Numbers 22:9-19

9 God came to Bil`am, and said, What men are these with you?

10 Bil`am said to God, Balak the son of Tzippor, king of Mo'av, has sent to me, [saying],

11 Behold, the people that is come out of Mitzrayim, it covers the surface of the eretz: now, come curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.

12 God said to Bil`am, You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people; for they are blessed.

13 Bil`am rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, Get you into your land; for the LORD refuses to give me leave to go with you.

14 The princes of Mo'av rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, Bil`am refuses to come with us.

15 Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they.

16 They came to Bil`am, and said to him, Thus says Balak the son of Tzippor, Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me:

17 for I will promote you to very great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Please come therefore, and curse this people for me.

18 Bil`am answered the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can't go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.

19 Now therefore, please wait also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will speak to me more.

Numbers 22:9-19 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.