Numbers 7: Balak-1
To Hear a Talk based on the Text below:
http://britam.org/Broadcasts/newBAMBI/ParBalak1.mp3
Balak-1: Balak King of Moab and the anti-Zionist Barak Obama,
Balaam the Pagan Prophet and the Talking Ass
First half of Balak Numbers 22:2-22:39 (44 minutes)
Talk includes points not mentioned in the text.
|
Balak whole portion (Numbers 22:2-25:9)
The
Parshat
HaShavuah
(Weekly Torah reading) in Israel is
Balak
(Numbers 22:2-25:9) and outside of Israel is "Chukat-Balak".
The portion in Israel last week was
Chukat
and outside of Israel it was a week behind. This week outside of Israel they
combine Chukat
and Balak
to make Chukat-Balak
whereas in Israel they read Balak
alone. Outside of Israel they double the portion and thus catch up with the
reading in Israel.
To see our commentary on Chukat
go to:
http://www.britam.org/numbers/6chukat.html
We will now proceed with a study of Balak.
Balak
Numbers 22:2-25:9
The Portion of Balak
is named #Balak#
after the King of Moab who is mentioned in the opening verse.
The portion speaks of Balaam who prophesied concerning Israel in the future.
Balaam intended to curse Israel but God forced him to bless them instead.
On a personal level we can learn that we should endeavor to use whatever we have
to our own advantage. Circumstance may have placed limitations on our abilities
in some directions. Somewhere God has predetermined for us other possibilities
that conform to the way we were individually
predispositioned.
Balak
Numbers 22:2-25:9
s.1
[Numbers 22:1] AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SET FORWARD, AND PITCHED IN THE PLAINS
OF MOAB ON THIS SIDE JORDAN BY JERICHO.
[Numbers 22:2] AND BALAK THE SON OF ZIPPOR SAW ALL THAT ISRAEL HAD DONE TO THE
AMORITES.
The Israelites had just conquered the
lands of Sichon
and Og
east of the Jordan. All of the area from the Nile to the Euphrates was promised
to Israel. Edom, Moab, and Amon
were to be left (for a time) in small enclaves surrounded by Israelite
territory.
The present-day areas now occupied by Egypt (at least east of the Delta),
Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria should belong to Israel.
BALAK
may have a similar connotation to the name "Lavan"
i.e. it might mean "white". A related term is "barak"
meaning "flash of light" or lightning. "Balack"
connoting "white" may have given rise to the English word "black" meaning the
opposite of white. Linguists should be able to explain how a word can comes to
indicate its exact opposite and to give relevant examples.
THE SON OF ZIPPOR.
Zippor
(Hebrew" "Tsipor")
is the male equivalent of "Zippora"
(the wife of Moses). It means "bird". It may have given rise to the English
word "chirp" and (as noted by
Mozeson in "The Word") to the
bird name "sparrow". A bird flies overhead. Birds in pagan practices and
popular superstitutions
are sometimes linked with the discerning of the future and contact with the
supernatural.
[Numbers 22:3] AND MOAB WAS SORE AFRAID OF THE PEOPLE, BECAUSE THEY WERE MANY:
AND MOAB WAS DISTRESSED BECAUSE OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.
The Israelites were very numerous even
by today's
standards and at that time relatively speaking even more so.
[Numbers 22:4] AND MOAB SAID UNTO THE ELDERS OF MIDIAN, NOW SHALL THIS COMPANY
LICK UP ALL THAT ARE ROUND ABOUT US, AS THE OX LICKETH UP THE GRASS OF THE
FIELD. AND BALAK THE SON OF ZIPPOR WAS KING OF THE MOABITES AT THAT TIME.
Midian
and Moab were both afraid of the Israelites.
[Numbers 22:5] HE SENT MESSENGERS THEREFORE UNTO BALAAM THE SON OF BEOR TO
PETHOR, WHICH IS BY THE RIVER OF THE LAND OF THE CHILDREN OF HIS PEOPLE, TO CALL
HIM, SAYING, BEHOLD, THERE IS A PEOPLE COME OUT FROM EGYPT: BEHOLD, THEY COVER
THE FACE OF THE EARTH, AND THEY ABIDE OVER AGAINST ME:
#BALAAM# was some kind of religious
leader and chief magician. Balaam hated Israel even more than
Balak
did. Balak
at least had an excuse: He was afraid the Israelites might attack his land or at
least constrict the powers of his nation. Balaam was fueled more by pure hatred.
He resented the religious truth that the Israelite nation proclaimed. In a sense
Balaam was one of the first anti-Semites.
TO PETHOR.
The name #Pethor#
can connote #solve# and may have the same connotation as the name
#Peter#.
[Numbers 22:6] COME NOW THEREFORE, I PRAY THEE, CURSE ME THIS PEOPLE; FOR THEY
ARE TOO MIGHTY FOR ME: PERADVENTURE I SHALL PREVAIL, THAT WE MAY SMITE THEM, AND
THAT I MAY DRIVE THEM OUT OF THE LAND: FOR I WOT THAT HE WHOM THOU BLESSEST IS
BLESSED, AND HE WHOM THOU CURSEST IS CURSED.
Balaam was reputed to have spiritual
powers. Balaam is said to have been able to harness the collective subconscious
of all the non-Israelite peoples. Everyone of us to some degree has a kind of
#sixth sense# of which he is aware of from time to time. Even animals have it in
a way.
Heard the expression #rats deserting a sinking ship#? It comes from a
superstition in the old times of sailing boats on the Ocean. When a ship that
was destined to sink would put into port it was believed that all the rats
would leave as if they sensed what was about to happen.
This SENSE can be developed for good or
bad purposes. Anyone who is so gifted in this regard should keep it to himself
and use the gift with great CAUTION.
A prophet is someone who is given extra powers from on high that combine with
and enhance that which he already has.
A prophet who tells us to worship idols
is to be put to death.
A prophet who makes false predictions is likewise culpable (Deuteronomy
18:20-22).
#THAT I MAY DRIVE THEM OUT OF THE LAND. According to its simple meaning he means
that he may drive them away if not destroy them altogether. Why however does he
use these words? The Commentary "Netivot
Shalom" says that he meant the Land of Canaan (i.e. land of Israel) that they
were about to enter. When Israelites dwell in their own land they realize their
inner being. They have more strength. Their true potential begins to express
itself. He was afraid of the Israelites entering the Land of Canaan and becoming
themselves and therefore changing the world for the better.
All those who try to prevent Israelites from settling in the Land of Israel are
against the existence of Israel and defy God Almighty.
President Obama
in attempting to prevent Jews from Living in Judah and Samaria and from
increasing and multiplying there is sinning against the Almighty. He should be
warned and steps should be taken that he heed the warning!
[Numbers 22:7] AND THE ELDERS OF MOAB AND THE ELDERS OF MIDIAN DEPARTED WITH THE
REWARDS OF DIVINATION IN THEIR HAND; AND THEY CAME UNTO BALAAM, AND SPAKE UNTO
HIM THE WORDS OF BALAK.
#THE ELDERS OF MOAB AND THE ELDERS OF
MIDIAN#:
They were united against Israel.
[Numbers 22:8] AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, LODGE HERE THIS NIGHT, AND I WILL BRING
YOU WORD AGAIN, AS THE LORD SHALL SPEAK UNTO ME: AND THE PRINCES OF MOAB ABODE
WITH BALAAM.
[Numbers 22:9] AND GOD CAME UNTO BALAAM, AND SAID, WHAT MEN ARE THESE WITH
THEE?
[Numbers 22:10] AND BALAAM SAID UNTO GOD, BALAK THE SON OF ZIPPOR, KING OF MOAB,
HATH SENT UNTO ME, SAYING,
[Numbers 22:11] BEHOLD, THERE IS A PEOPLE COME OUT OF EGYPT, WHICH COVERETH THE
FACE OF THE EARTH: COME NOW, CURSE ME THEM; PERADVENTURE I SHALL BE ABLE TO
OVERCOME THEM, AND DRIVE THEM OUT.
#THE FACE OF THE EARTH#. Hebrew #ayin
ha-arets#
literally the #eye of the Land#. #Ayin#
means #eye# and it is probably where the English word #eye# comes from. #Ayin#
also means #spring# or natural fountain (of water). It could also perhaps
indicate source of bounty. With the appearance of the Israelite nation matters
were no longer to be conducted according to the natural order of things. From
now on a Higher Authority was to become the determinative element. Divine
Providence on a national level was to make its mark in international affairs.
The People of Israel were to become the Determinative Element. They had covered
over or replaced (or were about to do so) the previously accepted balance of
power and economic distributions of wealth and resources.
