Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Numbers 23
Numbers 23:8How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?
Balaam immediately identifies the core problem for his employer: he is powerless to curse a nation that God Himself has blessed, establishing God's ultimate authority over the situation.Numbers 23:19God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
This famous verse declares God's perfect integrity. Unlike fallible humans, God is completely trustworthy, and He always follows through on what He has promised.Numbers 23:23For there is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel; now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel, 'What has God wrought?'
Balaam confirms that no magic or occult power can harm Israel because God's power protects them, rendering Balak's entire strategy useless.
Historical & Cultural Context
A King's Fear and a Prophet's Price
Following the events of Numbers 22, Balak, the terrified king of Moab, has witnessed the massive Israelite nation arrive at his border. Fearing their strength, he has sent for Balaam, a famous diviner from Mesopotamia, offering him a fortune to place a curse on Israel. This chapter opens with the first of Balaam's attempts to fulfill Balak's request, setting up a dramatic conflict between a king's desperate plan and God's unchangeable word.
The Unstoppable Word of God
Despite Balaam's questionable motives and Balak's elaborate preparations with seven altars and sacrifices, God intervenes directly. Each time Balaam prepares to speak, the Spirit of God compels him to pronounce blessings instead of curses. This reveals that God's plan for Israel is sovereign and cannot be manipulated by pagan rituals or a prophet's personal desires.
Balaam's Prophecies of Blessing
The scene is set on the high places of Moab, overlooking the vast encampment of Israel. King Balak has brought the prophet Balaam here, hoping that a powerful curse will weaken his potential enemies. Through a series of elaborate rituals involving seven altars and numerous sacrifices at each location, Balak tries to manipulate the spiritual realm, but God has other plans.
The First Oracle: A People Set Apart (Numbers 23:1-12)
1 Then Balaam said to Balak, "Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams."
2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him.
3 And Balaam said to Balak, "Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell you." And he went to a bare height.
4 And God met Balaam.
5 And the Lord put a word in Balaam's mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak."
6 And he returned to him, and behold, he and all his officials were standing beside his burnt offering.
7 And Balaam took up his discourse and said, "From Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: 'Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel!'
8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?
9 For from the top of the crags I see him, from the hills I behold him; behold, a people dwelling alone, and not counting itself among the nations!
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!”
11 And Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them."
12 And he answered and said, "Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?"
Commentary:
Hired to curse Israel, Balaam delivers God's blessing instead, declaring them a people uniquely set apart by God.
The Second Oracle: God's Unchanging Promise (Numbers 23:13-26)
13 And Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, from which you may see them. You shall see only a fraction of them and shall not see them all. Then curse them for me from there.”
14 And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
15 And he said to Balak, "Stand here beside your burnt offering, while I meet the Lord over there."
16 And the Lord met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, "Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak."
17 And he took up his discourse and said: "Rise, Balak, and hear; give ear to me, son of Zippor:
18 And he took up his discourse and said, "Rise, Balak, and hear; give ear to me, son of Zippor:
19 God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
20 Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.
21 He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob, nor has he seen trouble in Israel. The Lord their God is with them, and the shout of a king is among them.
22 God brings them out of Egypt and is for them like the horns of the wild ox.
23 For there is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel; now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel, 'What has God wrought?'
24 Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up and as a lion it lifts itself; it does not lie down until it has devoured the prey and drunk the blood of the slain.”
25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all.”
26 But Balaam answered and said to Balak, "Did I not tell you, 'All that the Lord says, that I must do'?"
Commentary:
From a new location, Balaam again blesses Israel, proclaiming God's unchanging character and irreversible promises.
Setting the Stage for a Final Attempt (Numbers 23:27-30)
27 And Balak said to Balaam, "Come now, I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there."
28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the desert.
29 And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”
30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
Commentary:
Desperate, King Balak moves Balaam to a third location, preparing for one final attempt to curse Israel.
