Numbers 22:1-4

Balak Summons Balaam

1 Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.
2 Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,
3 and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites.
4 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.” So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time,

Numbers 22:1-4 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 22

The children of Israel being come into the plains of Moab, put the king of Moab into a panic, who expressed his fears to the elders of Midian, Nu 22:1-4 and sent for Balaam the soothsayer to curse the people of Israel, but he, upon consulting the Lord refused to come, Nu 22:5-14, on which the king of Moab sent to him a second time, making large promises of preferment to him, and who at this time got leave from the Lord to go with the messengers, Nu 22:15-21, but was met with in the way by an angel of the Lord, who would have slain him had it not been for his ass, of which a very wonderful revelation is given, Nu 22:22-35, and the chapter is closed with the interview between Balak king of Moab and Balaam, and an account of what passed between them, and what was done by them, Nu 22:36-41.

Cross References 9

  • 1. S Numbers 21:11
  • 2. S Numbers 13:29; S Joshua 2:7
  • 3. Numbers 31:12; Numbers 33:48; Deuteronomy 32:49; Joshua 2:1
  • 4. Numbers 23:1-3; Joshua 24:9; Judges 11:25; Micah 6:5; Revelation 2:14
  • 5. S Exodus 15:15
  • 6. S Genesis 19:37
  • 7. S Genesis 25:2
  • 8. Nu 32:17,18,29
  • 9. Job 5:25; Psalms 72:16
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