THEN THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL sent messengers to the Amorite king Sihon to say: “Let us pass through your land. We and our cattle will not leave the road and go into your fields or vineyards, and we will not drink water from your wells; we will stay on the main road until we are out of your territory.” But Sihon would not permit the people of Israel to pass through his territory. He gathered his army and went out to Jahaz in the wilderness and attacked the Israelites. But the Israelites killed many of the enemy in battle and occupied their land … .
When the king of Moab, Balak son of Zippor, heard what the Israelites had done to the Amorites and how many Israelites there were, he and all his people became terrified … So King Balak sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor near the Euphrates River in the land of Amaw. They brought him this message from Balak: “I want you to know that a whole nation has come from Egypt; its people are spreading out everywhere and threatening to take over our land. They outnumber us, so please come and put a curse on them for me. Then perhaps we will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. I know that when you pronounce a blessing, people are blessed, and when you pronounce a curse, they are placed under a curse.”
So the Moabite and Midianite leaders took with them the payment for the curse, went to Balaam and gave him Balak’s message. Balaam said to them, “Spend the night here, and tomorrow I will report to you whatever the LORD tells me.” So the Moabite leaders stayed with Balaam.
God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men that are staying with you?”
He answered, “King Balak of Moab has sent them to tell me that a people who came from Egypt has spread out over the whole land. He wants me to curse them for him, so that he can fight them and drive them out.”
God said to Balaam, “Do not go with these men, and do not put a curse on the people of Israel, because they have my blessing.”
The next morning Balaam went to Balak’s messengers and said, “Go back home; the LORD has refused to let me go with you.” So they returned to Balak and told him that Balaam had refused to come with them.
Then Balak sent a larger number of leaders, who were more important than the first. They went to Balaam and gave him this message from Balak:” Please don’t let anything prevent you from coming to me! I will reward you richly and do anything you say. Please come and curse these people for me.”
But Balaam answered, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not disobey the command of the LORD my God in even the smallest matter. But please spend the night, as the others did, so that I may learn whether or not the LORD has something else to tell me.”
That night God came to Balaam and said, “If these men have come to ask you to go with them, get ready and go, but do only what I tell you.” So the next morning Balaam saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite leaders.
(Excerpted from Numbers 21:21-24, 22:2-21, Today’s English Version)
Illustration by Nestor Magalpo Sr.