ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for Numbers 22

Num. 22:1–36:13 Israel in the Plains of Moab. These chapters tell of Israel’s lengthy encampment in the plains of Moab at the northern end of the Dead Sea. Here they prepared to cross the Jordan and enter Canaan proper.

Num. 22:1–24:25 This amusing account makes a serious point: the one true God is on Israel’s side, so no human power can prevail against them (23:21–23). Even a pagan prophet like Balaam can see this. The story presents Balaam as a corrupt person whom God used to deliver his word.

Num. 22:1–6 The Moabite king Balak summoned a prophet to defeat Israel by cursing them (v. 6). Pethor is in northern Syria near the River Euphrates, some 400 miles (644 km) by road north of Moab.

Num. 22:7–14 When Balaam says that God refused him permission to go, Balak increases his payment offer. This suggests the original messengers had reported to Balak that Balaam would prophesy against Israel, for the right price.

Num. 22:15–21 Money becomes much more of an issue (vv. 15–18), but again Balaam awaits God’s permission.

Num. 22:19 what more the Lord will say to me. Surely Balaam understood that the Lord did not want him to prophesy against Israel (v. 12). Likely, he just wanted the money and the honor that Balak offered (v. 17; compare 2 Pet. 2:15).

Num. 22:22–35 The episode with the donkey exposes Balaam’s prophetic pretensions in a comical way: Balaam, the international expert on magic, cannot see the angel, but his donkey can! The encounter reinforces God’s message that Balaam must speak only the word that I tell you (v. 35).

Num. 22:22 But God’s anger was kindled, apparently because God knew that Balaam would curse Israel for the right price, in spite of God’s strict instructions to the contrary (vv. 12, 20).

Num. 22:34–35 if it is evil in your sight. Despite the clear statements of God (see v. 12) and of the angel of the Lord in v. 32, Balaam continues to seek a way to get what Balak had promised him (v. 17). Even though he had just been told that this was “perverse” (v. 32), he questions the truth of this statement by saying “if it is evil” (v. 34). The angel of the Lord manifests the presence and authority of the Lord himself (compare Gen. 16:7; 18:1–2; Ex. 3:1–6; and notes on Exodus 3:1–6).

Num. 22:36–40 Balaam reasserts his intention to say only what God allows him to say (v. 38), despite the fee he has been offered.

Num. 22:36 The city of Moab is on the Arnon, which formed the northern border of Moab (21:13). at the extremity of the border. By meeting him as soon as he entered Moabite territory, Balak showed his respect for Balaam.

Num. 22:39 The location of Kiriath-huzoth is unknown.

Num. 22:41–24:14 The first three attempts to persuade Balaam to curse Israel follow a similar pattern, though there are some significant differences in the third. This pattern shows that Balaam’s words, which are the opposite of what he was hired to say, are inspired by God and therefore must be reliable.

Num. 22:41–23:12 In the Bible, a curse was generally promised by one who had the authority to carry it out. It was not a meaningless threat. Aram is the region of Syria, where Balaam came from.