Numbers22

King Balak of Moab, fearing the numerous Israelites, sends for the prophet Balaam to curse them. God initially forbids Balaam from going, but later permits him with a strict command to speak only what He dictates. On his journey, Balaam's ass miraculously speaks after being beaten for seeing the Angel of the LORD, who reveals Balaam's perverse way and reiterates God's command to speak only His words.

Israel Encamped; Moab’s Fear

1
Then the people of Isra'el traveled on and camped in the plains of Mo'av beyond the Yarden River, opposite Yericho. ​
2
Now Balak the son of Tzippor saw all that Isra'el had done to the Emori.
3
Mo'av was very afraid of the people, because there were so many of them; Mo'av was overcome with dread because of the people of Isra'el. ​
4
So Mo'av said to the leaders of Midyan, "This horde will lick up everything around us, the way an ox licks up grass in the field." Balak the son of Tzippor was king of Mo'av at that time. ​

Balak Summons Balaam

5
He sent messengers to Bil'am the son of B'or, at P'tor by the [Euphrates] River in his native land, to tell him, "Listen, a people has come out of Egypt, spread over all the land and settled down next to me. ​
6
Therefore, please come, and curse this people for me, because they are stronger than I am. Maybe I will be able to strike them down and drive them out of the land, for I know that whomever you bless is in fact blessed, and whomever you curse is in fact cursed." ​
7
The leaders of Mo'av and Midyan left, taking with them the payment for divining, came to Bil'am and spoke to him the words of Balak.
8
He said to them, "Stay here tonight, and I will bring you back whatever answer ADONAI tells me." So the princes of Mo'av stayed with Bil'am. ​
9
God came to Bil'am and said, "Who are these men with you?"
10
Bil'am said to God, "Balak the son of Tzippor, king of Mo'av, has sent me this message:
11
'The people who came out of Egypt have spread over the land; now, come and curse them for me; maybe I will be able to fight against them and drive them out.'"
12
God answered Bil'am, "You are not to go with them; you are not to curse the people, because they are blessed." ​
13
Bil'am got up in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, "Return to your own land, because ADONAI refuses to give me permission to go with you."
14
The princes of Mo'av got up, returned to Balak and said, "Bil'am refuses to come with us."

Balak Sends More Honorable Princes

15
Balak again sent princes, more of them and of higher status than the first group.
16
They went to Bil'am and said to him, "Here is what Balak the son of Tzippor says: 'Please don't let anything keep you from coming to me.
17
I will reward you very well, and whatever you say to me I will do. So please come, and curse this people for me.'" ​
18
Bil'am answered the servants of Balak, "Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of ADONAI my God to do anything, great or small.
19
Now, please, you too, stay here tonight; so that I may find out what else ADONAI will say to me."
20
God came to Bil'am during the night and said to him, "If the men have come to summon you, get up and go with them; but do only what I tell you." ​
21
So Bil'am got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Mo'av. ​

The Angel Confronts Balaam

22
But God's anger flared up because he went, and the angel of ADONAI stationed himself on the path to bar his way. He was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. ​
23
The donkey saw the angel of ADONAI standing on the road, drawn sword in hand; so the donkey turned off the road into the field; and Bil'am had to beat the donkey to get it back on the road.
24
Then the angel of ADONAI stood on the road where it became narrow as it passed among the vineyards and had stone walls on both sides.
25
The donkey saw the angel of ADONAI and pushed up against the wall, crushing Bil'am's foot against the wall. So he beat it again.
26
The angel of ADONAI moved ahead and stood in a place so tight that there was no room to turn either right or left.
27
Again the donkey saw the angel of ADONAI and lay down under Bil'am, which made him so angry that he hit the donkey with his stick.
28
But ADONAI enabled the donkey to speak, and it said to Bil'am, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?" ​
29
Bil'am said to the donkey, "It's because you've been making a fool of me! I wish I had a sword in my hand; I would kill you on the spot!"
30
The donkey said to Bil'am, "I'm your donkey, right? You've ridden me all your life, right? Have I ever treated you like this before?""No," he admitted.
31
Then ADONAI opened Bil'am's eyes, so that he could see the angel of ADONAI standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand, and he bowed his head and fell on his face.
32
The angel of ADONAI said to him, "Why did you hit your donkey three times like that? I have come out here to bar your way, because you are rushing to oppose me. ​
33
The donkey saw me and turned aside these three times; and indeed, if she hadn't turned away from me, I would have killed you by now and saved it alive!"
34
Bil'am said to the angel of ADONAI, "I have sinned. I didn't know that you were standing on the road to block me. Now, therefore, if what I am doing displeases you, I will go back."
35
But the angel of ADONAI said to Bil'am, "No, go on with the men; but you are to say only what I tell you to say." So Bil'am went along with the princes of Balak. ​

