Study Desk

But Balaam responded to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go against the command of the Lord my God to do anything small or great.

When he got up in the morning, Balaam saddled his donkey and went with the officials of Moab.

But God was incensed that Balaam was going, and the angel of the Lord took his stand on the path to oppose him. Balaam was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing on the path with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the path and went into the field. So Balaam hit her to return her to the path.

When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she crouched down under Balaam. So he became furious and beat the donkey with his stick.

Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the path with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam knelt low and bowed in worship on his face.

When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite city on the Arnon border at the edge of his territory.

So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with all the officials of Moab.

Balaam proclaimed his poem:

The Lord met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth. Then he said, “Return to Balak and say what I tell you.”

So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with the officials of Moab. Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?”

Balaam proclaimed his poem:

God is not a man, that he might lie,or a son of man, that he might change his mind.Does he speak and not act,or promise and not fulfill?

and he proclaimed his poem:

the oracle of one who hears the sayings of God,who sees a vision from the Almighty,who falls into a trance with his eyes uncovered:

Water will flow from his buckets,and his seed will be by abundant water.His king will be greater than Agag,and his kingdom will be exalted.

God brought him out of Egypt;he is like the horns of a wild ox for them.He will feed on enemy nationsand gnaw their bones;he will strike them with his arrows.

Then Balak became furious with Balaam, struck his hands together, and said to him, “I summoned you to put a curse on my enemies, but instead, you have blessed them these three times.

If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go against the Lord’s command, to do anything good or bad of my own will? I will say whatever the Lord says.

Then he proclaimed his poem: