Balaam book of numbers

Gods people are long afterwards told to remember what balak the king of moab consulted, and what balaam the son of beor answered him, that they might know the righteousness of the lord, mic. He is not an israelite but apparently a syrian who lived in pethor, a town situated near the euphrates just south of carchemish numbers 22. Our people, originally published in 1946, was the first jewish history book for the english speaking reader. There are a number of similarities between the text and the account of balaam in the book of numbers. In the book of jeremiah, it is said that prophets, diviners, and soothsayers were in the neighbouring countries of.

Balaams eyes were then opened, and he saw the angel, who told him that he could proceed with the men, but he was allowed to say only what the angel told him to say. In the parashah, balak son of zippor, king of moab, tries to hire balaam to curse israel, balaams donkey speaks to balaam, and balaam blesses israel instead. The story of balaam in the book of numbers provides us with a case study of a false prophet. The israelites disobedience and lack of faith caused god to make them wander in the desert until all the people of that generation had diedwith a few important exceptions.

And according to balak, the king of moab whod really like to defeat and destroy the israelites, balaams work really does the tricki know that whomever you bless is blessed, and whomever you curse. Title the english title numbers comes from the greek lxx and latin vg. Balaam then met with the king of moab and went through the motions of receiving a word from god. Balaam states that he will utter only what his god yahweh inspires. Now balak the son of zippor saw all that israel had done to the amorites. He was a soothsayer one who professes to foretell the future who believed in, or at least knew about, the god of israel to the degree that he could be influenced by the spirit. Numbers 2224 tells the story of a man who had to make that decision. Balak sent to balaam, who lived in mesopotamia along the euphrates river numbers 22. Balak summons balaam then the israelites traveled to the plains of moab and camped along the jordan across from jericho. A celebrated diviner, of the city pethor, on the euphrates, numbers 22. Every ancient reference to balaam considers him a nonisraelite, a prophet, and the son of beor 2, though beor is not clearly identified.

He is a false prophet who seeks to curse israel, but who can only pronounce blessings upon gods people. But do we ever consider that god allocates three chapters of the book of numbers to the prophecies of balaam, a mesopotamian soothsayer. The parashah is made up of 5,357 hebrew letters, 1,455 hebrew words, 104 verses, and 178 lines in a torah scroll. Commentary on numbers 2223 balak hires balaam tough. Then the king of moab hired the foreign prophet balaam to curse the people of israel. In the parashah, balak son of zippor, king of moab, tries to hire balaam to curse israel, balaams donkey speaks to balaam, and. Numbers 22 niv balak summons balaam then the bible gateway. The aim of this thesis is to explore, exegete and display the riches of the oracles of balaam numbers 2224 as they related to the broad history of old testament studies, and more particularly to old testament theology. The book of numbers seems to follow naturally after the book of leviticus in the order of the books of moses in the old testament. According to the lengthy account in the biblical book of numbers chapters 2224, which likely consists of two or more combined literary traditions, balak, the king. At this chapter begins the famous story of balak and balaam, their attempt to curse israel, and the baffling of that attempt.

The book has a long and complex history, but its final form is probably due to a priestly redaction i. The balaam inscriptions are one of the most important archeological discoveries of all time that date to 750 bc but confirm the story of numbers 22 that dates to 1406 bc. Balaam answered that he could utter only the words that god put in his mouth. Read today, it still provides a comprehensive outline of jewish history, and also a view of the telling of history as it evolved over the last century. Balaam goes on to relate a vision concerning impending judgment from the gods, and enters into a dispute with his listeners. King balak wanted to weaken the children of israel, who on their way to canaan had moved in on his territory. A study in methods of criticism and the history of biblical literature and religion jerusalem biblical studies hebrew edition rofe, alexander on. Balak is the 40th weekly torah portion in the annual jewish cycle of torah reading and the seventh in the book of numbers. Then balak said to balaam, please come, i will take you to another place. Then the children of israel moved, and camped in the plains of moab on the side of the jordan across from jericho.

Balaam answered the donkey, you have made a fool of me. Balak hebrew for balak, a name, the second word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah is the 40th weekly torah portion, parashah in the annual jewish cycle of torah reading and the seventh in the book of numbers. Numbers 2224 new king james version nkjv balak sends for balaam. The purpose of the book of numbers is to tell about how israel prepared to enter the promise land, but sinned and was punished.