Balaam Arrives in Moab

36
When Balak heard that Bil'am had come, he went out to meet him in the city of Mo'av at the Arnon border, in the farthest reaches of the territory.
37
Balak said to Bil'am, "I sent more than once to summon you! Why didn't you come to me? Did you think I couldn't pay you enough?"
38
Bil'am replied to Balak, "Here, I've come to you! But I have no power of my own to say anything. The word that God puts in my mouth is what I will say." ​
39
Bil'am went with Balak. When they arrived at Kiryat-Hutzot,
40
Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, then sent to Bil'am and the princes with him.
41
In the morning Balak took Bil'am and brought him up to the high places of Ba'al; from there he could see a portion of the people. ​

Study Notes for Numbers 22

Verse 1

The plains of Moab, east of the Jordan, were the final staging ground before Israel entered the Promised Land. This location directly threatened the Moabite kingdom.

Verse 3

Moab’s fear was justified following Israel's recent victories over the Amorite kings Sihon and Og (Num 21). They recognized Israel’s military power was overwhelming.

Verse 4

The alliance between Moab and Midian shows their shared desperation. This coalition later led to the disastrous seduction of Israel at Peor (Num 25).

Verse 5

Balaam, a diviner from Pethor (near the Euphrates), was known even far away for his potent connection to the divine, demonstrating Balak's deep fear and willingness to pay highly for magical intervention.

Verse 6

Balak’s request reflects the Ancient Near Eastern belief that a curse pronounced by a powerful seer could determine the outcome of a conflict, overriding military strength.

Verse 8

Balaam, though not an Israelite, appears to know and communicate with YHWH (the LORD). He attempts to treat divine revelation as a transaction or consultation.

Verse 12

God’s refusal is absolute and theological: Israel is already 'blessed' by divine covenant, and this blessing cannot be overturned by any human or magical means.

Verse 17

Balak offers Balaam 'very great honour' (a massive bribe) to overcome God’s initial prohibition, testing Balaam’s loyalty between divine command and material wealth.

Verse 20

God grants conditional permission, knowing Balaam’s heart is set on the reward. The critical restriction remains: Balaam must only speak the exact word given to him.

Verse 21

Balaam’s immediate departure, saddling his own ass, suggests his eager readiness to capitalize on the opportunity despite God’s clear reluctance and previous command (v. 12).

Verse 22

God’s anger was kindled not because Balaam went (which was technically permitted, v. 20), but because his motivation was perverse—he sought the reward against God’s clear will.

Verse 28

The miracle of the talking ass serves to humiliate Balaam, showing that the animal possessed greater spiritual sight and obedience to God’s obstacle than the supposed prophet.

Verse 32

The Angel confirms that Balaam’s 'way is perverse' (i.e., reckless, headstrong, or motivated by greed). Balaam was focused on the journey and the reward, ignoring the danger.

Verse 35

Balaam is allowed to proceed, but stripped of any independent power. His role is reduced to a passive mouthpiece, ensuring God controls the outcome.

Verse 38

Balaam, having learned his lesson via the Angel, immediately establishes the boundary to Balak: he has no power to speak anything other than God’s word.

Verse 41

Balak takes Balaam to the 'high places of Baal,' indicating that the king planned to use both Balaam’s foreign divination and local Canaanite religion to curse Israel.

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