More than half of the wealth in the
world today comes from Israelite nations or nations in which those of Israelite
descent are prominent. Even that portion of the world's bounty that the world
does receive arrives largely through the intermediacy of Israelites. The rest of
the world does not suffer from this. On the contrary. Nevertheless many of the
heathen resent Israelite predominance. By Israelite we mean in this sense
descendants of the Lost Ten Tribes. Jews also play an important role. As
individuals the average Jew may in some ways be much more important that the
average #Joe# from a professional or economic point of view. Statistically when
everything is taken into account Jews are actually only marginally more
successful but sometimes this marginal difference can look greater that it is or
be considered more important than one would expect. In many respects it is an
optical illusion].
[Numbers 22:12] AND GOD SAID UNTO BALAAM, THOU SHALT NOT GO WITH THEM; THOU
SHALT NOT CURSE THE PEOPLE: FOR THEY ARE BLESSED.
The Israelites were blessed. They were
blessed and were to remain blessed despite whatever sins they may have
committed. This was a fact that could not be undone. Balaam realized this and
so, as we shall see, attempted to at least weaken or diminish the blessing given
to Israel.
Balaam recalled on an ancient Israel
inscription:
The name #BALAAM# is found on an
inscription from Succoth (Modern #Dir Ala# in Jordan), which after an earthquake
in 750 BCE was repaired so it must have existed well before then. Succoth is in
territory which was ascribed to the Israelite Tribe of Gad (Joshua 13;27). The
inscription was written in a local Hebrew with peculiarities of its own as well
as Aramaic influence. It has two incompletely preserved sections. In the first
section it speaks of Balaam the Gentile prophet who was hired to curse the
Children of Israel (Numbers chapters 22-23) and in the second of #NeTSeR#
BILAAM:
Archaeological Evidence
Adapted from #Ephraim# (2nd edition) by
Yair
Davidi
(2001)
We have archaeological proof from an
early date concerning Balaam.
The name #BALAAM# is found on an inscription from Succoth (Modern
#Dir Ala# in Jordan), which after an earthquake in 750
b.c.e.
was repaired so it must have existed well before then31. Succoth is in territory
which was ascribed to the Israelite Tribe of Gad (Joshua 13;27). The inscription
was written in a local Hebrew with peculiarities of its own as well as Aramaic
influence. It has two incompletely preserved sections. In the first section it
speaks of Balaam the Gentile prophet who was hired to curse the Children of
Israel (Numbers chapters 22-23) and in the second of #NeTSeR#
The inscription is illustrated and explained in an article by
Shmuel
Achitov
[#Ancient Inscriptions of the Peoples East of the Jordan# (Hebrew) in #HaYarden
VeAtaryiah#,
1995, Jerusalem].
Translation of Section 1
Note: The text and Translation below are presented for the sake of perspective,
so that the reader may obtain a notion of the source material: Portions of the
inscription are missing. The writer of the inscription seems to have assumed
that the reader would be familiar with the subject matter.
The translation of this Section 1 is based on that of Achitov. The major
difference between our version and that of Achitov is that Achitov assumes that
numerous gods are being referred to whereas we do not see why One Deity could
not be the intention. The singularity of the Deity expressed appears to accord
with the existing text. This is despite the fact that belief in the existence of
other lesser gods or spiritual forces is quite evident. Whichever approach one
adopts, whether ours or that of Achitov, difficulties remain. The whole passage
appears strange to our modern psychology but it is similar to that of fertility
cults elsewhere, including those of Scandinavia. See below.
The Text says (Side One) concerning Balaam:
##The Book of
Bilaam
son of Beor.
A man who saw God was he. And came the God of gods unto him in the night and he
saw a vision
The Prophecy was: And he said unto
Bilaam
the son of Beor:
Thus will be done without delay. [No] man has seen what you have heard
And Bilaam
arose the next day and he was unable to...and he grievously wept And God came up
to him. And he said unto him:
Bilaam son of
Beor
why do you fast and weep.And
he said unto them: Sit and I will tell what
Shaddai
[the Almighty] will do and then go and see the works of the God of gods.
The gods are gathered together [unified] [alternately: the God United]
The Shadin
[demonic forces or godly forces = similar to the Irish
Sedeh
and from the same root] arraigned themselves together and said to the sun
Blossom forth, dam up the heavens with your clouds. Make darkness and
not light forever. and upon your dam-walls there place a seal in the cloud of
darkness. And let it not be thought of forever. For the sis-agur
bird [cuckoo?]
abuses the eagle. And the voice of the mercy-bird will answer: The crane, the
hawk and hunting-bird, the chickens of the
Anafa-bird,
the sparrow, the eaglet, the dove and the
bird...go
down to the place where lambs will be led by a staff The hares devoured the wolf
search..they
drank wine and the jackals heard reproof.. The cubs of the fox mock the
wisemen
and a poor women concocts perfume and the priestess.. Upraised girds a horn He
who takes thorough consideration will be so considered, the deaf will hear from
afar, the fools see trouble, the
travaillers in birth and the
ashtor-sheep
[alternately: Ashtoreth
i.e. Astarte]
unto lion, the cub of swine, my son, they will move their loins and
eye
Section 2
Translation of Section 2
Note: The translation of Section 2 is based partly on that made by
Achitov
into Hebrew and partly on the present author's own comprehension.
