Zippor

Father of Balak, king of Moab

Tunnetaan myös nimellä: Zippor

Lähtö EgyptistäLeaderc. 1400 BC

Zippor was the father of Balak, king of Moab, who feared the people of Israel as they approached Moabite territory after leaving Egypt. Zippor is primarily known through his son Balak, who hired the prophet Balaam to curse Israel. The name Zippor means 'bird' in Hebrew.

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Balak identified as Zippor's son

Balak, son of Zippor, was king of Moab at the time when Israel camped on the plains of Moab after defeating the Amorites.

2Balak son of Zippor saw everything Israel had done to the Amorites,
וַיַּ֥רְא בָּלָ֖ק בֶּן־צִפּ֑וֹר אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לָֽאֱמֹרִֽי׃ ‬
4So Moab said to the elders of Midian, "This horde will lick up everything around us the way an ox licks up the grass of the field." Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time,
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מוֹאָ֜ב אֶל־זִקְנֵ֣י מִדְיָ֗ן עַתָּ֞ה יְלַחֲכ֤וּ הַקָּהָל֙ אֶת־כָּל־סְבִ֣יבֹתֵ֔ינוּ כִּלְחֹ֣ךְ הַשּׁ֔וֹר אֵ֖ת יֶ֣רֶק הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה וּבָלָ֧ק בֶּן־צִפּ֛וֹר מֶ֥לֶךְ לְמוֹאָ֖ב בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִֽוא׃ ‬
10Balaam said to God, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent me this message:
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר בִּלְעָ֖ם אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים בָּלָ֧ק בֶּן־צִפֹּ֛ר מֶ֥לֶךְ מוֹאָ֖ב שָׁלַ֥ח אֵלָֽי׃ ‬
16They came to Balaam and said, "This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me,
וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ ל֗וֹ כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ בָּלָ֣ק בֶּן־צִפּ֔וֹר אַל־נָ֥א תִמָּנַ֖ע מֵהֲלֹ֥ךְ אֵלָֽי׃ ‬

Balak sends for Balaam

Balak, son of Zippor, sent messengers to the prophet Balaam to curse the people of Israel because he feared their great numbers and strength.

5and he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor, at Pethor on the River, in the land of his people, to summon him with this message: "A people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the land, and they have settled next to me.
וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח מַלְאָכִ֜ים אֶל־בִּלְעָ֣ם בֶּן־בְּע֗וֹר פְּ֠תוֹרָה אֲשֶׁ֧ר עַל־הַנָּהָ֛ר אֶ֥רֶץ בְּנֵי־עַמּ֖וֹ לִקְרֹא־ל֑וֹ לֵאמֹ֗ר הִ֠נֵּה עַ֣ם יָצָ֤א מִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙ הִנֵּ֤ה כִסָּה֙ אֶת־עֵ֣ין הָאָ֔רֶץ וְה֥וּא יֹשֵׁ֖ב מִמֻּלִֽי׃ ‬
6Now come and curse this people for me, for they are too strong for me. Perhaps then I will be able to strike them down and drive them out of the land. For I know that whomever you bless is blessed, and whomever you curse is cursed."
וְעַתָּה֩ לְכָה־נָּ֨א אָֽרָה־לִּ֜י אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֗ה כִּֽי־עָצ֥וּם הוּא֙ מִמֶּ֔נִּי אוּלַ֤י אוּכַל֙ נַכֶּה־בּ֔וֹ וַאֲגָרְשֶׁ֖נּוּ מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּ֣י יָדַ֗עְתִּי אֵ֤ת אֲשֶׁר־תְּבָרֵךְ֙ מְבֹרָ֔ךְ וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּאֹ֖ר יוּאָֽר׃ ‬
7So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went, taking with them the fee for divination. They came to Balaam and told him what Balak had said.
וַיֵּ֨לְכ֜וּ זִקְנֵ֤י מוֹאָב֙ וְזִקְנֵ֣י מִדְיָ֔ן וּקְסָמִ֖ים בְּיָדָ֑ם וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיְדַבְּר֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו דִּבְרֵ֥י בָלָֽק׃ ‬

Zippor mentioned in Balaam's prophecies

In Balaam's oracles, Balak is repeatedly referred to as "son of Zippor", which highlights Zippor's dynastic role in the royal house of Moab.

18Then Balaam took up his oracle and said: "Rise, Balak, and listen; hear me, son of Zippor.
וַיִּשָּׂ֥א מְשָׁל֖וֹ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר ק֤וּם בָּלָק֙ וּֽשֲׁמָ֔ע הַאֲזִ֥ינָה עָדַ֖י בְּנ֥וֹ צִפֹּֽר׃ ‬
3He took up his oracle and said: "The word of Balaam son of Beor, the word of the man whose eye is opened,
וַיִּשָּׂ֥א מְשָׁל֖וֹ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר נְאֻ֤ם בִּלְעָם֙ בְּנ֣וֹ בְעֹ֔ר וּנְאֻ֥ם הַגֶּ֖בֶר שְׁתֻ֥ם הָעָֽיִן׃ ‬

Zippor mentioned in Joshua's speech

Joshua reminds the Israelites that Balak, son of Zippor, rose up against Israel and sent for Balaam to curse them, but the Lord turned the curse into a blessing.

9Then Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. He sent and called for Balaam son of Beor to curse you,
וַיָּ֨קָם בָּלָ֤ק בֶּן־צִפּוֹר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מוֹאָ֔ב וַיִּלָּ֖חֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּשְׁלַ֗ח וַיִּקְרָ֛א לְבִלְעָ֥ם בֶּן־בְּע֖וֹר לְקַלֵּ֥ל אֶתְכֶֽם׃ ‬
10but I would not listen to Balaam. Instead he blessed you again and again, and I rescued you from his hand.
וְלֹ֥א אָבִ֖יתִי לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ לְבִלְעָ֑ם וַיְבָ֤רֶךְ בָּרוֹךְ֙ אֶתְכֶ֔ם וָאַצִּ֥ל אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִיָּדֽוֹ׃ ‬

Zippor mentioned in the Book of Judges

Judge Jephthah refers to Balak, son of Zippor, in his diplomatic message to the king of the Ammonites, reminding him that Balak did not wage war against Israel.

25Are you any better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever quarrel with Israel or go to war against them?
וְעַתָּ֗ה הֲט֥וֹב טוֹב֙ אַתָּ֔ה מִבָּלָ֥ק בֶּן־צִפּ֖וֹר מֶ֣לֶךְ מוֹאָ֑ב הֲר֥וֹב רָב֙ עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִם־נִלְחֹ֥ם נִלְחַ֖ם בָּֽם׃ ‬

Reference in Micah's prophecy

The prophet Micah reminds the people what Balak, son of Zippor, planned and how Balaam answered, so that they may know the Lord's righteous acts.

5My people, remember what Balak king of Moab devised, and how Balaam son of Beor answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the saving deeds of the LORD.
עַמִּ֗י זְכָר־נָא֙ מַה־יָּעַ֗ץ בָּלָק֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מוֹאָ֔ב וּמֶה־עָנָ֥ה אֹת֖וֹ בִּלְעָ֣ם בֶּן־בְּע֑וֹר מִן־הַשִּׁטִּים֙ עַד־הַגִּלְגָּ֔ל לְמַ֕עַן דַּ֖עַת צִדְק֥וֹת יְהוָֽה׃ ‬

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