THE STORY OF BALAAM AND BALAK|| THE TALKING DONKEY

 The story of Balak and Balaam is detailed in numbers 22-24. It had been about 40 years since God used Moses to lead Isreal out of Egypt and they were coming close to the end of this great trek to the promised land. 

Having come from Seir, the land of the people of Esau and reached the valley of Arnon, Israel sent messengers to Sihon, the king of the Amorites asking if they could pass through his land. Sihon declined and instead prepared for war. He attacked Israel at Jahaz but Isreal defeated him, taking over his territory in the process. Israel also took many other cities, settling in much of the land of the Amorites, in Heshbon and surrounding villages.

At this point, the Israelites moved towards the land of Moab. When they reached the plains of Moab, they  camped there. Balak was the king of Moab at the time and he saw the Israelite encamped in the plains, they were in great numbers. He had already heard how the Amorites who lived not far from his own land, had been destroyed by this great people. After talking to the elders of Midian, Balak decided to send messengers to Balaam the diviner with precious articles as payment, to curse Israel. 

Balaam was highly regarded by the Moabites and Midianites as a soothsayer and a prophet who could bless or curse with his words. His brother, Bela was a king of Edom. He was the son of Beor and was living in Pethor near the Euphrates River. 

Balak sent messengers to Balaam offering him precious articles to entice him to come curse Isreal. Balaam received the messengers and told them to stay overnight so that he would hear from God at night. In the night, God appeared to Balaam. After Balaam told of Balak’s messengers and their offer, God forbade him from going with them. God said to him "Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed".[Num. 22:12]

In the morning, Balaam told the messengers that God forbade him from going. The messengers returned to Balak and delivered Balaam’s answer. Balak dispatched his most distinguished princes with promises of grandeur and greatness for Balaam. Balak told the princes to tell him these words " Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me. For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me these people"[NUM 22:16-17]

Balaam reminded them that God forbade him from going, but added that they should spend the night and he would ask God again. The Lord later spoke to Balaam in the night, telling him to go with the men but only do as he was told. He arose in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. God became very angry with him because he went.

On his way going, the angel stood in a path of the vineyards, with a wall on both sides. The donkey saw the angel and pressed against the wall so as to squeeze past the angel. Balaam's leg was crushed and he beat the donkey. Then the angel stood in a narrow place, where there was no room to turn right or left. The donkey saw the angel, and it crouched down under Balaam.

Then God opened the mouth of the donkey, and it said to Balaam, "What have I done unto thee that you hast smitten me these three times?"[NUM. 22:28]  Balaam said to the donkey, "Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee"[NUM. 22:29]. The donkey said to Balaam again, "Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee?"[NUM 22:30]

Then God opened Balaam’s eyes and behold, an angel with a sword stood before him! Balaam immediately dismounted and prostrated himself. The angel reprimanded Balaam for setting out on this journey against God's wiil and for striking his animal. Balaam repented and asked the angel if he should return home. The angel told Balaam to go with the men but only say what God would reveal to him.

King Balak went out to meet him on his arrival at the border of the territory, and asked about his reluctance to respond to his call. “Balak said unto Balaam, "Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?"[NUM. 22:37]

Balaam assured the king he would say only what God would reveal to him and nothing more. He said to him "The word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak".[NUM 22:38]. In the morning, Balak sent for Balaam and brought him to a raised ground at Bamoth-baal. From here they could see just a fraction of the people of Israel in the plains of Moab. Balaam was then asked to put a curse on the people.

He requested that seven altars be built and he offered a bull and ram on each. He thereafter went to another height to wait for word from God. After the Lord had spoken, he said: “How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?"[NUM 23:8]. Balak being disappointed with the utterance, took him to another place, the field of Zophim, built seven more altars and more sacrifices were made. 

Balaam again waited for the Lord’s word. He came back saying: “Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought! Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain"[NUM. 23:23-24]

Moab’s king was frustrated again. Nevertheless, he took Balaam to yet another place at the top of Peor with a view of the desert. Seven altars were built again and offerings made. On this occasion, Balaam did not go anywhere to listen for a word, he realized God was pleased to bless Israel, so he looked towards the wilderness and saw Israel camping and the spirit of the Lord came on him and he said, "How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!"[NUM. 24:5]

Balak was aggrieved and told the man to say nothing more since he was blessing Israel instead of cursing them. But guy Balaam said, “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."[24:17] Then Balaam and the king both went their ways.

The fate of Balaam in this event is a great example of what Christians encounter on earth. Sometimes, we find ourselves in situations where a “small” compromise may enable us benefit a great deal. We then try to make sure God is not saying no, yet we know deep inside it is not what God wants. 

Ultimately we often choose to have our way. What we acquire outside God’s will not give us much satisfaction and will lead us along a false direction away from the real abundant favor that He has for us. The Lord will at times stand in our path like the angel did for Balaam because He wants what is best for us. He is willing and able to bless us with even more than what we ask, but it must be within His will, and equally in His time.

Thanks for reading and God bless.