Isaiah reduced them to six principles, as Isaiah 33:1516 says, "He who [1] walks righteously, and [2] speaks uprightly, [3] he who despises the gain of oppressions, [4] who shakes his hand from holding of bribes, [5] who stops his ear from hearing of blood, [6] and shuts his eyes from looking upon evil; he shall dwell on high." The Devastator was afraid, acting like a sparrow! Back in 1967, archaeologists at Tell Deir Alla, on the eastern side of the Jordan valley, uncovered an inscription, dated to the early 8th century B.C.E., which lists the prophecies of one Balaam s[on of Beo]r, a seer of the gods., Whether the Tell Deir Alla inscription is speaking of a known person or a legendary one we dont know, but it certainly makes Balaam more tangible, he was certainly a known figure, Finkelstein tells Haaretz. How do we know? II. Can you make an attack with a crossbow and then prepare a reaction attack using action surge without the crossbow expert feat? I will not curse Israel." (4) The Levites kill 3,000 of those guilty of worshiping the Golden Calf,[120] and the Israelite leaders are instructed to kill the people who had yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. Cain back in Genesis chose also. Barak pursued the chariots and army as far as Harosheth Haggoyim, and all Sisera's troops fell by the sword; not a man was left. Diane Aronson Cohen. Who shall dwell in Your holy mountain?He who [1] walks uprightly, and [2] works righteousness, and [3] speaks truth in his heart; who [4] has no slander upon his tongue, [5] nor does evil to his fellow, [6] nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor, [7] in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but [8] he honors them who fear the Lord, [9] he swears to his own hurt and changes not, [10] he puts not out his money on interest, [11] nor takes a bribe against the innocent." You shall not curse them. Numbers 25 displays this intermingling of sex and the worship of foreign gods, using the same Hebrew word, zanah, in Numbers 25:1. Their fear was visceral; it made their guts wrench. [104] Similarly, Ibn Ezra stated his belief that Balaam wanted his end to be like the end of Israel, who are God's portion and granted a share in the World To Come. What is the story of Balaam? Balaam wished that the Israelites kingdom might not be awe-inspiring, for in Numbers 24:6, he said, "and his kingdom shall be exalted. Balak (.mw-parser-output .script-hebrew,.mw-parser-output .script-Hebr{font-family:"SBL Hebrew","SBL BibLit","Taamey Ashkenaz","Taamey Frank CLM","Frank Ruehl CLM","Ezra SIL","Ezra SIL SR","Keter Aram Tsova","Taamey David CLM","Keter YG","Shofar","David CLM","Hadasim CLM","Simple CLM","Nachlieli",Cardo,Alef,"Noto Serif Hebrew","Noto Sans Hebrew","David Libre",David,"Times New Roman",Gisha,Arial,FreeSerif,FreeSans}Hebrew for "Balak," a name, the second word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 40th weekly Torah portion (, parashah) in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the seventh in the Book of Numbers. Come, curse Jacob for me, However, his father's name, Zippor means "sparrow," which are among the flightiest of birds. . Barak recognized that Deborah's authority had been given to her by God, so he obeyed a woman, something rare in ancient times. In Numbers 22:6, Balak sent for Balaam to curse Israel believing that "Whom you bless is blessed and whom you curse is cursed." 3 Then Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. In the book of Numbers, Balak is the one and only ruler of the kingdom of Moab whereas in history it would seem that he was a losing rival of Mesha in vying for supremacy over the region east of the Dead Sea. This interpretation becomes clear in verse 23: There would be no sorcery or divination against Israel because of what God had done for them. Rabbi Simlai taught that God communicated 613 precepts to Moses. The name Balak means "devastator," a very evil name. This God could bring ten plagues upon the people of Egypt and could find water in the desert for 2.5 or 3 million people. Israel was not going to invade, devastate their land, kill their people, and take all their wealth. [106] And Bachya ben Asher also read Balaam to wish for death, provided that his death would an eternal future like the Israelites, who Bachya saw as an integral part of God. See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. Psalm 106:3031 reports that Phinehas stepped forward and intervened, the plague ceased, and it was reckoned to his merit forever. Balaam was slain during this vengeance, as it reads in Numbers 31:7-8 (NIV). 8 Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Rebathe five kings of Midian. 23 Balaam told Balak, "Build for me here seven altars and prepare here for me seven bulls and seven rams.". Micah reduced them to three principles, as Micah 6:8 says, "It has been told you, o man, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you: only [1] to do justly, and [2] to love mercy, and [3] to walk humbly before your God." Conversely, aloes grow best in arid places, suggesting that Israel will have the best of both worlds. [11] Balaam told them: "Spend the night here, and I shall reply to you as the Lord may instruct me. is expressed in the words, He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; In verses 6-7, there are four references to water. [27] Balak went out to meet Balaam on the Arnon border, and asked him why he didn't come earlier. Thereupon, the bird would start talking and foretelling of what is about to happen. 