Numbers 24: 1 – 25
Don’t bring me bad news
24 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times, to seek to use sorcery, but he set his face toward the wilderness. 2 And Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel encamped according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him. 3 Then he took up his oracle and said: “The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened, 4 The utterance of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, who falls down, with eyes wide open: 5 “How lovely are your tents, O Jacob! Your dwellings, O Israel! 6 Like valleys that stretch out, like gardens by the riverside, like aloes planted by the LORD, like cedars beside the waters. 7 He shall pour water from his buckets, And his seed shall be in many waters. “His king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. 8 “God brings him out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox; He shall consume the nations, his enemies; He shall break their bones and pierce them with his arrows. 9 ‘He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?’ “Blessed is he who blesses you, and cursed is he who curses you.” 10 Then Balak’s anger was aroused against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have bountifully blessed them these three times! 11 Now therefore, flee to your place. I said I would greatly honor you, but in fact, the LORD has kept you back from honor.” 12 So Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not also speak to your messengers whom you sent to me, saying, 13 ‘If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the LORD, to do good or bad of my own will. What the LORD says, that I must speak’? 14 And now, indeed, I am going to my people. Come, I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the latter days.” 15 So he took up his oracle and said: “The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, and the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened; 16 The utterance of him who hears the words of God, and has the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, who falls down, with eyes wide open: 17 “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, and destroy all the sons of tumult. 18 “And Edom shall be a possession; Seir also, his enemies, shall be a possession, while Israel does valiantly. 19 Out of Jacob One shall have dominion, and destroy the remains of the city.” 20 Then he looked on Amalek, and he took up his oracle and said: “Amalek was first among the nations, but shall be last until he perishes.” 21 Then he looked on the Kenites, and he took up his oracle and said: “Firm is your dwelling place, and your nest is set in the rock; 22 Nevertheless Kain shall be burned. How long until Asshur carries you away captive?” 23 Then he took up his oracle and said: “Alas! Who shall live when God does this? 24 But ships shall come from the coasts of Cyprus, and they shall afflict Asshur and afflict Eber, and so shall Amalek, until he perishes.” 25 So Balaam rose and departed and returned to his place; Balak also went his way.
Today we are going to witness Balak getting bad news. As you know he wanted the soothsayer Balaam to curse or bring bad news to Israel. Yet so far with our Great God Yahweh everything that came out of his mouth was only blessing upon Israel. This was bad news for Balak.
You would think that after one turn around in his plans Balak would have gone to phase 2 of his plans such as packing up and leaving the country or sending a delegation to try to make peace with Israel. Yet he doesn’t give up on his plan to get Israel in a weakened condition so he can destroy them. As I ponderered what Balak must have been thinking I thought about the song from the Wiz called ‘Don’t nobody bring me bad news.’
When I wake up in the afternoon
Which it pleases me to do
Don't nobody bring me no bad news
'Cause I wake up already negative
And I've wired up my fuse
So don't nobody bring me no bad news
If we're going to be buddies
Better bone up on the rules
'Cause don't nobody bring me no bad news
You can be my best of friends
As opposed to payin' dues
But don't nobody bring me no bad news
No bad news
No bad news
Don't you ever bring me no bad news
'Cause I'll make you an offer, child
That you cannot refuse
So don't nobody bring me no bad news
When you're talking to me
Don't be cryin' the blues
'Cause don't nobody bring me no bad news
You can verbalize and vocalize
But just bring me the clues
But don't nobody bring me no bad news
Bring some message in your head
Or in something you can't lose
But don't you ever bring me no bad news
If you're gonna bring me something
Bring me, something I can use
But don't you bring me no bad news
24 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times, to seek to use sorcery, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
Balaam now recognized that it was Yahweh’s intention to bless Israel. So he realized that his enchantments, his ‘persuaders’, would not work and decided to try another tack. He would set his face towards the wilderness and seek to contact Yahweh Whom he did not know was the only real God, not fallen angels impersonating a god.
2 And Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel encamped according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him
Balaam fixed his eyes on Israel dwelling in their usual formation, in their tribes. Now he saw the whole of Israel. And as he did so ‘the Spirit of God’ came on him.
3 Then he took up his oracle and said: “The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened, 4 The utterance of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, who falls down, with eyes wide open: 5 “How lovely are your tents, O Jacob! Your dwellings, O Israel! 6 Like valleys that stretch out, like gardens by the riverside, like aloes planted by the LORD, like cedars beside the waters. 7 He shall pour water from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters. “His king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. 8 “God brings him out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox; He shall consume the nations, his enemies; He shall break their bones and pierce them with his arrows. 9 ‘He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?’ “Blessed is he who blesses you, and cursed is he who curses you.”
