• Balaam and Balak: Numbers 22

    As the children of Israel camped in the plains of Moab, the people of Moab were very afraid of them. Balak, the kind of Moab sent messengers to Balaam, a gentile prophet, asking him to come and curse the Israelites (Numbers 22). Balaam sought God’s will to see if he should go; God told him not to go, for these were a blessed people. However, Balak sent for Balaam again, with a better offer for his service. Balaam asked God again, apparently determined to go with them. God told him to go and speak only what He put Balaam’s mouth.

    This angered the Lord, who knew Balaam’s heart. The angel of the Lord stood in Balaam’s path, causing the donkey on which he was riding to turn aside. Balaam struck the donkey for this. Again the angel stood in the path, and the donkey finally laid down. Balaam struck the donkey again, and the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth to ask why Balaam was striking her. Finally, Balaam’s eyes were opened to see the angel, and he confessed his sin. Then Balaam continued to go with Balak’s messengers.

    Balak met Balaam on the border of Moab, asking why Balaam did not come at first. Balaam replied that he would only be able to speak what God put into his mouth. As the story unfolds, we see that Balaam is unable to place a curse on the children of Israel.

    It can be a bit confusing to understand why God told Balaam to go with Balak’s men, only to get angry at Balaam for going. Perhaps the answer lies in Balaam’s heart. Remember that God had already given Balaam an answer not to go. Perhaps Balaam coming back to God after that indicated that he was determined to go after all, in which case God told him to go. Whatever the reason, it is apparent that Balaam’s heart betrayed his true intentions.

    Discussion
    1. Who was Balaam? Was he an Israelite? Does the fact that he was a gentile prophet say anything about God’s dealings with other nations? What?

    2. Why did Balak want Balaam to curse Israel? What were the Moabites afraid of?

    3. Why was the Lord angry with Balaam for going, especially after He told him to go? Why did the Lord open the mouth of the donkey?