Números 22
J. Vernon McGee · Citado em PreceptAustin
Números 22
Vernon McGee - Balak sent messengers down to Balaam to make this overture to him. The man has quite a reputation, you see. The messengers bring their rewards, or the pay, for the diviner. Balaam is a fortune teller. Balak offers a very handsome price to this man through his messengers. Divination (07081)(qesem) described the cultic practice of foreign nations that was prohibited in Israel (Deut. 18:10); and considered a great sin (1 Sam. 15:23; 2 Kgs. 17:17). False prophets used divination to prophesy in God’s name, but God identified them as false (Jer. 14:14; Ezek. 13:6); and pledged to remove such practices from Israel (Ezek. 13:23). Several verses give some insight into what this actual practice looked like: it was compared to a kingly sentence (Prov. 16:10); and was used to discern between two choices (Ezek. 21:21[26], 22[27] Divination, which was outlawed by God in Israel, involved using illegitimate means to attempt to gain knowledge of such things as the future. Ezekiel 21:21 includes using arrows, consulting teraphim and examining livers as methods of divination Qesem - Num. 22:7; Num. 23:23; Deut. 18:10; 1 Sam. 15:23; 2 Ki. 17:17; Prov. 16:10; Jer. 14:14; Ezek. 13:6; Ezek. 13:23; Ezek. 21:21; Ezek. 21:22 Thomas
Números 22
McGee - Balaam seems to be a sincere and honest man of God. If this were the end of the story, then I would have to assume that about him, but Balak was a persistent fellow. Milgrom adds that "The fact that a heathen invokes the name of Israel’s God is not unprecedented (Abimelech the Philistine [ED: ALONG WITH his adviser Ahuzzath and Phicol the commander of his army - ALL THREE ACKNOWLEDGE THE NAME YAHWEH Ge 26:26] does this in Gen. 26:28 = "They (ALL THREE) said, “We see plainly that the LORD has been with you; so we said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us, even between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you,")." Numbers 22:14 The leaders of Moab arose and went to Balak and said, "Balaam refused to come with us." BGT Numbers 22:14 καὶ ἀναστάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες Μωαβ ἦλθον πρὸς Βαλακ καὶ εἶπαν οὐ θέλει Βαλααμ πορευθῆναι μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν NET Numbers 22:14 So the princes of Moab departed and went back to Balak and said, "Balaam refused to come with us." NLT Numbers 22:14 So the Moabite officials returned to King Balak and reported, "Balaam refused to come with us." ESV Numbers 22:14 So the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak and said, "Balaam refuses to come with us." NIV Numbers 22:14 So the Moabite princes returned to Balak and said, "Balaam refused to come with us." KJV Numbers 22:14 And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us. YLT Numbers 22:14 and the princes of Moab rise, and come in unto Balak, and say, 'Balaam is refusing to come with us.' LXE Numbers 22:14 And the princes of Moab rose, and came to Balac, and said, Balaam will not come with us. ASV Numbers 22:14 And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us. CSB Numbers 22:14 The officials of Moab arose, returned to Balak, and reported, "Balaam refused to come with us." NKJ Numbers 22:14 And the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, "Balaam refuses to come with us." NRS Numbers 22:14 So the officials of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, "Balaam refuses to come with us." NAB Numbers 22:14 So the princes of Moab went back to Balak with the report, "Balaam refused to come with us." NJB Numbers 22:14 So the chiefs of Moab got up, went back to Balak and said, 'Balaam refuses to come with us.' GWN Numbers 22:14 So the Moabite princes went back to Balak and said, "Balaam refused to come with us." Balaam refuseth: Nu 22:13,37 Numbers 22 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries LEADERS REPORT TO BALAK The leaders of Moab arose and went to Balak and said, "Balaam refused to come with us - They give King Balak the bad news - no prophet. Note that they omit one small detail that YAHWEH had refused to let Balaam go! The leaders remind me of our modern newscasts which are really not genuine truth and true news but are essentially the reports that they want us to hear. Numbers 22:15 Then Balak again sent leaders, more numerous and more distinguished than the former. BGT Numbers 22:15 καὶ προσέθετο Βαλακ ἔτι ἀποστεῖλαι ἄρχοντας πλείους καὶ ἐντιμοτέρους τούτων NET Numbers 22:15 Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. NLT Numbers 22:15 Then Balak tried again. This time he sent a larger number of even more distinguished officials than