Numbers 22:2

2 Now Balak^[a] son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

Numbers 22:2 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 22:2

And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to
the Amorites.
] The word "Amorites" being particularly pointed, shows, as Aben Ezra observes, that Sihon and Og are both meant, and that there were not among the kings of the land of Canaan any so great as they; wherefore when Balak, who was the present king of Moab, saw what Israel had done to them, that they had conquered them, and seized upon their kingdoms: he reasoned within himself, and said, as Jarchi represents him, that if they could not stand before Israel, much less could he and his people; and the rather, since those kings Israel had subdued were too powerful for the king of Moab, and had taken part of his country from him, and yet Israel was too strong for them.

Numbers 22:2 In-Context

1 The Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan across from Jericho.

2 Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

3 Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous, and dreaded the Israelites.

4 So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, "This horde will devour everything around us like an ox eats up the green plants in the field." Since Balak son of Zippor was Moab's king at that time,

5 he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people. Balak said to him: "Look, a people has come out of Egypt; they cover the surface of the land and are living right across from me.

Footnotes

• [a]. Jos 24:9-10; Mc 6:5; Rv 2:14