Numbers 22:1-7

Balak and Balaam

1 The {Israelites} set out, and they encamped on the desert-plateau of Moab, across from Jericho beyond [the] Jordan.
2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel did to the Amorites,
3 and Moab was very terrified in the presence of the people because {they} [were] numerous; and Moab dreaded the presence of the {Israelites}.
4 And Moab said to the elders of Midian, "Now the crowd will lick up all around us, like a bull devours the grass of the field." And Balak son of Zippor [was] king of Moab at that time.
5 He sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor [at] Pethor, which [is] by the river, in the land of the children of his people, to summon him, saying, "Look! A people went out from Egypt. Look! They cover {the surface of the land}; they [are about] to dwell opposite me.
6 Now, please go, curse this people for me because they [are] stronger than me; perhaps I will be able to strike them and drive them out from the land because I know whoever you bless [is] blessed, and whoever you cursed is cursed."
7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went [with] a fee for divination in their hand; they came to Balaam and spoke the words of Balak to him.

Numbers 22:1-7 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.

Footnotes 9

Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.