those he had sent the first time. ESV Numbers 22:15 Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than these. NIV Numbers 22:15 Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. KJV Numbers 22:15 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they. YLT Numbers 22:15 And Balak addeth yet to send princes, more numerous and honoured than these, LXE Numbers 22:15 And Balac yet again sent more princes and more honourable than they. ASV Numbers 22:15 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they. CSB Numbers 22:15 Balak sent officials again who were more numerous and higher in rank than the others. NKJ Numbers 22:15 Then Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more honorable than they. NRS Numbers 22:15 Once again Balak sent officials, more numerous and more distinguished than these. NAB Numbers 22:15 Balak again sent princes, who were more numerous and more distinguished than the others. NJB Numbers 22:15 And again Balak sent chiefs, more numerous and more renowned than the first. GWN Numbers 22:15 Balak sent a larger group of more highly respected princes. leaders: Nu 22:7,8 Ac 10:7,8 Numbers 22 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries IF YOU DON'T SUCCEED TRY AGAIN Then Balak again sent leaders, more numerous and more distinguished (kabad - "heavy") than the former - Undaunted, Balak "ups the ante" sending bigger, more illustrious entourage. In short, he calls in the "heavyweights," the "big dogs!" Surely this would entice Balaam to reconsider his offer. THOUGHT - Can we not see an application unfolding here? How often we have been strongly tempted to disobey God and we strongly refused the initial bombardment. But temptation does give up but often comes back even stronger and more attractive. Brian Bell adds - Wow, I’m really important. They really need my gift. Isn’t this exactly what Satan does once we have made a definite decision to obey God’s Word? Our battle today is not against flesh & blood but against spiritual wickedness, & we will win the victory only if we use spiritual weapons! Numbers 22:16 They came to Balaam and said to him, "Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, 'Let nothing, I beg you, hinder you from coming to me; BGT Numbers 22:16 καὶ ἦλθον πρὸς Βαλααμ καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ τάδε λέγει Βαλακ ὁ τοῦ Σεπφωρ ἀξιῶ σε μὴ ὀκνήσῃς ἐλθεῖν πρός με NET Numbers 22:16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, "Thus says Balak son of Zippor: 'Please do not let anything hinder you from coming to me. NLT Numbers 22:16 They went to Balaam and delivered this message to him: "This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Please don't let anything stop you from coming to help me. ESV Numbers 22:16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, "Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: 'Let nothing hinder you from coming to me, NIV Numbers 22:16 They came to Balaam and said: "This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, KJV Numbers 22:16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: YLT Numbers 22:16 and they come in unto Balaam, and say to him, 'Thus said Balak son of Zippor, Be not, I pray thee, withheld from coming unto me, LXE Numbers 22:16 And they came to Balaam, and they say to him, Thus says Balac the son of Sepphor: I beseech thee, delay not to come to me. ASV Numbers 22:16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: CSB Numbers 22:16 They came to Balaam and said to him, "This is what Balak son of Zippor says: 'Let nothing keep you from coming to me, NKJ Numbers 22:16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, "Thus says Balak the son of Zippor:`Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me; NRS Numbers 22:16 They came to Balaam and said to him, "Thus says Balak son of Zippor: 'Do not let anything hinder you from coming to me; NAB Numbers 22:16 On coming to Balaam they told him, "This is what Balak, son of Zippor, has to say: Please do not refuse to come to me. NJB Numbers 22:16 They came to Balaam and said, 'A message from Balak son of Zippor, "Now do not refuse to come to me. GWN Numbers 22:16 When they came to Balaam, they said to him, "This is what Balak, son of Zippor, says: Don't let anything keep you from coming to me. Let nothing, I beg you. Nu 22:16 Numbers 22 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries BALAK COUNTERMANDS GOD'S COMMANDS Countermand means to cancel or reverse a previously issued command. They came to Balaam and said to him, "Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I beg you, hinder you from coming to me - NLT = "says: Please