The comments in verse 3 refer back in the reader’s mind to the incident with his donkey. There Balaam’s eyes had been closed. That may also have been Balaam’s intention if rumors had begun to spread around about what had happened.
Once again his incantation could hardly please the frustrated Balak. As gardens by the riverside, as fragrant aloes (aromatic trees) which Yahweh has planted, as cedar trees beside the waters,’ Israel’s tents were to be ‘goodly’, prosperous and flourishing and fruitful.
‘Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters’ indicates fruitfulness in childbearing, and the spreading of His people like refreshing and reviving water among the nations so as to bless them and bring justice to the world. In them will all the families of the earth be blessed? They will flow out to the nations like water and dwell among them abundantly, as the waters of Eden went out to the entire world (Genesis 2.10-14).
Agag was probably a royal name of the Amalekite kings like Pharaoh was of Egypt and Abimelech of the Philistines. The Amalekites were doughty fighters, and their Agag was seen as wielding widespread power because of the widespread nature of the Amalekites as they spread over the wilderness descending to take their pickings where they would. Agag was feared, but Israel’s future king would be more feared. He would enjoy more power and more widespread influence than Agag.
Again he compares God as the Deliverer from Egypt to a mighty wild ox, eating up the nations as a wild ox devours the vegetation; breaking their bones in pieces as a wild ox treads down those who stand in its way; and smiting them through with his arrows, because He is more than just a wild ox, but a wild ox typifying a mighty warrior. Who can withstand such a God? And He is on Israel’s side.
The eating up of the nations is in contrast with Israel’s seed in many waters -In the one case blessing, in the other judgment. It is the former who are to be blessed and the latter who are to be cursed.
Yahweh Is identified with His people. They are like an established pride of lions at rest, best avoided and left undisturbed, lest they rend those who disturb them. It is a brave and foolish people who dare to stir them up. This picture of the sleeping pride of contented lions parallels the earlier pictures of Israel like watered gardens and valleys, and aromatic and towering trees.
With this all round picture of Yahweh’s blessings on Israel we can understand why Balak might feel that somehow he was not being fairly treated. All he was hearing was bad news for him.
10 Then Balak’s anger was aroused against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have bountifully blessed them these three times!
By this time Balak was very angry. He smote his hands together in his fury and cried, ‘I called you to curse my enemies and --- you have blessed them three times.’ A threefold blessing was completeness of blessing. Thus instead of a curse they had received multiplied blessing. The very opposite of what Balak had wanted had been accomplished.
11 Now therefore, flee to your place. I said I would greatly honor you, but in fact, the LORD has kept you back from honor.”
Then he warned him to flee before vengeance overtook him. He had been given hospitality and could therefore not be harmed, but let him not assume that he would be safe if he stayed around. And he reminded him that he had intended to give him great honor and that Yahweh had kept him back from it. So he would do well to offer less of these speaches about Yahweh Who had robbed him of so much.
12 So Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not also speak to your messengers whom you sent to me, saying, 13 ‘If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the LORD, to do good or bad of my own will. What the LORD says, that I must speak’?
Balaam replied equally strongly and reminded him that he had done nothing other than he had said he would do. He had said from the beginning that even if Balak gave him his treasure house stocked to the brim, he would not go beyond the word of Yahweh. He would not, in fact could not, do good or bad in his own mind. It was not within his ability to do so. He was not the master of the gods, he was their interpreter. He could only say what Yahweh had said to him. His view was that he dealt with ‘gods’ and even though he did try to influence their decisions, and had ways of doing so, in the end simply brought the message that they gave, and was in no position to force them if they did not respond as he wanted. All he could do was to keep trying.
14 And now, indeed, I am going to my people. Come, I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the latter days.”
Balaam then told Balak that he would be returning to his people. This may signify his fellow soothsayers, living together as a people. However, before doing so, being in prophetic mode, he offered him a prophecy for free. In view of Balak’s attitude it no doubt gave him great satisfaction, for in it he foresees the defeat of Moab.
15 So he took up his oracle and said: “The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, and the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened; 16 The utterance of him who hears the words of God, and has the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, who falls down, with eyes wide open: 17 “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, and destroy all the sons of tumult. 18 “And Edom shall be a possession; Seir also, his enemies, shall be a possession, while Israel does valiantly. 19 Out of Jacob One shall have dominion, and destroy the remains of the city.”
Balaam declares that what he speaks of is not to happen in the near future. It refers to the distant future (compare 24.14). It is ‘not now, -- not near’. Indeed in all his proclamations the ‘far future’ is in mind. Thus he had desired that his last end should be like that of Israel, one that resulted in length of days because of righteousness (23.10), he had stressed that the lioness of Israel would not lie down until with Yahweh they had eaten of the prey and drunk the blood of the slain (23.14), he had looked ahead to Israel’s seed being in many waters, his king higher than Agag, and his kingdom exalted (24.7). Now he was to speak further of that king.
