BALAAM:
The Prophet
Greedy for ProfitTHE story of Balaam happens to be a favorite of mine. It appeals to children of all ages, from 5 to 105. Balaam is famous for his accurate prophesying, as well as his greed. But perhaps most of all, he is famous for his amazing talking donkey! [1] By the way, please do not dismiss this story as and Old Testament "fairy tale." Shimon Kefa (Simon Peter) verifies the truth of this story, as well as the fact that Balaam was a prophet in 2 Peter 2:15-16.

Rav Richard

'Aharon'

Chaimberlin

     Balaam belongs - along with Melchizedek, Job, and Jethro - to the scattered ancient worshippers of the true God that are unconnected with Israel. Balaam was from Pethor, near the Euphrates River in what is today modern Iraq. He is the only Gentile prophet mentioned in the Bible. Unfortunately, his character flaws have earned him a less than admirable reputation. It might be a bit troubling that a disreputable person could be a prophet. However, Rav Sha'ul (Paul) tells us: "The gifts and calling of God are without repentance (Romans 11:29)." Gifts are not necessarily earned by good conduct.

     "God in His wisdom, ordained that the gentile nations should have a prophet who would be comparable to Moses... so that they would not be able to contend that if only they had someone who could communicate to them the will of God, they would have been as righteous as Israel. Balaam was that prophet." [2]

     The Israelites were close to entering the Promised Land, within sight of their goal. The Moabites and Midianites were rightfully concerned about the progress of the Israelites. No doubt they had heard about the supernatural plagues that had come upon the Egyptians just prior to the exodus of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. They were also aware of the parting of the sea that had enabled the Israelites to pass through, but which closed up afterwards, drowning the Egyptian army, which had sought to recapture and re-enslave the Israelites. They heard of Israel's victory over Sihon, king of the Amorites, and also over Og, King of Bashan.

     The Moabites and Midianites were both related to Abraham. The Moabites were descended from Lot,[3] Abraham's nephew. The Midanites were descended from Abraham and Keturah, who married Abraham after Sarah died.[4]

     The Moabites and Midianites were eager not to suffer fates similar to others who opposed Israel. Therefore, they entered into a conspiracy, in which they sought to hire Balaam to curse Israel.[5] According to Rabbi D.H. Hertz, Babylonian theology had already spread throughout much of the ancient world.[6] Babylonian theology was heavily rooted in demonology. It taught that certain persons had the power to direct or even change the decrees of the gods. Balak, King of Moab, no doubt felt that Balaam was one of these individuals.

     Balak sent messengers of Balaam to entice Balaam to come and curse Israel. God spoke to Balaam - perhaps in a vision of the night - warning him, "Do not go with them (imahem)! You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed." [7] Balaam was obedient to HaShem at this time, and sent the messengers back to Balak.

     Balak then sent more elders - more distinguished than the first ones - promising richer blessings if Balaam would curse Israel. Balaam replied, "If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of YHWH my God... Now therefore, tarry also this night, that I may know what else Adonai will speak to me." [8] Balaam was perhaps hoping for permission from Adonai to go down to curse Israel.

     Balaam was eager for riches. He knew it wasn't God's will for him to go with the king's messengers. Yet his "prayer" was to go with them, and perhaps return as a rich man.

     We humans have a habit of sometimes praying for something that might not be good for us, kind of like the kid who begs for candy that his parents know might make him sick and eventually rot his teeth. As we get older, we might pray for a particular mate, even though we may realize in our heart that this person is contrary to the will of the Almighty, or for something else that our Heavenly Father knows is not good for us. If we keep on persisting, God might even grant the request, even though He knows it is not best for us. (Sometimes we should thank God for unanswered prayers!) Balaam eventually won permission to go with them (itam).[9]

     Please note something very important: Numbers 22:12 and 22:20 both say "with them" in English. However, the Hebrew uses different words in both these verses for with them: (imahem and itam). "The first, imahem, indicates full agreement as to purpose, which was forbidden to Balaam; the second, itam, refers to accompaniment without convergence of minds, which was permitted. In the Hebrew, there is no contradiction between Numbers 22:12 and 22:20. Therefore, when Balaam went with  mr, the officers of Moab (vs. 21) connoting the forbidden commonality of purpose, we understand the flaring of the anger of God in verse 22." [10] However, HaShem[11] warned him, "Only the word which I speak to you shall you do (Num. 22:20)."