don't let anything stop you from coming." In other words, do not let the clear directions/commands of Yahweh prevent you from coming! This is direct defiance of divine directives! Yahweh had clearly directed Balaam not to go. Balak says come and (in essence) don't let the words of your God prevent you. Numbers 22:17 for I will indeed honor you richly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Please come then, curse this people for me.'" BGT Numbers 22:17 ἐντίμως γὰρ τιμήσω σε καὶ ὅσα ἐὰν εἴπῃς ποιήσω σοι καὶ δεῦρο ἐπικατάρασαί μοι τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον NET Numbers 22:17 For I will honor you greatly, and whatever you tell me I will do. So come, put a curse on this nation for me.'" NLT Numbers 22:17 I will pay you very well and do whatever you tell me. Just come and curse these people for me!" ESV Numbers 22:17 for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Come, curse this people for me.'" NIV Numbers 22:17 because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me." KJV Numbers 22:17 For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. YLT Numbers 22:17 for very greatly I honour thee, and all that thou sayest unto me I do; and come, I pray thee, pierce for me this people.' LXE Numbers 22:17 For I will greatly honour thee, and will do for thee whatsoever thou shalt say; come then, curse me this people. ASV Numbers 22:17 for I will promote thee unto very great honor, and whatsoever thou sayest unto me I will do: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. CSB Numbers 22:17 for I will greatly honor you and do whatever you ask me. So please come and put a curse on these people for me! '" NKJ Numbers 22:17 `for I will certainly honor you greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Therefore please come, curse this people for me.'" NRS Numbers 22:17 for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do; come, curse this people for me.'" NAB Numbers 22:17 I will reward you very handsomely and will do anything you ask of me. Please come and lay a curse on this people for me." NJB Numbers 22:17 I will load you with honours and do whatever you say. I beg you come and curse this people for me." ' GWN Numbers 22:17 I will make sure you are richly rewarded, and I will do whatever you ask. Please, come and curse these people for me." I will promote: Nu 24:11 De 16:9 Es 5:11 7:9 Mt 4:8,9 16:26 and I will do: Nu 23:2,3,29,30 Mt 14:7 come: Nu 22:6 Numbers 22 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries BALAK ATTEMPTS TO ENTICE BALAAM for - Term of explanation. Balak explains why Balaam should let nothing (and no One) stand in his way! I will indeed honor you richly, and I will do whatever you say to me - "Literally, “I will honor you greatly,” a euphemism for monetary rewards, as the next verse makes explicit." (Milgrom) Balak promises a lucrative honorarium. This is a very enticing offer, riches received and wishes granted. Balaam's resolve begins to weaken. Peter uses Balaam as an example of false teachers writing (FALSE TEACHERS) "having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children; 15 forsaking the right way (GOD'S WAY OF SALVATION - Jn 14:6 "THE WAY"), they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness (SIN) (ESV = "He loved the gain of wrong doing") (2Pe 2:14-15+) Comment - Notice the critical statement regarding Balaam "who loved the wages of unrighteousness (sin)" which recalls Jesus' poignant warning "(ABSOLUTELY) No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other (BALAAM LOVED MONEY), or he will be devoted to one (BALAAM WAS DEVOTED TO MONEY) and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth" (Mt 6:24+) Balaam loved wealth not God. John writes "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 Jn 2:15+) Balaam loved what the world had to offer, not what God had to offer. Please come then, curse this people for me - After "sweetening the deal," Balak repeats his request for Balaam to curse Israel (Nu 22:6). Treasury of Scripture Knowledge note on "curse for me" - An erroneous opinion prevailed, both in those days and in after ages, that some men had the power, by the help of their gods, to devote, not only particular persons, but cities and whole armies, to destruction. This they are said to have done sometimes by words of imprecation; of which there was a set form among some people, which Aschines calls [diorizomenen aran] "the determinate curse." Macrobius has a whole chapter on this subject. He gives us two of the ancient forms used in reference to the destruction of Carthage; the first, which was only pronounced by the dictator, or