Numbers 22:7-17

7 The older leaders of Moab and Midian went with payment in their hands. When they found Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.

8 Balaam said to them, "Stay here for the night, and I will tell you what the Lord tells me." So the Moabite leaders stayed with him.

9 God came to Balaam and asked, "Who are these men with you?"

10 Balaam said to God, "The king of Moab, Balak son of Zippor, sent them to me with this message:

11 'A nation has come out of Egypt that covers the land. So come and put a curse on them, and maybe I can fight them and force them out of my land.'"

12 But God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. Don't put a curse on those people, because I have blessed them."

13 The next morning Balaam awoke and said to Balak's leaders, "Go back to your own country; the Lord has refused to let me go with you."

14 So the Moabite leaders went back to Balak and said, "Balaam refused to come with us."

15 So Balak sent other leaders -- this time there were more of them, and they were more important.

16 They went to Balaam and said, "Balak son of Zippor says this: Please don't let anything stop you from coming to me.

17 I will pay you very well, and I will do what you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me."

Numbers 22:7-17 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.