I was thine. or, ever since thou wast, unto, etc. 1Cor 1:27-28 ↩

  52. Num 24:4 *marg. Num 24:16; Gen 21:19; 2Kgs 6:17-20; 1Chr 21:16; Luke 24:16, Luke 24:31; Acts 26:18 ↩

  53. Exod 34:8; Ps 9:20; John 18:6 ↩

  54. or, bowed himself ↩

  55. Num 22:28; Deut 25:4; Ps 36:6, Ps 145:9, Ps 147:9; Jonah 4:11 ↩

  56. Heb. be an adversary unto thee, Num 22:22 ↩

  57. Deut 23:4; Prov 28:6; Mic 6:5; Acts 13:10; 2Pet 2:14-15 ↩

  58. Num 22:20, Num 22:22, Num 22:35; Exod 3:2-6; Prov 14:2, Prov 28:18 ↩

  59. Num 14:37, Num 16:33-35; 1Kgs 13:24-28 ↩

  60. Exod 9:27, Exod 10:16-17; 1Sam 15:24, 1Sam 15:30, 1Sam 24:17, 1Sam 26:21; 2Sam 12:13; Job 34:31-32; Ps 78:34; Matt 27:4-5 ↩

  61. Heb. be evil in thine eyes, Num 22:12, Num 11:1; 1Chr 21:7; Prov 24:18 *marg. ↩

  62. Job 34:31-32 ↩

  63. Num 22:20; Ps 81:12; Isa 37:26-29; 2Thess 2:9-12 ↩

  64. Num 22:20-21 ↩

  65. Gen 14:17, Gen 18:2, Gen 46:29; Exod 18:7; 1Sam 13:10; Acts 28:15 ↩

  66. Num 21:13-14; Deut 2:24, Deut 3:8; Judg 11:18; Isa 16:2; Jer 48:20 ↩

  67. I am not able, Num 22:16-17, Num 24:11; Ps 75:6; Matt 4:8-9; Luke 4:6; John 5:44 ↩

  68. Num 22:18; Ps 33:10, Ps 76:10; Prov 19:21; Isa 44:25, Isa 46:10, Isa 47:12 ↩

  69. Num 23:16, Num 23:26, Num 24:13; 1Kgs 22:14; 2Chr 18:13 ↩

  70. or, a city of streets, Probably Rabbath-Moab, now called Rabba, the capital of the Moabites; and being the royal city, distinguished by its streets. Num 22:39 ↩

  71. Num 23:2, Num 23:14, Num 23:30; Gen 31:54; Prov 1:16 ↩

  72. Bamoth baal, "the high places of Baal," probably the same as Bamoth mentioned in Num 21:19-20; evidently not far from Baal–meon, in the mountains of Abarim. For the Israelites were now encamped in the plains of Moab, which these mountains overlook. Baal, which signifies a lord or governor, was a name common to many idols; and probably here was the same as Chemosh, the god of Moab. Num 25:2-3; Deut 12:2; 2Chr 11:15; Jer 48:35 ↩

  73. Num 23:13 ↩