God's Unbreakable Promises and Sovereign Will
The Sovereignty of God
This chapter powerfully demonstrates that God is in complete control. Despite the determined efforts of a king and a renowned diviner, God's plan prevails. He even uses an unwilling prophet to declare His own purposes, showing that no human agenda can override His sovereign will.
The Irrevocable Nature of God's Blessing
Balak wants to reverse Israel's fortunes, but Balaam is forced to admit, 'he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it' (Numbers 23:20). God's blessing on His people through His covenant is permanent. It does not depend on circumstances, and He is committed to fulfilling this promise.
The Unchanging Character of God
One of the chapter's key verses, Numbers 23:19, highlights God's absolute faithfulness. Unlike humans who might lie or change their minds, God is completely reliable. What He says, He will do, providing a firm foundation for our trust in Him.
Living in the Security of God's Promises
This story shows that no spiritual force or human opposition can succeed against what God has blessed. As Balaam says in Numbers 23:23, 'there is no enchantment against Jacob.' This can give you confidence that when you are walking in God's will, you are secure in His protection, and the negative words or intentions of others cannot derail His purpose for your life.
The declaration that 'God is not man, that he should lie' is a powerful anchor for your faith. When you feel anxious about the future or doubt God's promises, you can remember that His character is constant. He doesn't make promises lightly or change His mind, which means you can trust His word to be true today just as it was for Israel.
Like Balak, we sometimes try to change our external circumstances to get a different spiritual result, rather than submitting to God's clear will. This might look like trying to find the 'perfect' situation to avoid a difficult truth God is teaching us. This chapter encourages you to stop trying to manipulate the outcome and instead listen to what God is already saying, trusting that His plan is best.
God's Blessing Overpowers Human Schemes
Numbers 23 reveals that God's purpose is absolute and His promises are unbreakable. Through the unwilling mouth of a hired prophet, God declares His unwavering commitment to His people. The message is clear: human plans, political fears, and even spiritual manipulation are powerless against the sovereign will of God, whose blessing is a shield that cannot be pierced.
What This Means for Us Today
The story of Balaam and Balak is a dramatic reminder that we serve a faithful God whose promises hold true. We are invited not to manipulate God for our desired outcomes, but to rest in the security of His unchangeable character and His irreversible blessing on those He calls His own.
- Where in my life do I need to stop striving and start trusting in God's unchangeable blessing?
- How can I remind myself of God's faithfulness, as described in Numbers 23:19, when I face uncertainty?
- Who in my life needs to hear the good news that God's love and purpose for them cannot be thwarted?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This chapter introduces King Balak's fear and details his hiring of Balaam, setting the stage for the oracles in chapter 23.
The story continues with Balaam's third and fourth oracles, which contain even more powerful blessings and prophecies concerning Israel's future.
Connections Across Scripture
This passage contains God's original covenant promise to bless Abraham and his descendants, the very blessing that Balak is trying to have revoked.
Paul echoes the theme of Numbers 23 by asking, 'If God is for us, who can be against us?', affirming that God's favor provides ultimate security.
Peter uses Balaam as an example of a false teacher motivated by greed, providing a New Testament perspective on Balaam's flawed character.
Theological Themes
This verse reinforces the theme of God's unchanging nature, stating, 'For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.'
Discussion Questions
- Balaam knew God's will but was still tempted by Balak's offer of wealth and honor. In what areas of our lives do we know what's right but still entertain temptations for personal gain?
- Numbers 23:19 says God doesn't change His mind. How does this truth comfort you or challenge you, especially when you are waiting for one of His promises to be fulfilled?
- Balak believed changing physical locations could change God's mind. What modern 'rituals' or strategies do people use today to try and get God to do what they want, instead of trusting His sovereign plan?
Glossary
places
Moab
An ancient kingdom east of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea, whose people were often in conflict with Israel.
Pisgah
A mountain peak in Moab from which Balaam viewed the Israelites, and from which Moses would later view the Promised Land.
Peor
A mountain in Moab, the third and final location from which Balak hoped Balaam would curse Israel.