general, was to call over the protecting deities to their side, and the other to devote the city to destruction, which they were supposed to have abandoned. The Romans held, that no city would be taken till its tutelary god had forsaken it; or if it could be taken, it would be unlawful, as it would be sacrilege to lead the gods into captivity. Virgil intimates, that Troy was destroyed because {Excessere omnes adytis, arisque relictis dii, quibus imperium hoc steterat,} "All the gods, by whose assistance the empire had hitherto been preserved, forsook their altars and temples." See more on this subject in Dr. Adam Clarke, Bishop. Patrick, and Burder's Oriental Customs, No. 734. Numbers 22:18 Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, "Though 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. BGT Numbers 22:18 καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Βαλααμ καὶ εἶπεν τοῖς ἄρχουσιν Βαλακ ἐὰν δῷ μοι Βαλακ πλήρη τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἀργυρίου καὶ χρυσίου οὐ δυνήσομαι παραβῆναι τὸ ῥῆμα κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτὸ μικρὸν ἢ μέγα ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ μου NET Numbers 22:18 Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, "Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the commandment of the LORD my God to do less or more. NLT Numbers 22:18 But Balaam responded to Balak's messengers, "Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the LORD my God. ESV Numbers 22:18 But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, "Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the LORD my God to do less or more. NIV Numbers 22:18 But Balaam answered them, "Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the LORD my God. KJV Numbers 22:18 And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more. YLT Numbers 22:18 And Balaam answereth and saith unto the servants of Balak, 'If Balak doth give to me the fulness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of Jehovah my God, to do a little or a great thing; LXE Numbers 22:18 And Balaam answered and said to the princes of Balac, If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord God, to make it little or great in my mind. ASV Numbers 22:18 And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah my God, to do less or more. CSB Numbers 22:18 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. NKJ Numbers 22:18 Then Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, "Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more. NRS Numbers 22:18 But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, "Although Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the LORD my God, to do less or more. NAB Numbers 22:18 But Balaam replied to Balak's officials, "Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, small or great, contrary to the command of the LORD, my God. NJB Numbers 22:18 In reply, Balaam said to Balak's envoys, 'Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go against the order of Yahweh my God in anything, great or small. GWN Numbers 22:18 But Balaam answered Balak's servants, "Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I couldn't disobey the command of the LORD my God no matter whether the request was important or not. Balak: Nu 24:13 Tit 1:16 I could not: Nu 23:26 Nu 24:13 1Ki 22:14 2Ch 18:13 Da 5:17 Ac 8:20 Numbers 22 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Numbers 23:26 ) But Balaam replied to Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘Whatever the LORD speaks, that I must do’?” Numbers 24:13 ‘Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything contrary to the command of the LORD, either good or bad, of my own accord. What the LORD speaks, that I will speak’? BALAAM RESPONDS THAT HE MUST OBEY GOD Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, "Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold - Ostensibly (but not in reality as subsequent passages show) Balaam's declaration was that he would not and could not be bribed or bought off. This is a striking declaration and it suggests although tempted, he was holding fast to his original refusal. Alternatively he simply may have cloaked his heart's greed for gain with pious platitudes, and as the story plays out it would support this interpretation. Bell says "Deep in his heart Balaam wanted to go with the messengers because he was greedy of gain. Using religion as a means of getting wealth! Wow, no one’s thought of doing that!" At this point Balaam sounds a somewhat like the true prophet "Micaiah (who) said, “As the LORD lives, what the LORD says to me, that I