Numbers 23:2

KJV

And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on [every] altar a bullock and a ram.

KJV (with Strong's)

And Balak {H1111} did {H6213} as Balaam {H1109} had spoken {H1696}; and Balak {H1111} and Balaam {H1109} offered {H5927} on every altar {H4196} a bullock {H6499} and a ram {H352}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Balak did as Bil'am said; then Balak and Bil'am offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Berean Standard Bible

So Balak did as Balaam had instructed, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

American Standard Version

And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Numbers 23:2 describes the immediate execution of Balaam's instructions by Balak, the king of Moab, as they prepare to seek a divine oracle concerning Israel. This verse details the joint ritualistic offering of a bullock and a ram on each of the seven altars previously constructed, signifying a costly and elaborate attempt to manipulate spiritual forces and gain divine favor for cursing the advancing Israelite nation. It sets the stage for Balaam's first oracle, highlighting the pagan king's desperation and the diviner's calculated approach within a narrative where God's sovereign will ultimately prevails over human schemes.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Numbers 23:2 is the direct fulfillment of Balaam's command to Balak in [Numbers 23:1](/numbers/23-1 "Numbers 23:1 - Balaam's Instructions to Balak"), where the diviner instructs the Moabite king to build seven altars and prepare seven bullocks and seven rams. This verse marks the beginning of the ritualistic attempts by Balak and Balaam to curse Israel, following Balak's desperate plea in [Numbers 22:6](/numbers/22-6 "Numbers 22:6 - Balak's Request to Balaam") for Balaam to "curse this people for me." The entire narrative of [Numbers 22-24](/numbers/22 "Numbers 22 - Balaam's Journey") revolves around Balak's persistent efforts to thwart Israel's progress and God's consistent intervention, turning every intended curse into a blessing. The offerings described in this verse are the prelude to Balaam's first oracle, where he is compelled by God to bless Israel instead of cursing them.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The act of offering sacrifices on multiple altars was a common practice in the ancient Near East, particularly when seeking divine intervention for significant undertakings like warfare or to gain prophetic insight. The number seven often held symbolic significance, representing completeness or perfection, suggesting a thorough and potent ritual. The offering of a bullock (a young bull) and a ram were substantial and costly sacrifices, indicative of the gravity and desperation of Balak's situation. Moab, located east of the Dead Sea, feared the large Israelite population encamped on their border, perceiving them as a significant threat. Balak's actions reflect a common pagan belief that deities could be appeased or manipulated through elaborate rituals and expensive offerings to achieve desired outcomes, in this case, the destruction of an enemy.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Numbers and the broader Pentateuch. It underscores the theme of **Ritual and Divination**, showcasing the elaborate pagan practices employed by Balak and Balaam in their attempt to manipulate divine forces against Israel. It highlights **Balak's Desperation**, demonstrated by the extensive and costly preparations—seven altars, seven bullocks, and seven rams—underscoring his profound fear of the Israelites and his willingness to expend considerable resources. The verse also subtly introduces **Balaam's Calculated Approach**, as he, though a diviner, operates under the constraint of God's will. His instructions for the sacrifices are a preparatory measure, perhaps a blend of his own divinatory practices and a genuine attempt to hear from the true God, knowing he could only speak what the Lord put in his mouth, as seen in [Numbers 22:38](/numbers/22-38 "Numbers 22:38 - Balaam's Confession"). Ultimately, the entire episode, starting with these offerings, powerfully demonstrates **God's Sovereignty**, as He turns every intended curse into a blessing for His people, a truth later affirmed in [Deuteronomy 23:5](/deuteronomy/23-5 "Deuteronomy 23:5 - God Turns Curse to Blessing").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Altar (Hebrew, _mizbeach'_):** The Hebrew word מִזְבֵּחַ (_mizbeach_) refers to a place of sacrifice, derived from a root meaning "to slaughter" or "to sacrifice." In this context, the construction of seven distinct altars emphasizes the methodical, deliberate, and comprehensive nature of Balak and Balaam's ritualistic intent. Each altar was a dedicated site for a specific offering, highlighting the pagan belief in localized divine presence or the need for multiple points of contact with the divine.
* **Bullock (Hebrew, _par'_):** The Hebrew word פַּר (_par_) denotes a young bull, typically a male bovine between one and three years old. In ancient sacrificial systems, bullocks were among the most valuable and significant animals offered, often reserved for major communal or expiatory sacrifices. Their offering here underscores the magnitude of the favor Balak sought and the perceived power of the ritual to influence the divine.
* **Ram (Hebrew, _ayil'_):** The Hebrew word אַיִל (_ayil_) refers to a male sheep, usually a mature one. Rams were also common sacrificial animals, often used for peace offerings, burnt offerings, or consecration rituals. Paired with the bullock, the ram further signifies the comprehensive and costly nature of the offerings, intended to impress or appease the deities Balak and Balaam hoped to invoke.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And Balak did as Balaam had spoken":** This clause highlights Balak's immediate and unquestioning obedience to Balaam's instructions from [Numbers 23:1](/numbers/23-1 "Numbers 23:1 - Balaam's Instructions"). It demonstrates Balak's desperate reliance on Balaam's divinatory powers and his willingness to go to great lengths and expense to achieve his desired outcome—the cursing of Israel.
* **"and Balak and Balaam offered":** This phrase emphasizes the joint participation of both the Moabite king and the Mesopotamian diviner in the sacrificial ritual. Balak, as the king, provided the resources and authority, while Balaam, as the spiritual practitioner, guided the process. Their shared action underscores their unified intent to oppose Israel through spiritual means.
* **"on [every] altar a bullock and a ram":** This specifies the exact nature and scale of the offerings. While the verse itself says "every altar," the preceding verse [Numbers 23:1](/numbers/23-1 "Numbers 23:1 - Building Seven Altars") clarifies that seven altars were built. The repetition of the bullock and ram on each of the seven altars signifies a highly organized, methodical, and extremely costly endeavor. It reflects the pagan belief that the greater the sacrifice, the greater the likelihood of divine response, or perhaps an attempt to ensure every possible divine entity was appeased or invoked.