2 These women invited[ d] the people to the sacrifices of their gods; then the people ate and bowed down to their gods. Frymer-Kensky noted that the book of Joshua emphasizes the collective nature of sin and punishment, that the transgression of the Israelites at Peor still hung over them, and that any sin of the Reubenites and Manassites would bring down punishment on all Israel. Israel wins the battle and takes possession of all their land. For more on classical rabbinic interpretation, see, e.g.. For more on medieval Jewish interpretation, see, e.g., Barry D. Walfish, Medieval Jewish Interpretation," in Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler, editors, Diane Aronson Cohen, "The End of Abuse," in, See Mark L. Kligman, "The Bible, Prayer, and Maqam: Extra-Musical Associations of Syrian Jews,", The New Brown-Driver-Briggs-Gesenius Hebrew and English Lexicon, "A Complete Triennial Cycle for Reading the Torah,", "The Literary Problems of the Balaam Story in Numb., Chaps. Balak upped the offered price, as well as the honor he would bestow. . 10"Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number one-fourth of Israel? [110], Robert Alter observed that the Balaam narrative builds on repeated key words and actions, but repeats only certain phrases and dialogue verbatim. Barak hesitated, saying he would go only if Deborah went with him. But Maimonides taught that the zealot could strike the fornicators only when they were actually engaged in the act, as was the case with Zimri, and if the transgressor ceased, he should not be slain, and if the zealot then killed the transgressor, the zealot could be executed as a murderer. But God told Moses that his idea was incorrect. Balaam and Balak: The Full Story - Chabad.org [25] Balaam admitted his error and offered to turn back if the angel still disapproved. Balak was the son of Zippor, and was a king of Moab. Numbers 23 NKJV - The Prophecies of Balaam - Bible Gateway Israel fell into idolatry through fornication. . Let us then remember it was merely a petition to God from Balaam, not a promise from God to Balaam. At this point in time, the Israelites had fled slavery in Egypt and moved through many territories in their journey through the desert to reach the Promised Land. "God, let me curse them!" No harm is in sight for Jacob, no woe in view for Israel. Balak ( Hebrew for "Balak," a name, the second word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 40th weekly Torah portion ( , parashah) in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the seventh in the Book of Numbers. The Moabites were so afraid that they were "sick with dread." He was a sorcerer for hirefor payand he is negotiating here. Can I use Sparkfun Schematic/Layout in my design? Start for FREE. Third, Numbers 31 begins with the LORD commanding Moses to take vengeance upon the Midianites for what they instigated against Israel at Baal Peor: 1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites". Cohen taught that we learn from the donkey that if we are on the receiving end of abuse, we have an obligation to speak out against our abuser. Numbers 23 GW - Balaam's First Prophecy - Bible Gateway The verb that the haftarah uses for "answer" (, anah) in Micah 6:5 is a variation of the same verb that the parashah uses to describe Balaam's "answer" (, vayaan) to Balaak in the parashah in Numbers 22:18 and 23:12. Balak, Balac [B'lk,B'lc]waster, emptying or destroys. In the time of the judges, Israel once again drifted away from God, and the Canaanites oppressed them for 20 years. [40], In the sixth reading, Balak took Balaam to the peak of Peor, and once offered a bull and a ram on each of seven altars. [101], In the word "even" (, gam) in Numbers 22:33 (implying that the angel would also have killed Balaam), Abraham ibn Ezra found evidence for the proposition that the donkey died after she spoke. The Gemara read Balaam's name to demonstrate that he was "without a people" (belo am). In fact, Balaam is never regarded as righteous, but rather, in the Tanakh, always as a soothsayer, or someone who practiced divination, which eventually became a capital offense in Israel (1 Samuel 28:9). Today we choose every day, probably several times a day. "[13], In the second reading, in the morning, Balaam asked Balak's dignitaries to leave, as God would not let him go with them, and they left and reported Balaam's answer to Balak. Balak, Balac [B'lk,B'lc] waster, emptying or destroys. If Balak, just like Balaam, can be identified as a historical figures from the 9th-8th centuries B.C.E., how did they end both end up in a biblical story that supposedly happened centuries earlier? [71], The Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer taught that Balaam saw the wilderness filled with the Israelites' foreskins after they had circumcised themselves, and asked who would be able to arise by the merit of the blood of the covenant of this circumcision, which was covered by the dust, and thus in Numbers 23:10 Balaam said, "Who can count the dust of Jacob? Balaam was a pagan prophet; he worshiped the gods of the land. The new analysis of the squeeze suggests that Balak, a Moabite ruler who is a key character in a biblical parable in the book of Numbers (chapters 22-24), may be mentioned in the stele as a rival to Mesha for supremacy over Moab. Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you." He probably knew of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, or at least had heard things about them from local stories or legend, as they were important people in their own right. Barak and his men raced down Mount Tabor to fight the battle in the plain of Jezreel. Problem involving number of ways of moving bead. Known for: Barak was a contemporary and associate of the prophetess and judge Deborah. This colossal battle changed the direction of the Middle East at that time, because, by defeating Assyria again, Nebuchadnezzar gained control of the entire region. [99], The parashah is discussed in these medieval Jewish sources:[100], Noting that Numbers 22:23 reports that "the she-donkey saw" but Balaam did not see, Rashi explained that God permitted the animal to perceive more than the person, as a person possesses intelligence and would be driven insane by the sight of a harmful spirit. contrast between Balaam and Moses, both of whom had visions of Christ [2] ", Animals in the Prophetic World: Literary Reflections on Numbers 22 and 1 Kings 13., Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, Departure of Ships? Well, hopefully things will be clearer in just a bit. "[44] Then Balaam set out back home, and Balak went his way. Balaam taught Balak to entice Israel to commit fornication with his women and to serve their idols (Num 31:16 c/w Rev 2:14). Similarly, in Amos 9:1112, the 8th century BCE prophet Amos announced a prophecy of God: "In that day, I will set up again the fallen booth of David: I will mend its breaches and set up its ruins anew. So Balaam concluded that the Israelites were worthy to have the Divine Presence rest upon them (and he spoke his blessing in Numbers 24:5 of the tents of Jacob). Bishop Wordsworth draws a striking and instructive Who Was Balak In The Bible? - Southside Christian Center Then, incredibly, Balaam makes his pitch to God! Balaam's father's name, Beor, which means "burning," also fits into this. [90], Rabbah bar bar Hana said in Rabbi Joanan's name that had Zimri withdrawn from Cozbi and Phinehas still killed him, Phinehas would have been liable to execution for murder, and had Zimri killed Phinehas in self-defense, he would not have been liable to execution for murder, as Phinehas was a pursuer seeking to take Zimri's life. Or number one-fourth of Israel? Balaam replied, "Merely for carrying loads." But instead he says, "Why don't you stay the night? But whereas the prophets of Israel cautioned Israel against transgressions, as in Ezekiel 3:17, Balaam sought to breach the moral order by encouraging the sin of Baal-Peor in Numbers 25:113. [54], Psalm 106:2831 reports that the Israelites attached themselves to Baal Peor and ate sacrifices offered to the dead, provoking God's anger and a plague. children of Israel, and miserably perished amongst the enemies of God As a title, it would be "The Devastator".== The origin of the nation of Moab goes back to the same year as the birth of Isaac, son of Abraham. [24] The angel questioned Balaam for beating his donkey, noting that she had saved Balaam's life. "The End of Abuse." God obviously inspired it to be written several times in His Word that this was how Balaam worked. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. ", The Gemara read the closing admonition of the haftarah, ""to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God," as one of several distillations of the principles underlying the Torah. Not only do we have the record of the incident that took place there (Numbers 25:1-5), we also have the residual references afteward, including: 3 You saw with your own eyes what the Lord did at Baal Peor. [103] Judah Halevi, however, saw in Balaam's prophetic prayer that his death might be made easy and his end be as the end of the Israelites an allusion to the immortality of the soul, the afterlife, and the resurrection of the dead. These verses intensify the assertion of Israel's future abundancein stark contrast to the semi-arid, high plateau upon which Balak and his people lived. Zimri demanded that Moses rule whether Cozbi was forbidden or permitted to Zimri. a Moabite king who sent for Balaam to come and curse the Israelites. So, we can see a great deal of deception going on, in which each party tries to slant the conversations to its advantage. When he reached the tribe of Simeon, he asked why the tribe of Levi should not have the moral standards of the tribe of Simeon. "Kazbi: Midianite Princess". "[8], In traditional Sabbath Torah reading, the parashah is divided into seven readings, or , aliyot. In this case, Judah stands for the whole nation (as it later came to rule all Israel in David). Even though the king pressed Balaam for another message, Balaam would give him none but God's. The king wanted a curse upon the Israelites, but Balaam gave them a blessing. [84], Rabbi Joanan taught that one may learn Balaam's intentions from the blessings of Numbers 24:56, for God reversed every intended curse into a blessing. 