shall speak.” (1Ki 22:14, cf 2Chr 18:13) But Balaam's subsequent works or actions would prove his words here were disingenuous and that he was a "for profit prophet." I could not do anything, either small or great, contrary to the command of the LORD my God - literally “I could not pass by the mouth of the LORD my God.” This is "a moral impossibility (cf. Nu 22:38; 23:12, 26; 24:13)." (Milgrom) NLT paraphrases it " against the will of the LORD my God." The implication here is that Balaam was dedicated to being obedient to Yahweh Who he calls "my God. The phrase contrary to the command means to disobey. Either small or great is another way of saying anything (cf 1 Sa. 20:2). The word contrary is abar which literally means he could not transgress, pass over or step across the boundary established by Yahweh's command. For example, we see abar used in Joshua 7:11 "Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed (abar) My covenant which I commanded them." McGee - Well, they had upped the price but that does not seem to affect this man Balaam. He turns it down. He sounds very pious here. I feel like saying Amen. Then I have a second thought. He’s too good to be true. Just why did he speak of a house filled with silver and gold? He said it because that is what he is thinking about. He is covetous, and his mind is turned in that direction. It is notable that the phrase the LORD my God is found here for the first time in the Bible. There are 20 uses total (see below) and the list of names associated with the use of this phrase is sparkling (with exception of Solomon who sinned against God in his advanced age - 1 King 11:1-13 - WATCH OUT OLDER MEN! YOU ARE STILL VERY VULNERABLE TO THE ATTACKS OF THE FALLEN FLESH!). Note especially that this is the same phrase used by Yahweh's servant Moses (Dt 4:5, Josh 14:9) and by Yahweh's servant Caleb (Nu 14:24+) who declared "Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt with fear; but I followed the LORD my God fully." (Joshua 14:8) In short, at this juncture, Balaam seemed to have a healthy reverential fear of the LORD and appears averse to compromising his calling. Milgrom suggests "This affirmation perhaps underscores the reason Moab sought Balaam even though he lived so far away (see the Comment to v. 5). Since he professed allegiance to and intimacy with Israel’s God he would have had a better chance of convincing Him to curse His people Israel." (Numbers - JPS) THE LORD MY GOD - 20x in 20v - Nu 22:18; Dt. 4:5; Dt. 18:16; Dt. 26:3; Dt. 26:14; Jos. 14:8; Jos. 14:9; 2 Sam. 24:24 = DAVID; 1 Ki. 5:4, 5 = SOLOMON; 1 Chr. 22:7 = DAVID; 2 Chr. 2:4 = SOLOMON; Ezra. 7:28 = EZRA; Ezr. 9:5 = EZRA; Ps. 18:28 = DAVID; Jer. 31:18 = JEREMIAH; Dan. 9:4, 20 = DANIEL; Zech. 11:4 = ZECHARIAH; Zech. 14:5+ = REFERENCE TO HIS SECOND COMING Numbers 22:19 "Now please, you also stay here tonight, and I will find out what else the LORD will speak to me." BGT Numbers 22:19 καὶ νῦν ὑπομείνατε αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑμεῖς τὴν νύκτα ταύτην καὶ γνώσομαι τί προσθήσει κύριος λαλῆσαι πρός με NET Numbers 22:19 Now therefore, please stay the night here also, that I may know what more the LORD might say to me." NLT Numbers 22:19 But stay here one more night, and I will see if the LORD has anything else to say to me." ESV Numbers 22:19 So you, too, please stay here tonight, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me." NIV Numbers 22:19 Now stay here tonight as the others did, and I will find out what else the LORD will tell me." KJV Numbers 22:19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more. YLT Numbers 22:19 and, now, abide, I pray you, in this place, you also, to-night; and I know what Jehovah is adding to speak with me.' LXE Numbers 22:19 And now do ye also tarry here this night, and I shall know what the Lord will yet say to me. ASV Numbers 22:19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what Jehovah will speak unto me more. CSB Numbers 22:19 Please stay here overnight as the others did, so that I may find out what else the LORD has to tell me." NKJ Numbers 22:19 "Now therefore, please, you also stay here tonight, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me." NRS Numbers 22:19 You remain here, as the others did, so that I may learn what more the LORD may say to me." NAB Numbers 22:19 But, you too shall stay here overnight, till I learn what else the LORD may tell me." NJB Numbers 22:19 Now please stay the night here yourselves, and I will learn what else Yahweh has to tell me.' GWN Numbers 22:19 Now, why don't you stay here tonight, as the others did, and I'll find out what else the LORD may