#### Literary Devices
The passage employs several literary devices. **Repetition** is evident in the specified actions, particularly when considering the broader context of [Numbers 23:1](/numbers/23-1 "Numbers 23:1 - Balaam's Instructions") and the subsequent attempts to curse Israel from different locations. The repeated building of altars and offering of sacrifices underscores Balak's persistent, almost obsessive, efforts to achieve his goal. There is also significant **Irony** present; Balak and Balaam engage in these elaborate rituals with malicious intent, yet the narrative powerfully demonstrates that their efforts will be futile, as God ultimately turns their intended curses into blessings. This sets up a dramatic tension that **foreshadows** God's ultimate sovereignty and protection over His people, regardless of the elaborate schemes devised against them.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Numbers 23:2 serves as a powerful illustration of the futility of human efforts, no matter how elaborate or costly, when they stand in opposition to God's sovereign plan. Balak and Balaam's meticulous ritual, steeped in pagan assumptions about manipulating the divine, highlights the vast chasm between human attempts to control spiritual forces and the unyielding will of the one true God. This scene underscores that Yahweh is not a deity to be appeased or coerced by ritualistic offerings, but a sovereign Lord who orchestrates history according to His purposes, especially concerning His covenant people. The sacrifices, intended to invoke a curse, become the prelude to a series of divine blessings, showcasing God's protective hand over Israel and His ability to turn the schemes of enemies into instruments of His own glory.