     At this point, the story gets real inter-esting! God was angry at Balaam for going "imahem - with them," and "the angel of YHWH took his stand in the way as an adversary (satan) against him." Balaam's donkey apparently was more attuned to spiritual things than the prophet Balaam, and saw the angel with a drawn sword, and refused to pass by the angel. Balaam struck the donkey with a stick to force it back onto the path. The donkey saw the angel on the path, and pressed herself against the wall, squeezing Balaam's foot against the wall. Again Balaam struck the donkey.

     At this point, "YHWH opened the mouth of the donkey." [12] The donkey said, "What have I done to you these three times?" Rashi claims that "animals are allowed to see spiritual beings that are blocked from the human eye, because human intelligence would cause people to live in constant fear if they could perceive everything around them."

     The spirit world is actually more real than the physical world that we perceive with our senses, because the unseen spirit world is eternal, whereas everything we perceive around us is temporal.[13] Cats, donkeys, and other critters (according to Rashi) can see into this spirit world, which is why your cat might be looking very intently at something that you can't see. To our senses, nothing is there! But Fluffy will disagree, because Fluffy sees it!

     Some of you may know that I talked to my cat, but she never talked back to me. If my cat had talked back to me, you can be sure that I would take notice and listen! However, Balaam actually argued with the donkey, which kind of makes you wonder: Which one was the real jackass? However, after a little conversation between man and beast, Balaam's spiritual eyes were opened, and he also saw the angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn. Balaam bowed himself to the ground. The angel of YHWH (who I believe to be the pre-incarnate Yeshua) chastised Balaam for striking the donkey, and told Balaam that had not the donkey turned aside, he would have killed Balaam.

     Rabbi Burt Yellin of Roeh Israel in Denver made an apt com-parison between Rav Sha'ul (Paul) and Balaam. Both were riding their asses on the road to curse a people that God had blessed. (See Acts 9.) Both continued on, and ended up  blessing those whom they originally meant to curse.

Balaam Prophesies Over Israel

Balaam finally arrived to meet Balak, and told him, "The word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak (Num. 22:38)." Seven altars were erected, and seven bulls and seven rams were sacrificed at the altars as burnt offerings to Adonai. To the great displeasure of Balak (and no doubt to Balaam as well), the words that came out of Balaam's mouth were blessings instead of curses to Israel. "How can I curse whom YHWH has not cursed? And how can I denounce whom YHWH has not denounced? Behold, a people who dwells apart, and shall not be reckoned among the nations (Numbers 23:8-9)."

     Balak was obviously displeased that his enemies were being blessed instead of cursed. But Balaam responded, "Must I not be careful to speak what YHWH puts into my mouth?" We also see that it is against the will of the Almighty for Israel to assimilate into the nations. "Behold, a people who dwells apart, and shall not be reckoned among the nations." We are thrilled when Jews recognize Yeshua as Messiah. However, we do not want to see these Jews assimilate into Christian churches. In Romans 11:17-24, we see that the Scriptural ideal is for Gentiles to be grafted into the Jewish Olive Tree, not for Jews to be grafted into the church's "Christmas tree."

     Balaam didn't quit here, however. He had Balak prepare seven more altars with more sacrifices. Who knows? Perhaps God will change His mind! However, the word that Balaam received and spoke was, "God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should repent... God brings them out of Egypt. He is for them like the horns of the wild ox. For there is no omen against Jacob, nor is there any divination against Israel." [14]

     If at first, you don't succeed, try, try again. So Balaam had an additional seven altars prepared with additional sacrifices. And the words that poured out of Balaam's mouth were more blessings, including, "Blessed is everyone who blesses you, and cursed is everyone who curses you (Num. 24:9)." Balak, of course, became very angry at Balaam, who tried again. This time he said, "A star shall come forward from Jacob, and a scepter shall arise from Israel, and shall crush through the forehead of Moab, and tear down the sons of Sheth (Num. 24:17)." This is definitely not what Balak wanted to hear!

     These prophecies of Balaam are of course recorded in the Tanakh (OT), so they are part of the sacred canon of both Jews and Christians. Balaam was also a prophet in the religion of Zoroaster, which was at one time the dominant religion of Persia (Iran). Some "wise men" (perhaps of the Zoroastrian faith) who came to visit Yeshua when He was a young child were familiar with the prophecy about the "star" coming forth from Jacob. When they saw the star, they knew that a king had been born in Israel. They said, "Where is He that has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and have come to worship Him (Matthew 2:1-2)." By the way, at the time that the magi came to see Yeshua, we see in Matthew 2:11 that Yeshua was no longer a baby in a manger, but is now a child living in a house. This is a radical departure from the fiction of the Nativity scenes in which the baby Jesus is being greeted by the magi. They never arrived until about two years later.

