One Last Attempt

Balak still thought Balaam could get God to do what he wanted, and he knew Balaam wanted the money and prestige, so he tried to get him to curse Israel one more time, in Numbers 23:27-30.  “And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.  And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.

And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.  And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.”

Balak did not understand what Malachi 3:6 says, “For I am the LORD, I change not…”  After repeated efforts to get God to change his mind, Balaam was beginning to understand that God wasn’t going to.  This time he didn’t bother to try to convince God to curse Israel.  Instead, he just allowed the Spirit of God to speak through him.  Numbers 24:1-9 describes what he prophesied this time.  “And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.  And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.  And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!  As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.

He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.  God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.  He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.”

God’s message was the same as it had been before, and Balak was not pleased, according to Numbers  24:10-11.  “And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.  Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.”  He told Balaam he was wasting his time serving God, and it was keeping him from earning the wealth and prestige he could have had. 

Stung by what Balak said, Balaam initially took a defensive position, in Numbers 24:12-13.  “And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?”  Balak had spent a lot of resources on offerings and instead of cursing Israel, Balaam had blessed them.  Balaam was mad because he had not promised to curse them, but only to say what God had said. 

He didn’t like feeling defensive and got angry.  In his anger, he began to focus on himself rather than on God as we see in Numbers 24:14-24.  “And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.  And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.  And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.  Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.

And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.

And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.  Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.  And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!  And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.”

Both Balak and Balaam went away upset.  Numbers 24:25 tells us “And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.”  Neither had gotten what they wanted.