##..h. Shaddai
(i.e. the Almighty, Achitov
however says it is short for
Shadin meaning demons or gods.).
Joy. eat...
A young woman satiated with romantic desire....
To her from him NeTSeR
and dwelt amongst all moisture....
He will be satisfied not to pass over to the world of eternities the home..
A home in to which the wayfarer will enter [Achitov
says: will not enter] and the bridegroom is there [Achitov
says: into which the bridegroom will not enter],
there is a house of maggots from the grave-mound.
From the genitals of the sons of men and from the leg-calfs
of mankind [Achitov
understands this to refer to an affliction of the procreation organs]...
To take advice with you to advise or counsel to consider...return? cover with
one garment. If you hate him sickness will come..
Shame.. Under your head when you go to eternal rest to share ...in their
heart?NeTSer
sighed in his heart, he sighed...in the house, there the counselors will devise
a vision for those sitting with them: Death will take the young woman and child
Netser
prepared his heart, he tarried for there
came to
the end of.sprinkle
the fence.You
requested from the king his horse, and you requested... a vision from afar From
you it was requested of
him...to know the book, speak to the people in their language. For to you is the
judgment and the flogging
speak?and
to.the
king's women#.
This inscription is typical
of fertility cult inscriptions. The place of the inscription, Dir
Alla,
is thought to be the Biblical Succoth. It was in the territory of the Israelite
Tribe of Gad. In our work The Tribes we traced descendants of Gad to Sweden.
Orjan
Svensson
has made a study of ancient Runic writings. Runes are written in a script
believed to have derived from the Middle East e.g.
Kjell
Artun,
Runer,
Oslo, Norway, 1994. Our conclusion has been that runic letters are mainly
slightly altered forms of the Ancient Hebrew (Canaanite) alphabet.
Orjan
Svensson
has deciphered several early Swedish inscriptions written in runic script. He
shows them to have been written in Hebrew and Aramaic dialects. The content of
these inscriptions is similar in language, cadence, and style to the above
account concerning #Balaam# and #Netser#.
The content is that of fertility cults similar to what was common in the Middle
East and Ancient Israel. This is reflected in the above inscription.
The findings of Orjan
Svensson
have been published in
"Scandinavian Secrets. The Hebrew Code of the Runes" by
Orjan
Svensson,
Jerusalem, Israel, 2007
http://britam.org/orjanbook.html
Orjan
made computer comparison with the Books of the Bible of the Hebrew used in the
inscriptions he deciphered. He found the Hebrew of these early Swedish
inscriptions to be on the whole closest to that used in the Book of Job and in
the Song of Solomon. On the whole the Book of Job was closer.
Orjan
reports: ##The computer comparison was made by means of comparison of relative
frequencies of runes and frequencies of corresponding Hebrew letters. I then
computed correlation coefficients. When I used some methods I got even higher
correlation coefficient for the book #Song of Solomon# as compared to Job, but
the correlation for Job was always very high.##
The above inscription uses a term translated to mean #the genitals [Pachazi]
of the sons of men#. A similar term #Pachadi#
is found in the Book of Job (and only in the Book of Job) where too it refers to
sexual organs: Job 40;17 translated in the KJ as #his stones#. The difference
between #Pachazi#
and #Pachadi#
is explained by the fact that words in Hebrew pronounced with a #d# in Aramaic
where usually rendered as #z#, e.g. Hebrew #zahav#
(gold) = Aramaic #dahav#.
(gold).
Comment:
We shall see how Balaam will try to
curse Israel but be forced to bless them and then go away in disgrace.
IMMEDIATELY AFTER, the Israelites will begin to fornicate en masse with the
daughters of Moab (Numbers 25:1) and
Midian
(Numbers 25:6) as part of pagan ceremonies. They will be in danger of
extermination as a result of this immorality but will be saved. Traditionally it
was accepted that Balaam knew that through immorality there was a chance of
overcoming Israel so he advised the Moabites and
Midianites
to prostitute their daughters. Balaam was associated with promiscuous
immorality. The mention of Balaam on the above inscription (connected with a
fertility cult) receives added significance in the light of the vile advice he
gave.
