Balak

By Mary Jane Chaignot

Categories: Men in the Old Testament, Old Testament / New Testament

Stories about Balak occur mostly in Numbers 22-24.
He is the son of Zippor, whose name means “sparrow.”
There is no additional information about Zippor.
Scholars are unsure as to the meaning of Balak. Some think it means “devastator.”
Balak is the king of Moab at the time the Israelites are marching towards the Promised Land.
The reputation of the Israelites has preceded them.
The king of Arad fights against them and captures some of them.
The Israelites pray to God, and He delivers them into their hands. They “utterly destroy them and their towns.”
Next, the Israelites bypass Edom and camp in the wilderness between the Amorites and Moab.
They ask to pass through the land of the Amorites. The king refuses and attacks them.
Israel wins the battle and takes possession of all their land.
Previously, this king has defeated Moab.
Continuing their forward movement, the Israelites defeat the people of Bashan.
Then the Israelites camp in the plains of Moab across the Jordan from Jericho.
Balak is well aware of what has happened to the Amorites.
Moab is “in great dread” of the Israelites because there are so many of them.
Unbeknownst to them, God has instructed Israel not to harm the Moabites but to pass them by. (See Deut. 2:8-9)
Here though, the Moabites are so overcome with fear that they say to the elders of Midian, “This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.”
The Moabites expect the Israelites to “eat up all their wealth,” which is primarily based in livestock and grain, leaving them with nothing.
Again, unbeknownst to them, God is still providing the Israelites with mannah every day.
The Moabites and Midianites have been enemies for generations. Now, however, they unite to fight a common adversary—the Israelites.
They know that the Israelites have won battles against insurmountable odds. • They believe other forces must be at work.
The king of Moab, together with the elders of Midian, sends a message to Balaam, a known prophet and diviner.
They ask him to pronounce a curse upon the Israelites as they are moving toward settling in the Promised Land.
The messengers take money to pay Balaam a divination fee.
Balaam turns them down, but Balak is undaunted.
He sends more messengers with a bigger fee.
This time Balaam gets permission to go with them.
When he arrives, Balaam asks Balak to build seven altars. They sacrifice a bull and a ram on each altar.
But upon consulting with God, Balaam blesses the Israelites instead of cursing them.
This scene is repeated two more times with the same results.
Then Balak’s anger burns against Balaam; he tells him to go home and refuses to pay him.
When the Israelites are in Shittim, the daughters of Moab entice them into having sexual relations.
The women also invite them to participate in sacrifices to their gods.
The Israelites are punished for their participation with a plague.
The Midianites are attacked, killed, and plundered; Balaam is also killed with a sword.
Apparently, Balaam counseled the kings of Moab and Midian to take this approach, which is why he becomes a symbol for those who entice others to sin.
According to Revelation 2:14, Balaam taught Balak to “cast a stumbling-block before the sons of Israel, to eat idol sacrifices, and to commit whoredom.”
There is no information about the death of Balak.

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