Numbers 23

In Numbers 23, Balak, the king of Moab, takes the prophet Balaam to various locations, hoping Balaam will curse Israel. Instead, Balaam receives messages from God, and despite Balak’s desires, he ends up blessing Israel. This chapter emphasizes God’s unchanging promises and His blessing over His people, regardless of external pressures.

Numbers 23:1-3 (NKJV)
1 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”
2 And Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
3 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatever He shows me I will tell you.” So he went to a desolate height.

Balaam instructs Balak to build seven altars and prepare offerings of bulls and rams, demonstrating a ritualistic approach to seeking divine intervention. This act shows the seriousness of Balak’s desire for a curse on Israel. Balaam, however, recognizes that he is dependent on what God reveals to him, indicating that true prophecy cannot be manipulated by mere rituals or offerings.

Numbers 23:4-6 (NKJV)
4 And God met Balaam, and he said to Him, “I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.”
5 Then the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.”
6 So he returned to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab.

Balaam acknowledges to God that the sacrifices have been made, yet it is God who takes control of the situation by putting His own message into Balaam’s mouth. This demonstrates that no matter the human preparations or desires, God’s message cannot be bought or influenced—it is entirely His decision. Balak and the Moabite princes await a curse, unaware of what God intends to say.

Numbers 23:7-10 (NKJV)
7 And he took up his oracle and said:
“Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram,
From the mountains of the east.
‘Come, curse Jacob for me,
And come, denounce Israel!’
8 How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?
And how shall I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?
9 For from the top of the rocks I see him,
And from the hills I behold him;
There! A people dwelling alone,
Not reckoning itself among the nations.
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob,
Or number one-fourth of Israel?
Let me die the death of the righteous,
And let my end be like his!”

Balaam’s first prophecy completely contradicts Balak’s expectations. Instead of cursing Israel, Balaam acknowledges that he cannot curse what God has blessed. He marvels at Israel’s uniqueness and separation from other nations. Balaam also expresses admiration for Israel’s vast numbers, symbolizing their blessed status. His desire to die the death of the righteous underscores the honor of being counted among God’s people.

Numbers 23:11-12 (NKJV)
11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and look, you have blessed them bountifully!”
12 So he answered and said, “Must I not take heed to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?”

Balak is understandably frustrated because he expected Balaam to curse Israel, but instead, Balaam blessed them. Balaam, despite being an apostate prophet driven by greed and personal gain, reminds Balak that he can only speak what God reveals. This moment highlights that even a wayward prophet cannot alter or twist the divine message for personal gain or to please others, not even a king. It emphasizes the futility of trying to oppose God's will and the power of His blessing over Israel.

Numbers 23:13-15 (NKJV)
13 Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place from which you may see them; you shall see only the outer part of them and shall not see them all; curse them for me from there.”
14 So he brought him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
15 And he said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering while I meet the Lord over there.”

Balak, still determined to get a curse on Israel, brings Balaam to another location, hoping that a change of perspective might change the outcome. He offers more sacrifices, demonstrating his belief that he can manipulate the situation. Balaam once again prepares to receive God’s message, showing that no matter where they go or what they do, it is God’s will that matters, not the location or the number of sacrifices.

Numbers 23:16-17 (NKJV)
16 Then the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, “Go back to Balak, and thus you shall speak.”
17 So he came to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab were with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?”

God again meets Balaam and puts a message in his mouth. Balaam returns to Balak, who anxiously awaits to hear if this time Balaam will deliver the desired curse. However, God’s control over the situation is evident—no amount of sacrifice or changing locations can alter what God has determined to speak through His prophet.

Numbers 23:18-24 (NKJV)
18 Then he took up his oracle and said:
“Rise up, Balak, and hear!
Listen to me, son of Zippor!
19 God is not a man, that He should lie,
Nor a son of man, that He should repent.
Has He said, and will He not do?
Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
20 Behold, I have received a command to bless;
He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.
21 He has not observed iniquity in Jacob,
Nor has He seen wickedness in Israel.
The Lord his God is with him,
And the shout of a King is among them.
22 God brings them out of Egypt;
He has strength like a wild ox.
23 “For there is no sorcery against Jacob,
Nor any divination against Israel.
It now must be said of Jacob
And of Israel, ‘Oh, what God has done!’
24 Look, a people rises like a lioness,
And lifts itself up like a lion;
It shall not lie down until it devours the prey,
And drinks the blood of the slain.”

Balaam’s second prophecy is even stronger in affirming Israel’s blessing. He declares that God is not like humans who change their minds or lie. What God has blessed, no one can curse. Balaam points out that Israel’s strength comes from God, who brought them out of Egypt and is with them. No form of sorcery or curse can affect Israel, for God’s power surpasses all. Israel is depicted as a lion, strong and undefeatable, showing their destined victory over enemies.

Numbers 23:25-26 (NKJV)
25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all!”
26 So Balaam answered and said to Balak, “Did I not tell you, saying, ‘All that the Lord speaks, that I must do’?”

Frustrated, Balak asks Balaam to simply remain neutral rather than bless Israel. However, Balaam once again emphasizes that he has no control over the situation—he must speak what the Lord reveals to him. This exchange highlights the futility of Balak’s attempts to manipulate God’s will through a human prophet.

Numbers 23:27-30 (NKJV)
27 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Please come, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.”
28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that overlooks the wasteland.
29 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”
30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on every altar.

Desperate, Balak tries one more time by taking Balaam to yet another location, hoping this change might lead to a different outcome. He once again sets up altars and sacrifices, but this repetition shows the futility of trying to change God’s will through human efforts. Despite Balak’s persistence, it’s clear that God’s blessing on Israel is unwavering.