23:27 And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another {l} place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.(l) Thus the wicked imagine of God that what he will not grant in one place, he will do in another. read more
BALAAM'S FIRST PROPHECY (vs.1-12) THE SANCTIFICATION OF ISRAEL Chapter 22:41 tells us that Balak brought Balaam to the high places of Baal in order to prophecy against Israel. Here he observed only "a portion of the people" (NASB), for Balak wanted to give Balaam the impression that Israel was not a large nation so he might more safely curse them. Balaam exposed his idolatrous character immediately by asking Balak to build seven altars, offering on each one a bull and a ram. God allowed... read more
BALAAM AND HIS PROPHECIES THE HISTORICAL SETTING (Numbers 22:0 ) In what neighborhood are the Israelites now camped (Numbers 22:1 )? Where is this located? Who was the king of this people (Numbers 22:4 )? What effect on him was wrought by Israel’s victories over his neighbors (Numbers 22:2-4 )? What plan of defense other than war does he adopt (Numbers 22:5-6 )? Balaam’s History and Character Balaam is a mystery. He comes from Mesopotamia where the knowledge of the true God lingered... read more
Balaam's Vision of the Church Numbers 22-24 Let Israel, as gathered within sight of Moab, be regarded as representing the Church of the living God: let Balak, king of Moab, be regarded as representing all the forces which encounter the Church of the living God with suspicion or hostility: let Balaam be regarded as the prophet of the Lord standing between the Church and the kingdoms of heathenism, and declaring the divine purpose, and dwelling in sacred and rapturous eloquence upon the... read more
Nothing can be more evident, I think, from the perusal of the whole conference between Balak and Balaam, than that Balak was satisfied of Balaam's wish to oblige him with cursing Israel, had he dared to have done it. And nothing can be more evident, than that the impious prophet endeavored by all the arts of enchantment, to do the reverse of what the LORD constrained him to do. Reader! pause over such views, and ask your own heart, what greater testimony can be needed, in proof of the divine... read more
11-30 Balak was angry with Balaam. Thus a confession of God's overruling power is extorted from a wicked prophet, to the confusion of a wicked prince. A second time the curse is turned into a blessing; and this blessing is both larger and stronger than the former. Men change their minds, and break their words; but God never changes his mind, and therefore never recalls his promise. And when in Scripture he is said to repent, it does not mean any change of his mind; but only a change of his way.... read more
Num_23:1 Num_26:65 . The last verse of chapter 22 shed light upon the evil power that animated Moab and Balak their king. They had in their midst the "high places of Baal." So when in the first verse of our chapter we read that Balaam said, "Build me here seven altars," we at once see that this man, who professed himself to be a prophet of the Lord, was really in league with the powers of darkness. When in conflict with Baal, Elijah repaired the one altar of the Lord that was broken down, and... read more
The Second Sacrifice and Prophetic Utterance. v. 14. And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, to a high plateau of the mountain range which overlooks the Plains of Moab, and built seven altars, as before, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar. v. 15. And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, maintaining the position of the devout worshiper praying for the fulfillment of his desire, while I meet the Lord yonder, for the purpose of... read more
FIFTH DIVISIONISRAEL’S FINAL PREPARATION DURING ITS RESIDENCE IN THE PLAINS (STEPPES) OF MOABNumbers 22-36FIRST SECTIONBalak and Balaam, or the Curse as a Weapon against Israel FrustratedNumbers 22:2 to Numbers 24:25Survey: a. Balak’s resort to Balaam, Numbers 22:2-7. b. Balaam’s formal, but heartless opposition, Numbers 22:8-14. c. Balak’s’s second attempt, Balaam’s irresolution, and the beginning of God’s judgment upon him in the permission of the journey, Numbers 22:15-21. d. Balaam’s... read more
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Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Numbers 23:1-30
The Parables of Balaam CHAPTERS 23-24 1. The first parable (Numbers 23:1-10 ) 2. Balak’s surprise and Balaam’s answer (Numbers 23:11-12 ) 3. At Zophim (Numbers 23:13-17 ) 4. The second parable (Numbers 23:18-24 ) 5. Balak’s request and Balaam’s reply (Numbers 23:25-30 ) 6. Balaam’s third parable (Numbers 24:1-9 ) 7. Balak’s anger and Balaam’s firmness (Numbers 24:10-14 ) 8. Balaam’s fourth parable (Numbers 24:15-24 ) 9. Balaam and Balak separate (Numbers 24:25 ) The parables... read more