Chapter Twenty-Two

The concentration of Israeli forces on the plains of Moab, at the Jordan, opposite Jericho. – The Moabites’ fear for the integrity of their territory. – An alliance with the Midianites. – An embassy for the Mesopotamian diviner Balaam. – His arrival.

Numbers 22:1. And the sons of Israel set out and camped on the plains of Moab, by the Jordan opposite Jericho. Having finished the conquest of Amoria and Bashan, the Hebrews concentrated themselves in the lower reaches of the Jordan, opposite Jericho.

Numbers 22:2. And Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites; Numbers 22:3. And Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were numerous; and Moab was overcome with fear before the people of Israel. Numbers 22:4. And the Moabites said to the elders of Midian: This people will now lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field. Now Balak son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. An anti-Hebrew coalition was formed from Moabites and Midianites.

Numbers 22:5. And he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is on the river Euphrates, in the land of the Ammonites, to call him, saying: Behold, a people has come out of Egypt and covers the face of the land, and they are settling next to me; As subsequent events show, Balaam was not an ordinary pagan magician or sorcerer. He was undoubtedly a richly gifted nature, capable of rising to the understanding of the true God and to the comprehension of His voice (Num 24:3-4). Balaam belonged to those few among the pagans who were worshippers of the true God, who preserved the truths of faith and morality through tradition. He lived and worked in the place from which the ancestor of the Hebrew people, Abraham, once came forth, where the descendants of Shem in particular had settled, where the sciences investigating the movement of the celestial bodies were especially widespread and which strengthened in the mind of man the thought of the boundless might and wisdom of the Creator. In church hymns Balaam is called an astrologer (troparion after the 3rd ode of the canon, December 24), and the magi who came, according to the indication of the wondrous star, to worship Christ born in Bethlehem, are called disciples of the magus Balaam (troparion after the 5th ode of the canon, December 22). Only greed for gain, which impelled Balaam to traffic in his gift, prevented him from being a true prophet of God (Tertullian, blessed Jerome). The ancient custom of magical influence on an adversary has been preserved in the military practice of some peoples even to the present time.

Numbers 22:19. However, stay here tonight, and I will learn what more the Lord will say to me. The promise of generous gifts begins to noticeably weaken Balaam’s former resolution (Num 22:13) to follow God’s commands.

Numbers 22:20. And God came to Balaam at night and said to him: Since these men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but you shall do nothing except what I tell you to do. For Balaam an outlet opens: he can accept the invitation of the elders and at the same time not act contrary to the commands from above.

Numbers 22:22. And God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the Angel of the Lord took his stand on the road to oppose him. He was riding on his donkey with his two servants. Numbers 22:23. And the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, and the donkey turned aside from the road and went into the field; and Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road. Numbers 22:24. And the Angel of the Lord took his stand in a narrow place between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. Numbers 22:25. And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she pressed herself against the wall and pressed Balaam’s leg against the wall; and he struck her again. Numbers 22:26. And the Angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn right or left. Numbers 22:27. And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his stick. Numbers 22:28. And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam: What have I done to you that you have struck me these three times? Numbers 22:29. Balaam said to the donkey: Because you have mocked me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now. Numbers 22:30. The donkey said to Balaam: Am I not your donkey, which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I ever treated you this way? He said: No. Numbers 22:31. And the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, and he bowed down and fell on his face. Numbers 22:32. And the Angel of the Lord said to him: Why have you struck your donkey these three times? I have come out as an adversary because your way is reckless before me; Numbers 22:33. And the donkey saw me and turned aside from me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely I would have killed you by now, but let her live. Numbers 22:34. And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord: I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the road against me; now therefore, if it displeases you, I will turn back. Numbers 22:35. And the Angel of the Lord said to Balaam: Go with these men, but you shall speak only what I tell you to speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. God’s warning to Balaam not to forget the indispensable condition of his journey (Num 22:20).

Numbers 22:41. And on the next morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to the high places of Baal, that from there he could see part of the people. The “high places of Baal” are considered identical with Bamoth (“altar of Baal”), which was located on a mountainous height near Dibon.