Bilaam's Vision: Constancy, Trust and Becoming Parshat Balak

(1) The Israelites then marched on and encamped in the steppes of Moab, across the Jordan from Jericho. (2) Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. (3) Moab was alarmed because that people was so numerous. Moab dreaded the Israelites, (4) and Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this horde will lick clean all that is about us as an ox licks up the grass of the field.”Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, (5) sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor in Pethor, which is by the Euphrates, in the land of his kinsfolk, to invite him, saying, “There is a people that came out of Egypt; it hides the earth from view, and it is settled next to me. (6) Come then, put a curse upon this people for me, since they are too numerous for me; perhaps I can thus defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whomever you bless is blessed indeed, and whomever you curse is cursed.” (7) The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian, versed in divination, set out. They came to Balaam and gave him Balak’s message.

(8) He said to them, “Spend the night here, and I shall reply to you as יהוה may instruct me.” So the Moabite dignitaries stayed with Balaam. (9) God came to Balaam and said, “What do these men want of you?” (10) Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: (11) Here is a people that came out from Egypt and hides the earth from view. Come now and curse them for me; perhaps I can engage them in battle and drive them off.” (12) But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not curse that people, for they are blessed.” (13) Balaam arose in the morning and said to Balak’s dignitaries, “Go back to your own country, for יהוה will not let me go with you.” (14) The Moabite dignitaries left, and they came to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.” (15) Then Balak sent other dignitaries, more numerous and distinguished than the first. (16) They came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak son of Zippor: Please do not refuse to come to me. (17) I will reward you richly and I will do anything you ask of me. Only come and damn this people for me.” (18) Balaam replied to Balak’s officials, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, big or little, contrary to the command of my God יהוה. (19) So you, too, stay here overnight, and let me find out what else יהוה may say to me.” (20) That night God came to Balaam and said to him, “If the agents have come to invite you, you may go with them. But whatever I command you, that you shall do.” (21) When he arose in the morning, Balaam saddled his ass and departed with the Moabite dignitaries.

(35) But the messenger of יהוה said to Balaam, “Go with the men. But you must say nothing except what I tell you.” So Balaam went on with Balak’s dignitaries. (36) When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at Ir-moab, which is on the Arnon border, at its farthest point. (37) Balak said to Balaam, “When I first sent to invite you, why didn’t you come to me? Am I really unable to reward you?” (38) But Balaam said to Balak, “And now that I have come to you, have I the power to speak freely? I can utter only the word that God puts into my mouth.” (39) Balaam went with Balak and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. (40) Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and had them served to Balaam and the dignitaries with him. (41) In the morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth-baal. From there he could see a portion of the people.

(1) Now Balaam, seeing that it pleased יהוה to bless Israel, did not, as on previous occasions, go in search of omens, but turned his face toward the wilderness. (2) As Balaam looked up and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the spirit of God came upon him. (3) Taking up his theme, he said:
Word of Balaam son of Beor,
Word of the man whose eye is true,
(4) Word of one who hears God’s speech,
Who beholds visions from the Almighty,
Prostrate, but with eyes unveiled:
(5) How fair are your tents, O Jacob,
Your dwellings, O Israel!
(6) Like palm-groves that stretch out,
Like gardens beside a river,
Like aloes planted by יהוה,
Like cedars beside the water;
(7) Their boughs drip with moisture,
Their roots have abundant water.
Their ruler shall rise above Agag,
Their sovereignty shall be exalted.
(8) God who freed them from Egypt
Is for them like the horns of the wild ox.
They shall devour enemy nations,
Crush their bones,
And smash their arrows.
(9) They crouch, they lie down like a lion,
Like a lioness; who dares rouse them?
Blessed are they who bless you,
Accursed they who curse you! (10) Enraged at Balaam, Balak struck his hands together. “I called you,” Balak said to Balaam, “to damn my enemies, and instead you have blessed them these three times! (11) Back with you at once to your own place! I was going to reward you richly, but יהוה has denied you the reward.” (12) Balaam replied to Balak, “But I even told the messengers you sent to me, (13) ‘Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not of my own accord do anything good or bad contrary to יהוה’s command. What יהוה says, that I must say.’

(1) מה טבו אהליך HOW GOODLY ARE THY TENTS — He said this because he saw that the entrances of their tents were not facing each other (Bava Batra 60a; cf. v. 2). (2) משכנתיך means thy encampments, as the Targum has it. — Another explanation — מה טבו אהליך HOW GOODLY ARE THY TENTS — How goodly are the tent of Shiloh and the Temple when these flourished, in that sacrifices were offered therein to atone for you; (3) משכנתיך How goodly are they even when they are in ruins, because then they are a pledge (משכון) for you, and the fact that they are in ruins is an atonement for your souls, as it is said. (Lamentations 4:11) “The Lord hath brought His fury to an end”. And by what means hath He brought it to an end? “He hath kindled a fire in Zion! (i.e. hath destroyed the Temple) (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Mishpatim 11).

(1) Hear what GOD is saying:
Come, present [My] case before the mountains,
And let the hills hear you pleading. (2) Hear, you mountains, GOD’s case—
You firm foundations of the earth!
For GOD has a case against this covenanted people—
A suit against Israel. (3) “My people!
What wrong have I done you?
What hardship have I caused you?
Testify against Me. (4) In fact,
I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
I redeemed you from the house of bondage,
And I sent before you
Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. (5) “My people,
Remember what Balak king of Moab
Plotted against you,
And how Balaam son of Beor
Responded to him.
[Recall your passage]
From Shittim to Gilgal
And you will recognize
GOD’s gracious acts.”

(8) “You have been told, O mortal, what is good,
And what GOD requires of you:
Only to do justice
And to love goodness,
And to walk modestly with your God;