have to tell me." Nu 22:7,8 1Ti 6:9,10 2Pe 2:3,15 Jude 1:11 Numbers 22 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries BALAAM BEGINS TO SLIP LOOKING FOR LOOPHOLES Now please, you also stay here tonight - This was a mistake, an egregious, arrogant blunder for he already knew God's will! Have you ever done this when you knew God's clear will for your life, but chaffed at it? Balaam should have told them to leave immediately. But he was clearly looking for a "divine loophole!" There are no loopholes in God's commands. He means what He says! He reminds me of the famous comedian W C Field who was visited by a friend shortly before his death and, to his shock, found his ailing crony sitting in the garden reading the Bible. When he queried Fields, the soon to pass on comedian quipped “I’m looking for loopholes!” He soon found out there were no loopholes, and that Jesus' words described only two possible paths -- "Enter (aorist imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 (term of explanation) “For the gate is small and the way is narrow (Jn 14:6, Ps 1:6+) that leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Mt 7:13-14+) THOUGHT - I am also reminded of the enticing temptations of immorality and Paul's crystal clear instruction to "Flee (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.." (1 Cor 6:18-20+) (cf "Flee [also present imperative] from youthful lusts" - 2 Ti 2:22+). Balaam would have been wise to follow Daniel's pattern when offered gifts Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Keep your gifts for yourself or give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription to the king and make the interpretation known to him (Da 5:17+) And I will find out what else the LORD will speak to me - Now we begin to see Balaam "slipping," looking for a divine "loophole" that might allow him to go with the emissaries. He did not need to find out because God had already clearly spoken and He did not stutter! THOUGHT - When you are studying the Bible, if you see a passage and know God is speaking to you personally (e.g., some circumstance in your life, some temptation that is luring you away from the way of righteousness, etc), your immediate (EMPHASIZE "IMMEDIATE") response should be to obey without hesitating or questioning! When we begin to go to God and say "But God..." and look for "loopholes" giving Him some lame excuse when His initial instructions or commands were crystal clear, THEN we have just entered the slippery slope, one which God may just let us slide down in order to discipline us so that we learn to trust and obey (Heb 12:11+, Heb 12:5-10+)! Brian Bell on directive versus permissive will - The problem here is, of course, that Balaam’s 2nd appeal was in essence a request for God to change His mind! Balaam knew God’s directive will. He simply did not want to obey it. You and I are often in Balaam’s situation. We know what God wants. But we want something else so badly that we keep going back to the Lord, asking Him to change His mind. Later, when things go wrong, we’re likely to say as Balaam did after being warned by the donkey, “I did not know”(34). But this is the worst kind of lie - a lie we tell ourselves. Down deep we knew all along what God really wanted us to do!. Let’s learn from Balaam not to deceive ourselves, and to choose God’s directive will, rather than settle merely for permission. McGee - Oh, oh, what is happening here, friends? Well, it’s quite obvious. He already has an answer from God. He has no need to wait another night for a further answer from God. God had already told him not to go, but you see, this man is hoping that the Lord will open a little crack in the door so he can put his foot into it; and if he can get his foot into it, then he is going to go. This is all very interesting. Do we sometimes do this same thing? We who are preachers make a great deal about a call from God. I heard the story of a preacher who came home and told his wife one day, “Honey, I just had a call to the church over in the next town. Now you know it’s a bigger town, richer town, bigger church, more members, and fine folk over there. I’ve been called to go over there as pastor and I’m going upstairs to pray about it and find out what the Lord’s will is for us.” She answered, “I’ll go upstairs to pray with you.” “Oh no,” he said, “you stay down here and pack!” He had made up his mind, as you can see. Old Balaam had made up his mind also. Now notice what happens. God does not do this for Balaam only; He does it for you and for me. It is not good, friends, but God permits us to do what we want to do.