The next few chapters contain probably the next best-known event in the book – Balaam.
First of all, we meet Balak the king of Moab (v1-4). He was afraid of the people of Israel because of what they had done to the Amorites. The phrase used is “…. sick with dread…” Israel was moving towards the Promised Land. Balak’s fear was unfounded – I’m not sure he knew this, but God had decreed (Deuteronomy 2:9) that Israel was not to harass the Moabites because He did not intend them to have their land. Whether the book of Deuteronomy had already been written then, I don’t know.
Balak sent messengers to Balaam the son of Besor (later referred to as Beor) at Pethor (v5,6). They told him that a people had come from Egypt, they cover the face of the earth and are settling next to Moab. Sounds like a bit of an exaggeration that they cover the face of the earth, but maybe it seemed like that because, unknown to him, the Lord was fighting Israel’s battle. This is the first we know about Balaam, but Balak must have heard of his reputation, so he called for him to put a curse on these people. He quite clearly had a reputation for being successful in blessing and cursing people and his reputation had spread far and wide. They had traveled quite a distance to meet him. Maybe the exaggeration would encourage Balaam to accept such a high call. Yes, they had come from Egypt, but they were not Egyptians, they were on their way to their own land, promised to them by the Lord. Balak considered that they were too strong for him, and he considered it urgent by asking him to come at once.
The elders of Moab and Midian went with the diviner’s fee to Balaam (v7,8). Interesting that the must have been a fixed fee for this work. Balaam was obviously satisfied with it. Perhaps more interested in the fee than what he was asked to do! Balaam obviously had a knowledge of God, but he certainly wasn’t a godly man. He was hypocritical in the way he spoke about the Lord and His will. If he had been thoroughly godly, he would have known what God’s will was. He even offered them hospitality when he should have had nothing to do with them and their request and certainly not have accepted their money. He was trying to ‘play’ with God and His will, this was blatant sin. It was and is dangerous to play with the will of God.
The amazing thing is that God came and answered Balaam (v9-12). He asked, “Who are these men with you?” Balaam told God what they had come for and God answered, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” God was being merciful to him, and He clearly told Balaam to have nothing to do with them.
Balaam told the men, (v13-15) “Go back to your king for the Lord has refused to give me permission to go with you”. One commentator suggests that his reply carried the sense that he wanted to go, but God wouldn’t let him. They went to Balak and told him that Balaam refused to go, so he sent a bigger entourage and even more important men. We are not told whether they took another or even bigger fee this time, but it could have been and seems probable from the message Balak sent – “And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me; for I will certainly honour you greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Therefore, please come, curse this people for me.’” (v16,17)
Balaam is in a quandary just listen to his words (v18,19) – “Then Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.” Now therefore, please, you also stay here tonight, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me.”
No doubt the ‘silver and gold’ were attractive, but why did he have to go back to the Lord to see if there was a different message? God had already made it clear – “You shall not go ….”
Is this something we can be guilty of? Knowing full well what God’s will is, but to keep on asking in case He should change His mind. He should have sent them away without delay but again, he offers them hospitality so that he can ask God again.
There is no question of God changing His mind (v20,21) but what comes next may cause some confusion- “And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you; that you shall do.” So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.”
He tells Balaam to go but only to tell them what He says to him. So, he got up early and saddled his donkey and went with them.
However, one could be excused for being confused at the following – (v22-27) “Then God’s anger was aroused because he went….” God had told him to go so why should He be angry?
God had said, “If the men come to call you…. Go”. It seems that he went without their call after they had stayed overnight. He went early and didn’t tell them what God had said, he just went. He didn’t tell them that God told him not to curse Israel. Would they have taken him if they had known? God quite simply knew Balaam’s heart and intention and that’s why He was angry.
The angel of the Lord stood in his way as an adversary and the donkey saw the angel. Evidently Balaam didn’t. The donkey saw the angel with drawn sword and turned aside into a field. Balaam struck the donkey. The angel moved into a narrow path with walls on each side and seeing the angel, the donkey pushed against the wall crushing Balaam’s foot against the wall, so Balaam struck her again. The angel went further and stood in a narrow place with nowhere for the donkey to turn, so the donkey lay down. Balaam was so angry, and he struck the donkey again with his staff. Can you imagine the scene? It would be quite amusing if it wasn’t so sad – a donkey with apparently more sense and perception than Balaam! There’s no question of a donkey being spiritual, it was doing what came naturally.
This amazing scene did not stop there – God performed a miracle – the donkey spoke (v28-30) and she said to Balaam, “What have I done that you have struck me three times?” Balaam answered the donkey, “Because you have abused me, I wish there was a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!” So the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?” And he said, “No.”
I’ve often thought that years ago if you saw someone driving a car or even walking along speaking apparently to themselves, but they are actually on their mobile phone. Not knowing they were we would think there’s something wrong. More so having a conversation with a donkey and the donkey speaking back! We would think they’ve gone mental.
Balaam was doing wrong and didn’t like to be told or stopped from what he was doing even to the point of speaking without hesitation to his donkey. He had to admit that the donkey was right.
The Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord (v31-33) and bowed his head and fell flat on his face. Sword in hand was clear to Balaam that he should not go on but turn back and that he had disobeyed God. God used a remarkable way to show Balaam his error. We often say that we wish God would show us his will but very rarely, if ever, does the answer come like this. We pray for open and closed doors. This was quite clearly a closed one but sadly, Balaam didn’t act upon it.
Notice that the angel, who it is thought was a pre-incarnation appearance of Jesus, The Son of God, didn’t first ask why he had come but why he had treated his donkey so badly when He had used the donkey to stop Balaam from doing the wrong thing. This was serious because Balaam was told that if the donkey had not turned aside, God would have killed him and let the donkey live. Strong words are used – ‘your way is perverse before Me.’ Balaam’s actions in going to Balak and failing to recognise God’s leading and stopping him was clearly a sin against God and worthy of death.
Balaam appears to repent saying he didn’t know that the Lord was standing in his way (v34,35). He says, “If it displeases you, I will turn back.” Didn’t he know? I suppose he could be excused for being confused, or could he? He was going for the wrong reason, and the Lord knew his motives, and he knew it. The angel told him to go but only speak the word the Lord spoke to him.
It was clear he was going for the wrong reason as we are told in 2 Peter 2:15-16 “They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.” Jude 11 also tells us about “…. the error of Balaam for profit.” It was evident that Balaam was doing it because he loved money. The bible tells us that, “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil”. What people will do for money? We cannot serve God and money.
Balak heard that Balaam was coming and went out to meet him (v36-41). He was obviously keen to meet Balaam and is evidently annoyed that he has taken so long to come- ‘Why did you not come? Am I not paying you enough?’ Balaam seems to have learned his lesson and says, ‘Look I’m here now, but I can only tell you what the Lord says to me.’ However, the reward was probably music to his ears, and maybe his words about what God says were his excuse should Balak not like what he hears.
Next day, Balak took Balaam to the high places of Baal to show him all the people, this being a good vantage point.
