Study Desk

"Woe (judgment is coming) to you, Moab! You are destroyed, O people of [the god] Chemosh! Moab has given his sons as fugitives [that is, survivors of battle], And his daughters into captivity To Sihon king of the Amorites.

Then they turned and went up by the way of Bashan; and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei.

But the LORD said to Moses, "Do not fear him, for I have handed over him and all his people and his land to you; and you shall do to him just as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon."

So the sons of Israel killed Og and his sons and all his people, until there was no survivor left to him; and they took possession of his land.

So he sent messengers to Balaam [a famous prophet-diviner] the son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the [Euphrates] River, in the land of the descendants of his people, to call for him, saying, "There is a people who have come out of Egypt; behold, they cover the surface of the land, and they are living opposite me.

Balaam answered the servants of Balak, "Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, either small or great, contrary to the command of the LORD my God.

So Balaam got up in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the leaders of Moab.

But God's anger was kindled because he was going, and the Angel of the LORD took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

When the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way and His drawn sword in His hand, the donkey turned off the path and went into the field; but Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back toward the path.

When the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, so Balaam was angry and he struck the donkey [a third time] with his staff.

Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and lay himself face down.

Balaam returned to Balak, and behold, he was standing by his burnt sacrifice, he and all the leaders of Moab.

Balaam took up his [first] discourse (oracle) and said: "Balak, the king of Moab, has brought me from Aram (Syria), from the mountains of the east, [saying,] 'Come, curse [the descendants of] Jacob for me; And come, [violently] denounce Israel.'

"Who can count the dust (the descendants) of Jacob And the number of even the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous [those who are upright and in right standing with God], And let my end be like his!"

Then the LORD met Balaam and put a speech in his mouth, and said, "Go back to Balak and you shall speak thus."

When Balaam returned to Balak, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the leaders of Moab were with him. And Balak said to him, "What has the LORD spoken?"

Balaam took up his [second] discourse (oracle) and said: "Rise up, O Balak, and hear; Listen [closely] to me, son of Zippor.

"Behold, I have received His command to bless [Israel]. He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go as he had done each time before [superstitiously] to seek omens and signs [in the natural world], but he set his face toward the wilderness (desert).

And Balaam raised his eyes and he saw Israel living in their tents tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came on him.