     Curiously, that same prophecy about the star was used (actually misused) to "prove" someone else was the Messiah. During the Israeli revolt against Rome in 132 to 135 CE,[15] Rabbi Akiba felt that the time was ripe for the Messiah to come and deliver Israel from the hands of the oppressive Roman occupation. The only candidate (in his opinion) was General Bar Kosiba. Akiba changed the general's name to Bar Kochba ("son of the star"), and applied Balaam's prophecy about the star (Num. 24:17) to Bar Kochba. Regretfully, Bar Kochba's revolt led to the utter destruction of Israel. Over half a million Jews were killed, and many tens of thousands of Jews were sold into slavery in Europe. Bar Kochba goes down in history as one more false Messiah.

Curses come upon Israel

Balaam didn't succeed in cursing Israel. However, he knew that if he could get Israel to break the Commandments and ignore Torah, then HaShem's hedge of protection around Israel would evaporate.

     "While Israel dwelled in Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate, and bowed down to their gods. So Israel joined himself to Baal-Peor, and the anger of YHWH was kindled against Israel." [16] As a result, a plague came upon Israel which killed 24,000 Israelites before it was stopped by Phineas.

     Balaam was apparently finally able to "earn" the rich reward offered by Balak, although I doubt that he lived long enough to enjoy it. When the Israelites defeated the people of Balaam (the Midianites), they also killed Balaam (Numbers 31:9).

Legacy of Balaam

Despite the obvious corruption of Balaam, he did leave us with an important legacy. In most synagogues around the world, one of the opening hymns is the "Ma Tovu." In English, it reads, "How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, and your tabernacles, O Israel." In transliterated Hebrew, it reads, "Ma tovu, ohalekha Ya'akov, mishkinotekha Yisrael." (In some synagogues, the worshippers say this words privately as they enter the synagogue.) This is a direct quote from Balaam, in Numbers 24:15. This is just one of many wonderful things that Balaam said about Israel when he was prophesying, so a word of thanks is in order both to him and to the Almighty who put those words in his mouth, and into the Bible!

     However, in his heart of hearts, Balaam did not have Israel's best interests at heart. God promises to bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel.[17] Although Balaam could not personally curse Israel, he was able to bring curses upon Israel by causing Israel to break God's holy commandments. However, Israel was restored to God, and then went on to defeat her enemies. "And (the Israelites) killed the kings of Midian, along with the rest of their slain: Evi and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba, the five kings of Midian;[18] they also killed Balaam, the son of Beor with the sword (Num. 31:9)." Then we read in Numbers 31:16, "Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against YHWH in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD."

     Apparently Balaam's doctrines lived on for many centuries. We read in Revelation 2:14-16: "But I (Yeshua) have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit acts of fornication. 15So you have also them who hold to the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16Repent; or else I will come to you quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth."

     This is really unfortunate. Here we have what is perhaps the only Gentile prophet in the Bible, and he suffered a terrible death for his sins against Israel. And now, as Paul Harvey would say, you know the rest of the story.

 

HEBREW  PRONOUNS

I = ani (pronounced ah-nee')

You = ah-tah' (m) or aht (f)

He = hu (pronounced hoo)

She = hi (pronounced hee)

They = hem (m) or hen (f)

We = Anakh'nu (guttural kh as in Bach)

Who = mi (pronounced mee)

What = ma

Where = eifo' (rhymes with may toe)



[1] This talking donkey was a real live critter about 3500 years before the talking donkey in Shrek!

[2] As quoted from Interlinear Chumash, Me-sorah Publications, Brooklyn NY (c) 2007, p. 154.

[3] B'reisheet  (Genesis) 19:37.

[4] Genesis 25:1-2.

[5] B'midbar (Numbers) 22:5-6.

[6] Penteteuch & Haftarahs, Soncino Press, (c) 1960, p. 669. Unfortunately, Babylonian theology has also infected many modern religions as well, including Christianity and even Judaism.  RAC

[7] Numbers 22:12.

[8] Numbers 22:18-19.

[9] Numbers 22:20.

[10] As quoted from Interlinear Chumash, Me-sorah Publications, Brooklyn NY (c) 2007, p. 977.

[11] "The Name" (of God).

[12] Numbers 22:28.

[13] 2 Cor. 4:18.

[14] Numbers 23:19,22,23.

[15] "Common Era," equivalent to A.D.

[16] Numbers 25:1-3. See also Num. 31:16.

[17] Num. 24:9; Gen. 12:3; Ezekiel 28:26, etc.

[18] Not all Midianites and Moabites were wicked. Moses' father-in-law Jethro (Reuel) was a Midianite (Exodus 2:16-19). And Ruth was a Moabite!