Balaam, a sorcerer, was summoned by king balak of the moabites to curse the israelites as moses was leading them toward canaan. At balaams request, balak builds seven new altars in this high place just for balaam to sacrifice upon. Numbers 22 commentary matthew henry commentary on the. The holy angels oppose sin, and perhaps are employed in preventing it more than we are aware. This angel was an adversary to balaam, because balaam counted him his adversary. A study in methods of criticism and the history of biblical literature and religion jerusalem biblical studies. This is part of a larger series on the pentateuch to be found at th. A pagan diviner and the word of god ronald barclay allen, th. At the time of the third oracle, balaam and balaak were observing the israelite camp from a place called peor numbers 23.

That is, balaam did hear from god, and god did give him some true prophecies to speak. According to the lengthy account in the biblical book of numbers chapters 2224, which likely consists of two or more combined literary traditions, balak, the king of moab, is frightened by reports of the approaching. Balaam son of beor is definitely an oddball among the prophets. Before going home balaam gives three more oracles, praising and bless ing israel and foretelling the downfall of moab 21. And according to balak, the king of moab whod really like to defeat and destroy the israelites, balaams work really does the tricki know that whomever you bless is blessed, and whomever you curse is cursed 22. In the night god came to balaam, telling him not to curse the israelites. His prophecies result from an attempt to curse israel in exchange for the money and honor of a frightened king of moab, balak son of zippor verses 27. He was a soothsayer one who professes to foretell the future who.

Balak promised to pay balaam handsomely for bringing evil upon the hebrews, whom he feared. Numbers 22 balak summons balaam then the bible gateway. Commentary on numbers 22 and the story of the prophet balaam. The fascinating story of balak and balaam s failed attempts to curse the jewish people is found in numbers 2224. Commentary on numbers 2223 balak hires balaam may 11, 2015 bill pratt 2 comments the israelites have traveled around the borders of edom and have arrived in the land of moab, across the jordan river from the city of jericho. Key personalities include moses, aaron, miriam, joshua, caleb, eleazar, korah, and balaam. The book draws its name from the census made of the people, a necessary step toward their organization and future government. For the right fee, hell bless or curse whomever you want. Balak, king of moab, having seen the multitudes of israel, and fearing they would attack his country, sent for balaam, who was famous for his supposed supernatural powers, to come and curse them.

The book of numbers is largely narrative history as far as its genre. Balaam is a diviner in the torah old testament whose story begins in chapter 22 of the book of numbers numbers 22. Indeed, moab was filled with dread because of the israelites. Numbers 22 new international version niv balak summons balaam. Then the lord opened balaams eyes, and he saw the angel of the lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam, a nonisraelite prophet described in the old testament num. The story of balaam son of beor is known mostly from numbers 2224 in the hebrew bible and from the plaster text from tell deir alla sukkoth. The torah records how, after being thoroughly humiliated by his talking donkey, balaam, the nonjewish sorcerer and prophet commissioned by balak king of moab to curse the jews, found himself incapable of cursing them. The fascinating story of balak and balaams failed attempts to curse the jewish people is found in numbers 2224. Book of balaam son of beor inscription at tell deir alla. Balak, the king of moab, came out to meet balaam and reproached him for his reluctance to come. There are some very important lessons for us to learn from balaam. Instead, balaam was forced to bless the hebrews num.

A man named balaam suddenly appears in the book of numbers. To begin with, the events described in numbers 2224 took place in. Would you accept money to do something you knew wasnt right. The balaam inscriptions are one of the most important archeological discoveries of all time that date to 750 bc but confirm the story of. We hold to the letter of gods law but at the same ti. Quite a number of scholars deny it, or, to be more accurate, there are according to their theory two accounts of balaam. It was balaks intention that the covetous balaam could be bribed to curse i. After the children of israel received the laws at mount sinai, they began the journey as described in the book of exodus, and they were ready to. In numbers 2224, we find the story about balaam and the king of moab, a man called balak. If i had a sword in my hand, i would kill you right now.

Instead, he bestowed on the jews four tremendous blessings. Balaam, son of beor is there any evidence to prove the. Balaam is universally condemned in the new testament. Deir alla plaster texts, prophets and prophecy in the ancient near east, vol 12, 8, 2003 ad iii. God responds with shortterm severity and longterm generosity as he leads them into the promised land. We do not know how he came to be estimated as a prophet or a man with spiritual powers, but balak certainly knew his reputation. This part of numbers ends with the people camped in moab near mount pisgah. He sent messengers to balaam the son of beor at pethor. Balaam son of beor is known to us not only from the hebrew bible but also from an inscription, found in 1967 in jordan, that can be dated to the eighth century b. He was remembered as a religious leaderdiviner from the area of moab.