2:14). The Moabites were very afraid because there were so many Israelites. They were sorcerers, magicians, diviners, soothsayers, and such. Inspired by the Lord, Balaam uttered an oracle: Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram, Moses replied that he who reads the letter should be the agent to carry out its instructions. If Phinehas's mother's father descended from Joseph, then Phinehas's mother's mother descended from Jethro. Previously, this king has defeated Moab. Sounds confusing? depending on who you ask. The Bereans "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:10-11). Alter also noted reiterated phrase-motifs bearing on blessings and curses. So, for the next nearly thousand plus years, Israel is still being reminded of the utter reproach they suffered at Baal Peor, because of how Balaam, (after his prayer in which he petitions for a righteous death, no less), cast a stumbling block before Israel. Balak was keeping up with news of the day. When Lot became drunk, his daughters seduced him. The Biblical Tale of Balaam and the Donkey - Learn Religions Balaam's First Prophecy. Since the nature of Phinehas's act, killing with his own hands, left his heart filled with intense emotional unrest, God provided a means to soothe him so that he could cope with his situation and find peace and tranquility. These dictionary topics are from. According to Numbers 22:2, and Joshua 24:9, Balak was the son of Zippor. Deborah told Barak to advance because the Lord had gone before him. ", In the morning, Balaam tells Balak's princes, "Go back to your land. [23] And then God allowed Balaam to see the angel, and Balaam bowed down to the ground. [62], Reading the description of Joshua 13:22, "Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer," the Gemara asked why Joshua 13:22 describes Balaam merely as a soothsayer when he was also a prophet. [65], A Midrash told that when the Israelites asked Balaam when salvation would come, Balaam replied in the words of Numbers 24:17, "I see him (the Messiah), but not now; I behold him, but not near." Numbers 22:18 chapter context similar meaning "And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would . Thus in Numbers 25:1, "And Israel abode in Shittim" is followed by "and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab." He was an unrighteous madman who got what he deserved. So Zimri assembled 24,000 Israelites and went to Cozbi and demanded that she surrender herself to him. "Pethor" has made some historians wonder, but they think they know where it is. Balak [N] [H] [S] empty; spoiler, a son of Zippor, and king of the Moabites ( Numbers 22:2 Numbers 22:4 ). The first half of verse 21 has had many wondering how it could be true, since the entire account of Israel in the wilderness is a sad commentary on how sinful Israel was! The young Israelite men went beyond the Israelite camp and saw the young Midianite women, who had painted their eyes like harlots, and they took wives from among them, and went astray after them, as Numbers 25:1 says, "And the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. It was narrated in the scriptures that there was a day when Ehud came to present a customary tribute. This sets him up on a pedestal. He was accustomed to doing things like this. In "Hellenistic Synagogal Prayers," in, Ira Clark. . Thus, Phineas must not have had his spear when he sat among the congregation, and from this we learn that one may not enter a house of learning with weapons. The Simeonites concluded that even the abstainers had then declared cohabiting wit Midianite women permissible. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Balaam's request in Numbers 23:10 to share Israel's fate fulfills God's blessing to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 that "all the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you," God's blessing to Abraham in Genesis 22:18 that "All the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your descendants," and God's blessing to Jacob in Genesis 28:14 that "All the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you and your descendants."[52]. In effect, Balaam is saying that, by comparison, Israel's kings will come to dominate the rulers of even the strongest nations of the time. Judges 4:8-9Barak said to her, "If you go with me, I will go; but if you don't go with me, I won't go." If he had come to Moses instead of Balaam, everything would have worked out differently. What the Bible says about Balak - Bible Tools In, Carolyn J. In both of the first two prophecies is an interesting phrase: "God [or, the LORD]met Balaam" (verses 4, 16). Since the beginning of time, all have had to make choices. "[88], Rabbi Hama son of Rabbi Hanina taught that Moses was buried near Beth-Peor to atone for the incident at Beth-Peor in Numbers 25. [4], The name "Balak" means "devastator",[5] "empty",[6] or "wasting". In the Bible Eglon was the leader of the confederacy of the Ammon, Amalek and Moab. [18] When the donkey saw the angel standing in the way holding his drawn sword, the donkey swerved from the road into the fields, and Balaam beat the ass to turn her back onto the road. This maqam is similar to Maqam Rast in tune, except that it is higher in key. God called up Deborah, a wise and holy woman, to be a judge and prophetess over the Jews, the only female among the 12 judges. In the meantime, why don't you stay the night? [102], Rashi read Balaam's request in Numbers 23:10 to "die the death of the upright" to mean that Balaam sought to die among the Israelites. From the mountains of the east.
Border Patrol Statistics On Illegal Crossings,
Unrestricted Waterfront Land For Sale Near Me,
Articles H