Read Numbers 22
Balak Summons Balaam
22 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, 5 sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River, in his native land. Balak said:
“A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. 6 Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”
7 The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination.When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.
8 “Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I will report back to you with the answer the Lord gives me.” So the Moabite officials stayed with him.
9 God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”
10 Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: 11 ‘A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.’”
12 But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.”
13 The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your own country, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”
14 So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
15 Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. 16 They came to Balaam and said:
“This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, 17 because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me.”
18 But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God. 19 Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the Lord will tell me.”
20 That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”
Balaam’s Donkey
21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. 22 But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road.
24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides. 25 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again.
26 Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff. 28 Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”
29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”
30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”
“No,” he said.
31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lordstanding in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.
32 The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it.”
34 Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.”
35 The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.
36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory. 37 Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?”
38 “Well, I have come to you now,” Balaam replied. “But I can’t say whatever I please. I must speak only what God puts in my mouth.”
39 Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth. 40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and gave some to Balaam and the officials who were with him.41 The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp.
Go Deeper
Numbers 22 is best known for the talking donkey, which is no surprise that it grabs attention. However, the account of Balaam offers so much more than a novelty act. We see how important it is to constantly seek God’s guidance.
Chapter 22 opens with the Israelites camping in the plains of Moab after defeating the Canaanites and the Amorites. The Moabite king, Balak, is understandably nervous about having such a force hanging out in his territory, so he seeks supernatural help from a famous diviner: Balaam. A delegation of leaders went to Balaam asking for him to curse the Israelites but God directed him not to go, so Balaam refused and the delegation returned home empty-handed. Balak sent another group of even more prestigious leaders with an even greater reward offer to Balaam. This time, God permits Balaam to go with the leaders but instructs him to “Do only what I tell you.” The next morning, Balaam leaves, and we see that “God was very angry when he went”, sending an angel to stop him from making the journey.
This is where the story can get confusing. Why does God get angry with Balaam for going when He gave permission just the night before? At first glance, it can seem like God is being fickle here, but the rest of the story in this chapter illuminates the reason behind God’s anger.
God told Balaam to follow His instructions. To know what God wanted him to do, Balaam needed to listen for God’s guidance constantly. But we know that the diviner was not in tune with God and God knew this, too. Balaam did not see the angel God sent and did not take the hint from his donkey’s refusal to follow the path three times, because he was not listening to God. God had to physically alter the interaction of humans and animals with a talking donkey to get Balaam’s attention!
We, too, must constantly listen for God’s direction if we are to do what He tells us. Praying, reading the Bible, worshiping, Life Group accountability, ministry participation, and service help us stay attuned to God’s direction. We must also be ready to follow His lead, even if that means stopping, turning back, or going in a different direction.
Questions
- Has there been a time when you followed your own path to find that God wanted to lead you elsewhere?
- Which distractions of your daily life divert your attention from listening to God’s guidance?
- In what way can you attune your ear to hear God’s guidance more clearly this week? Share this with your Life Group and ask for accountability.
Listen Here
The Bible Project digs into Balaam and some other parts of Numbers in this podcast episode.
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7 thoughts on “Numbers 22”
Here we are, very much like Balaam. God tells us one thing but we want/see something “more” and do it our way. He told him in Num 22:12, no. The Isralelites are blessed, period the end. We rush headlong and recklessly on the wrong path that can only lead to ruin because we dont slow down and listen or obey when we have already been told what to do or not do.
( Verse 20-21 says God told him to go with the men if they call on you. He went with the princes of Moab, who were the elite princes, not the princes of Balak. This is why God’s anger was kindled. Verse 35 says he went with Balak’s princes after the encounter with the angel and donkey. This is my speculation. He deliberately disobeyed.””Go with the men” (Numbers 22:35). There is a point of no return in every departure from the will of God. What terror must fill the hearts of men who, launched upon an evil course, find that they have gone too far to turn back. At last, there came the time in the life of Judas when God commanded him, “What thou doest, do quickly!” (John 13:27). Many a sinner would like to turn back when the fruits of his wickedness begin to appear; but there stands the angel of Jehovah, always, with the drawn sword, “Go with the men!” When men make their bed with evil, God requires them to lie in it.”(studylite.org).
God thank You for hearing, listening, obeying the first time. Thank You that I my love for You takes president over every single thing in my life. Continue to stir in me Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for details. I ask that You, God that You would give me an understanding and discerning heart. Help me to be slow to get angry but quick to response to the needs, disappointment and problems that others are facing. Help me to keep from developing a judgmental spirit that can so often jump to the wrong conclusions, and prevent me from speaking too quickly, God help me, show me how to be a blessing to others. Help me with compassion and love today in these minutes of this day in Jesus name amen.
WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
KJ and Amp both say in v. 20 if the men come to call you, rise up and go
then v.21 and balaam rose up in the morning and saddled his donkey and went. v.22 and God’s anger was kindled because he went.
Balaam didn’t wait for the men to call him in the morning but jumped up and went. He desired the rewards and recognition being offered. He heard what he wanted to hear and not the detail God gave him; a lot like “speak to the rock” and Moses struck the rock with his rod twice. We hear what God says but if it doesn’t align with our thinking, we run to someone who will tell us what we want to hear and then, try to fit that in our minds as the Word of God.
There’s more to this story as we’ll discover in days to come, but for now we see some sketchy traits about Balaam, the diviner. He is conflicted as he hears from God but his ego wants to win over following God’s orders. He’s angry and mean, entitled and prideful. All traits that we must constantly put to death or they will ruin us. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12).
30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”
Who/what are the faithful donkeys in my own life? How can I listen and observe better so that I don’t find myself rushing down a path of my own making rather than God’s?
Great question, Erik.
Balaam is half-heartedly following God’s instruction. He is going to Balaak with a greedy heart. It’s a picture of wanting to take advantage of a situation for material gain and using the word of God toward that end. We must be careful and guard our hearts that we don’t cross that fine line of manipulating the word of God for our gain. Let us trust in God’s provision.
Yes, I’ve always learned that when you don’t follow what the spirit might be prompting you’ll pay on the back end and there’s a lot of cognitive dissonance, when you disobey.
I’d say the things I’m super passionate about like business keep me from spending more time with God sometimes cause I pursue the passion more than reading the Bible… now God can honor your passions… reading is just a harsh discipline for me and I’m currently working through that