‘There shall come forth a star out of Jacob, And a sceptre shall rise out of Israel.’ He speaks of their future supreme ruler. And here he sees One such in terms of a ‘rising star’, and a ‘scepter’, One who would be special and would one day smite Moab, and Edom, and Mount Seir, and all who caused trouble to Israel.
Moab would be smitten from corner to corner, Edom would be possessed, Seir (His enemies) would be a possession. Thus He would possess both land and people. Those who would cause trouble to Israel are depicted as ‘the sons of tumult’.
This Supreme future leader would with his people ‘do valiantly’ and would have wide dominion, and would ‘destroy the remnant from the city’, that is, would have widespread success and come across no city that could resist him and prevent his total victory. This parallels the rising star and scepter, declaring his success.
The picture of a rising star, combined with a scepter, who would have dominion, depicted an especially great king. It was a declaration of the fact that the royal house of Israel would eventually produce a ‘super-star’, a ‘king’ who would rule over many nations. And these nations he depicted in terms of the ones whom he knew to be at odds with Israel at that time. This last fact firmly dates this prophecy to this particular time. Seen in terms of an ‘anointed king’ of Israel this was a ‘messianic’ prophecy. His picture is really one of final triumph, brought about by a supreme king. It is essentially applicable to David, and to strong kings who followed after him, but its final fulfillment required a king who would finally triumph and gain everlasting dominion, and that could only be the Messiah.
20 Then he looked on Amalek, and he took up his oracle and said: “Amalek was first among the nations, but shall be last until he perishes.”
This probably refers to the fact that Amalek was the first of all the nations to attack Israel when they had left Egypt seeking safety. It was seen by God as a particularly heinous offence for as a result of it we are told, ‘Yahweh has sworn, Yahweh will have war with Amalek from generation to generation’ (Exodus 17.16). Thus Amalek of all nations would finally be destroyed.
21 Then he looked on the Kenites, and he took up his oracle and said: “Firm is your dwelling place, and your nest is set in the rock; 22 Nevertheless Kain shall be burned. How long until Asshur carries you away captive?” 23 Then he took up his oracle and said: “Alas! Who shall live when God does this? 24 But ships shall come from the coasts of Cyprus, and they shall afflict Asshur and afflict Eber, and so shall Amalek, until he perishes.”
In the same way as with the Amalekites we may see that a group of Kenites were present, connected with the Midianites to whom they were related and with Moab. By uniting with Moab against Israel they were bringing judgment on themselves.
It stresses that their seeming security will not avail them in the day of trouble. They would find themselves beset by the tribe of Asshur, another brother and be wasted and finally taken as slaves.
So the combination of tribes related to Israel (of Moab, of the Midianites, of the Amalekites and of the Kenites), were all included in his prophecies as fated because of their behavior towards Israel. The presence of a nucleus was sufficient to condemn even those not present, on the basis of tribal solidarity.
The Asshurim may waste the Kenites but they themselves would not escape judgment. They in their turn would be afflicted by ships from Kittim (Cyprus and the Aegean coastlands). It would seem that exploratory raids, if not worse, had already been taking place by the ‘Sea People’, the relatives of the Philistines, and he recognized that these would afflict the Asshurim, treating them as they had treated the Kenites. When brother fights brother judgment awaits.
The same also applied to Eber. This referred to Semites in the area (Genesis 10.25) and may well have been intended indirectly to signify Israel, who would be one of those to suffer at Philistine hands, for Abraham was descended from Peleg, Eber’s son, a descent which was emphasized by appearing on its own and not in the Table of Nations (Genesis 10.25 with 11.16-18).
25 So Balaam rose and departed and returned to his place; Balak also went his way.
The affair of Balaam was now concluded. Israel remained blessed and Balak went one way and Balaam another, with the latter ‘returning to his place’. However to his cost he would return to give assistance to the Midianites and would die for his pains which we will find out in Numbers 31.8.
As we have sought to draw out in the narrative this Balaam cycle contains many lessons. It reveals that God is above the occult and that such cannot hurt His people. It reveals Him as uniquely unlike the so-called ‘gods’ of the nations. Through the mouth of Balaam it provides us with prophetic announcements about God’s purposes. It reveals that there is no limit to what God can do. And to the Israelites it would be a spur, giving a new incentive to enter the land knowing that they need fear neither god nor man. To us it is another reminder of the coming of the Messiah prophesied long before.
