Fjärde MosebokenKapitel 22

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Then the Israelites set out and camped on the plains of Moab, across the Jordan from Jericho.

Balak son of Zippor saw everything Israel had done to the Amorites,

and Moab was terrified of the people, because there were so many of them. Moab was filled with dread at the Israelites.

So 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,

and 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.

Now 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."

So 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.

"Spend the night here," he said to them, "and I will bring you back whatever answer the LORD gives me." So the officials of Moab stayed with him.

God came to Balaam and asked, "Who are these men with you?"

Balaam said to God, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent me this message:

'A people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them out.'"

But God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. You must not curse this people, for they are blessed."

The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's officials, "Go back to your own country, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you."

So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, "Balaam refused to come with us."

Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first.

They came to Balaam and said, "This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me,

for I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you ask. Only come and put a curse on this people for me."

But Balaam answered Balak's servants, "Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything, small or great, that would go beyond the command of the LORD my God.

Now stay here tonight, as the others did, and I will find out what more the LORD may say to me."

That night God came to Balaam and said, "Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them—but do only what I tell you."

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

But God's anger flared up because he was going, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road.

Then the angel of the LORD took his stand in a narrow path between two vineyards, with a wall on either side.

When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed against the wall, crushing Balaam's foot against it. So he beat her again.

Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either right or left.

When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam. Balaam's anger blazed, and he beat her with his staff.

Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have beaten me three times?"

Balaam answered the donkey, "You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now."

The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey, the one you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I ever been in the habit of treating you this way?" "No," he said.

Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.

The angel of the LORD asked him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you, because your way is reckless before me.

The donkey saw me and turned away from me three times. If she had not turned aside, I would surely have killed you by now, and let her live."

Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if this displeases you, I will go back."

The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you." So Balaam went with Balak's officials.

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

Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not send for you urgently? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not able to honor you?"

Balaam answered, "Well, I have come to you now. But can I say whatever I please? I must speak only what God puts in my mouth."

Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth.

Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and gave some to Balaam and the officials who were with him.

The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he could see the outer edge of the people.

Uppslag

Sammanfattning2

Kapitel 22

Main Theme: God protects His blessed people Israel by controlling the pagan prophet Balaam.

Content: King Balak of Moab fears Israel after seeing what they did to the Amorites, and sends two delegations to bring the diviner Balaam to curse the people. At first, God forbids Balaam to go, but later permits it on the condition that he speaks only God's words. On the way, the angel of the Lord stands with a drawn sword; the donkey sees the angel and turns aside three times before God opens its mouth. When his eyes are opened, Balaam acknowledges his sin, and the chapter ends with Balak taking him up to the heights of Baal.

Key Words/Images:

The talking donkey: A miracle in which God opens the animal's mouth to rebuke the prophet who cannot see spiritually.
The angel of the Lord: God's messenger standing with a drawn sword to stop Balaam on his journey.
Blessing versus cursing: Israel cannot be cursed because they are blessed by God (v. 12).
God's sovereignty: Even a pagan prophet can speak only what God puts in his mouth.

Historisk kontext

Historical and Cultural Context for Numbers 22

People

Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at this time. His name (בָּלָק) likely means "destroyer" or "empty," while his father's name, Zippor (צִפּוֹר), means "bird." The Moabites were descendants of Lot through his eldest daughter (Gen 19:37) and thus related to the Israelites. Balak’s fear of Israel was understandable given the Israelites’ recent victories over the Amorite kings Sihon and Og of Bashan.

Balaam son of Beor was a famous seer or diviner from Pethor by the Euphrates, in upper Mesopotamia. His reputation had reached all the way to Moab, testifying to his considerable standing in the ancient world. The Deir Alla inscription (see Chapter-Specific Findings) confirms that Balaam was a well-known figure in the region. The Hebrew name בִּלְעָם may mean "devourer of peoples" or "without people." His role as a seer places him among professional diviners common in Mesopotamia.

Places

Pethor (פְּתוֹרָה), Balaam’s hometown, is usually identified with Pitru by the Euphrates in northern Mesopotamia, about 600 km north of Moab. Assyrian texts mention the city as Pitru. The phrase "by the river, in his own land" (v. 5) points to the Euphrates region, known as a center for divination.

Arabah of Moab (עַרְבוֹת מוֹאָב), "the plains of Moab," were the steppes on the east side of the Jordan, directly opposite Jericho. This was the last stopping place before entering Canaan. The Arnon River (v. 36) formed the northern boundary of Moab’s core territory.

Bamoth-Baal (בָּמוֹת בָּעַל, v. 41), "the high places of Baal," was a high place sanctuary dedicated to the Canaanite god Baal. High places were typical cult sites throughout the Semitic world, located on hills to be closer to the gods.

Events and Customs

Divination and cursing were widespread in the ancient Near East. The term "qesamim" (קְסָמִים, v. 7) refers to divination tools or payment for divination services. In Mesopotamia, it was common to hire professional seers to pronounce curses over enemies before war. It was believed that effective curses could decide battles before they began. Balak’s confidence in Balaam’s abilities ("the one you bless is blessed, and the one you curse is cursed," v. 6) reflects this widespread belief.

The alliance between Moab and Midian (vv. 4, 7) is remarkable since these peoples were normally rivals. The Midianites were nomads whose main territory lay south and east of Moab. The common threat from Israel led to an unusual diplomatic cooperation.

Key Terms

The Hebrew verb אָרַר (arar, "to curse," v. 6) refers to powerful, binding curses believed to have real effect in the spiritual realm. A related verb קָבַב (qavav, vv. 11, 17) is also used for cursing. The difference between these terms suggests nuances in the nature and intensity of the curse.

The word שָׂטָן (satan, vv. 22, 32) here means "adversary" and describes the angel’s role as one who blocks the way. This is not a reference to the devil, but to the function of obstruction or opposition.

Chapter-Specific Findings

The Deir Alla inscription, discovered in 1967 in the Jordan Valley, is among the most significant archaeological finds related to this chapter. Dated to approximately 840–760 BCE (several hundred years after the events described in the chapter), it mentions "Balaam son of Beor, the seer of the gods" and describes a night vision he received from the gods. The text confirms that Balaam was a historical figure with an established reputation as a seer in the Transjordan region, and that traditions about him remained known long after the time of the Pentateuch. The inscription also shows that Balaam traditions existed independently of the biblical account.

Personer6

Beor1 Balaam26 Balak (King of Moab)15 Zippor4 Moab (Lot's son)2 Jacob1

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Nyckelord7

Balaam — A prophet who is asked to curse the Israelites, but God instructs him not to do so.
Balak — The king of Moab who asks Balaam to curse the Israelites out of fear that they will invade his land.
Israelites — God's chosen people who are on their way to the promised land after being led out of Egypt.
Donkey — The animal Balaam rides, which sees an angel and refuses to move forward. The donkey is given the ability to speak by God and confronts Balaam.
Angel — A divine messenger sent by God to prevent Balaam from cursing the Israelites.
Curse — A negative force or unfavorable situation that Balak wants Balaam to bring upon the Israelites.
Blessing — The opposite of a curse; Balaam ends up blessing the Israelites instead of cursing them.