(Thru the Bible) It is not good, friends, but God permits us to do what we want to do. -- McGee Milgrom comments on what else - Perhaps the Lord will change His mind. Such indeed is the unspoken premise behind all forms of divination. The same ritual procedures are repeated until a favorable omen is received. Repeated omen taking is best attested among the ancient Greeks. Xenophon, for example, sacrifices three times on each of two or three consecutive days, based on this hope: “It may be that the victims will turn out favorable to us.” Also the Hittite “Ritual against Impotence” is performed for three consecutive days, three times daily,48 probably for the same reason (see Excursus 59). There exists a pre-Islamic Arabian tale of a female soothsayer who enabled her client to avoid fulfilling his vow to sacrifice his son by continuing to throw the arrow-oracle before the god until the god pointed (via the arrows) at a surrogate (ten camels) instead of at the son. So Balaam will have the king repeat the same sacrificial ritual, albeit in different places, in order to effect the desired result. Even in dream interpretation, a single dream is not decisive, as in the case of Pharaoh in Genesis 41:5. Similarly, in Mesopotamia, Gilgamesh and Gudea must dream the same dream twice. Thus Balaam can sincerely hope that in his second dream he will learn that the Lord has changed His mind. This basically pagan view is reflected in the midrash that Balaam was privy to the split second when God waxes angry against Israel each day. The difference between Balaam and Israel’s prophets contrasts sharply on this matter. Both hope that God will change His mind. But the prophets assume His constancy even while attempting to change His mind, whereas Balaam assumes that God is fickle, and he attempts to exploit that by divination. This premise will be categorically denied in this story. The universe is neither mechanical nor predictable; God’s will is neither capricious nor determinable. (Ibid) Numbers 22:20 God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "If the men have come to call you, rise up and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you shall you do." BGT Numbers 22:20 καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ θεὸς πρὸς Βαλααμ νυκτὸς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ εἰ καλέσαι σε πάρεισιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι οὗτοι ἀναστὰς ἀκολούθησον αὐτοῖς ἀλλὰ τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ ἂν λαλήσω πρὸς σέ τοῦτο ποιήσεις NET Numbers 22:20 God came to Balaam that night, and said to him, "If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them; but the word that I will say to you, that you must do." NLT Numbers 22:20 That night God came to Balaam and told him, "Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But do only what I tell you to do." ESV Numbers 22:20 And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you." NIV Numbers 22:20 That night God came to Balaam and said, "Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you." KJV Numbers 22:20 And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do. YLT Numbers 22:20 And God cometh in unto Balaam, by night, and saith to him, 'If to call for thee the men have come, rise, go with them, and only the thing which I speak unto thee -- it thou dost do.' LXE Numbers 22:20 And God came to Balaam by night, and said to him, If these men are come to call thee, rise and follow them; nevertheless the word which I shall speak to thee, it shalt thou do. ASV Numbers 22:20 And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men are come to call thee, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak unto thee, that shalt thou do. CSB Numbers 22:20 God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you." NKJ Numbers 22:20 And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you-- that you shall do." NRS Numbers 22:20 That night God came to Balaam and said to him, "If the men have come to summon you, get up and go with them; but do only what I tell you to do." NAB Numbers 22:20 That night God came to Balaam and said to him, "If these men have come to summon you, you may go with them; yet only on the condition that you do exactly as I tell you." NJB Numbers 22:20 God came to Balaam during the night and said to him, 'Have not these men come to summon you? Get up, go with them, but do only what I tell you to do.' GWN Numbers 22:20 That night God came to Balaam and said, "If these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you." God: Nu 22:9 If the men: 1Sa 8:5-9 12:12-19 Ps 81:12 Eze 14:2-5 2Th 2:9-12 but: Nu 22:35 23:12,26 24:13 Ps 33:10,11 78:30,31 Isa 37:29 Ho 