* [Deuteronomy 23:5](/deuteronomy/23-5 "Deuteronomy 23:5 - God Turns Balaam's Curse into Blessing")
* [Isaiah 54:17](/isaiah/54-17 "Isaiah 54:17 - No Weapon Formed Against You Shall Prosper")
* [Psalm 33:10-11](/psalms/33-10 "Psalm 33:10-11 - The Lord Frustrates the Plans of the Nations")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
This ancient scene, though describing pagan rituals, holds profound contemporary relevance for believers. It serves as a stark reminder that no human machination, no matter how meticulously planned or costly, can ultimately thwart the sovereign will of God. Balak's desperate attempts to curse Israel, culminating in these elaborate sacrifices, ultimately failed because God had purposed to bless His people. For us, this means we can rest in the assurance that God's plans for His church and for individual believers cannot be overthrown by the schemes of adversaries, whether spiritual or physical. It encourages us to trust in God's unwavering protection and provision, even when faced with formidable opposition. Furthermore, it challenges us to examine our own approaches to seeking divine favor. Do we attempt to "manipulate" God through our actions, offerings, or rituals, or do we humbly submit to His revealed will, seeking His guidance through prayer, His Word, and the leading of the Holy Spirit? Our focus should be on aligning with God's perfect plan, rather than trying to bend His will to our own.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Balak's desperation in this verse reflect human attempts to control or manipulate spiritual outcomes, and what does this teach us about our own tendencies?**
* **In what ways does this narrative reinforce your trust in God's sovereignty and His unwavering protection over His people today?**
* **What "curses" or challenges are you currently facing, and how can the truth that God turns curses into blessings encourage you?**
* **How can we ensure our spiritual practices are rooted in humble submission to God's will rather than an attempt to coerce Him?**

### FAQ
**Why did Balaam, who seemed to know the true God, participate in these pagan rituals?**

Answer: Balaam is a complex and enigmatic figure. While he clearly had some knowledge of Yahweh and was able to hear from Him, he was also a professional diviner (a "seer" or "soothsayer") from Mesopotamia, accustomed to pagan practices. His participation in these rituals likely stemmed from a combination of factors: his professional background, a desire to fulfill Balak's request (and receive payment), and perhaps a belief that these rituals were a necessary preliminary step to commune with any deity, including Yahweh. He may have genuinely sought to hear from God through these means, even if the methods were syncretistic. Ultimately, despite his involvement in the rituals, Balaam consistently declared that he could only speak "what the LORD puts in my mouth" ([Numbers 22:38](/numbers/22-38 "Numbers 22:38 - Balaam's Constraint")). This highlights the tension between his divinatory profession and God's sovereign control over his words.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The narrative of Balak and Balaam, initiated by the elaborate sacrifices in [Numbers 23:2](/numbers/23-2 "Numbers 23:2 - Balak and Balaam Offer Sacrifices"), powerfully foreshadows the ultimate triumph of God's redemptive plan through Jesus Christ. Just as Balak's costly and desperate attempts to curse Israel were utterly frustrated and turned into blessings by God's sovereign will, so too were the forces of sin, death, and the law, which held humanity under a curse, ultimately defeated and transformed into blessing through Christ. The cross, which appeared to be the ultimate curse and defeat, was in fact God's decisive act of turning the curse of sin into the blessing of salvation. [Galatians 3:13](/galatians/3-13 "Galatians 3:13 - Christ Redeemed Us from the Curse") declares, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us." Through His sacrifice, Jesus disarmed the spiritual powers that sought to enslave humanity ([Colossians 2:14-15](/colossians/2-14 "Colossians 2:14-15 - Christ Cancels Our Debt")), rendering their accusations and schemes powerless. He is the true Lamb of God, whose single, perfect sacrifice ([Hebrews 9:12](/hebrews/9-12 "Hebrews 9:12 - Christ's Eternal Redemption")) effectively accomplished what all the bullocks and rams of ancient rituals could not: the complete removal of sin and the ushering in of an eternal blessing for all who believe. Thus, the futile pagan sacrifices of Balak and Balaam point forward to the singular, effective, and curse-reversing sacrifice of Christ.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.