13:11 Numbers 22 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries GOD CONDESCENDS TO DESCEND! God came to Balaam at night - The phrase at night raises the possibility or probability that God came this time in a dream or vision. Milgrom comments on at night - That is, in a dream (see the Comment to v. 8). The same language is used for divine manifestations to non-Israelites, as in the case of Abimelech in Genesis 20:3 and of Laban in Genesis 31:24. It is never used with Israel’s prophets, an indication that Balaam is the recipient of an inferior theophany. Strikingly, the identical language is used of Balaam’s vision in the Deir ʿAlla inscription: “the gods came to him at night” UBS Handbook - at night was the normal time for dreams and visions in the Old Testament. And said to him, "If the men have come to call you, rise up and go with them- As explained below, this is a manifestation of God's permissive will, not His perfect will (which He had already clearly stated). For example, God's permissive will allowed Satan limited authority over Job (Job 1:12; 2:6). NLT = "Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them" This seems to suggest God is giving in to Balaam's persistence in prayer, for in Nu 22:12 God clearly said "Do not go with them." Merrill - This time the LORD granted Balaam permission, not to curse His people but to go to Moab so that He might reveal Himself gloriously through Balaam. Brian Bell - God allowed Balaam to go, but He did not carry divine approval with him. Sometimes God punishes us by allowing us to have our own way! So, permission granted, but a limit was set on his speech. An abiding principle - Man is compelled to work out what is deepest w/in him, while all the way God works toward changing that internal condition. (grace) J Vernon McGee - In other words, God is saying, “All right, you want to go and before it is through you will go, but if you go, you are to say what I want you to say. Be careful of that.” We have here what is known as the permissive will of God. He permits us many times to do something that we insist on doing when it is not in His direct will. You remember how we learned from the children of Israel that God granted their request but sent leanness to their souls. Sometimes He also grants our requests and sends leanness to our souls. Balaam had God’s direct answer, but he didn’t like that. God permits him to go. Now God sends His angel, but this prophet doesn’t have the mind of God at all. We can see that he has no spiritual discernment, not even the discernment of this dumb animal. (Thru the Bible) Gotquestions on permissive will - The sovereign or decretive will of God (ED: MOST CALL IT DIRECTIVE) can be divided into His efficacious will and His permissive will. We must do this because God does not directly “cause” everything to happen. Some of His decrees are efficacious (that is, they directly contribute to the fulfillment of God’s desire); others of His decrees are permissive (that is, they allow for an indirect fulfillment of God’s desire). Because God is sovereign, He must at least “permit” all events and happenings. Within God’s sovereign will, He chooses to permit many things to happen that He takes no pleasure in. Again citing the example of Joseph and his brothers, God chose, by an act of decretive will, to allow the kidnapping and enslavement of Joseph. God’s permissive will allowed the sins of Joseph’s brothers in order to bring about a greater good (see Genesis 50:20). At every mistreatment of Joseph, God had the power to intervene, but He “permitted” the evil and, in that limited sense, He sovereignly “willed” it to happen. Holman Bible Dictionary - Sovereignty and Freedom Divine sovereignty does not mean that everything which occurs in the world is God's will. God has created a world in which freedom is a real possibility. His permissive will provides for human freedom and the laws of nature. Jack Arnold - The Permissive Will of God - The permissive will of God is a theological way of explaining how nothing can happen outside of God’s secret will, and yet God is not responsible for sin. Human sin falls under the permissive will of God. It is related to those responsible actions of men which God passively allows, and yet He still has control over them. The permissive will of God deals with the negative aspects of God’s secret will. (See Jack Arnold's excellent summary - Acts 21:1-14 The Will of God) Here is an example of God's permissive will - Psalm 106:13-15KJV+ - "They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. And he gave them their request (PERMISSIVE WILL); but sent leanness into their soul."