[Numbers 22:13] AND BALAAM ROSE UP IN THE MORNING, AND SAID UNTO THE PRINCES OF
BALAK, GET YOU INTO YOUR LAND: FOR THE LORD REFUSETH TO GIVE ME LEAVE TO GO WITH
YOU.
#TO GO WITH YOU# ? #with you#, God had
said, #THOU SHALT
NOT GO WITH THEM#, Bilaam
interpreted this as meaning that he should not go with those specific people but
he might go with others. God had intended that he should not go at all but had
expressed Himself in such a way as to leave an opening to err if he so wished (Daat
Sofrim):
#In the way that a man wants to go so he is led# (Midrash).
[Numbers 22:14] AND THE PRINCES OF MOAB ROSE UP, AND THEY WENT UNTO BALAK, AND
SAID, BALAAM REFUSETH TO COME WITH US.
[Numbers 22:15] AND BALAK SENT YET AGAIN PRINCES, MORE, AND MORE HONOURABLE THAN
THEY.
[Numbers 22:16] AND THEY CAME TO BALAAM, AND SAID TO HIM, THUS SAITH BALAK THE
SON OF ZIPPOR, LET NOTHING, I PRAY THEE, HINDER THEE FROM COMING UNTO
ME:
[Numbers 22:17] FOR I WILL PROMOTE THEE UNTO VERY GREAT HONOUR, AND I WILL DO
WHATSOEVER THOU SAYEST UNTO ME: COME THEREFORE, I PRAY THEE, CURSE ME THIS
PEOPLE.
[Numbers 22:18] AND BALAAM ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THE SERVANTS OF BALAK, IF
BALAK WOULD GIVE ME HIS HOUSE FULL OF SILVER AND GOLD, I CANNOT GO BEYOND THE
WORD OF THE LORD MY GOD, TO DO LESS OR MORE.
[Numbers 22:19] NOW THEREFORE, I PRAY YOU, TARRY YE ALSO HERE THIS NIGHT, THAT I
MAY KNOW WHAT THE LORD WILL SAY UNTO ME MORE.
Balaam wanted to go. He wanted to curse
the Israelites even though he had been told that this was against the will of
God.
[Numbers 22:20] AND GOD CAME UNTO BALAAM AT NIGHT, AND SAID UNTO HIM, IF THE MEN
COME TO CALL THEE, RISE UP, AND GO WITH THEM; BUT YET THE WORD WHICH I SHALL SAY
UNTO THEE, THAT SHALT THOU DO.
God let Balaam go in the way he wished
yet forbade him to overtly transgress His decree.
s.3
[Numbers 22:21] AND BALAAM ROSE UP IN THE MORNING, AND SADDLED HIS ASS, AND WENT
WITH THE PRINCES OF MOAB.
#HIS ASS# the others had horses. He
traveled on an ass. I once worked with donkeys, mainly asses. In my opinion they
are more receptive to what you could call #telephathetic
communication# for want of a better word.
[Numbers 22:22] AND GOD'S ANGER WAS KINDLED BECAUSE HE WENT: AND THE ANGEL OF
THE LORD STOOD IN THE WAY FOR AN ADVERSARY AGAINST HIM. NOW HE WAS RIDING UPON
HIS ASS, AND HIS TWO SERVANTS WERE WITH HIM.
[Numbers 22:23] AND THE ASS SAW THE ANGEL OF THE LORD STANDING IN THE WAY, AND
HIS SWORD DRAWN IN HIS HAND: AND THE ASS TURNED ASIDE OUT OF THE WAY, AND WENT
INTO THE FIELD: AND BALAAM SMOTE THE ASS, TO TURN HER INTO THE WAY.
Do ghosts exist? My grandfather and
father saw them. I never did, as far as I know. I would rather not know. They
say that dogs feel the presence of ghosts before humans do. Animals can
sometimes sense things we are only numbly aware of. A person should avoid
superstition while being aware that a spiritual dimension is an integral part of
our existence. Nevertheless God wants us to work in this world on the physical
level and not #hover# around in spheres we are not responsible for. Our task in
this world is here.
[Numbers 22:24] BUT THE ANGEL OF THE LORD STOOD IN A PATH OF THE VINEYARDS, A
WALL BEING ON THIS SIDE, AND A WALL ON THAT SIDE.
[Numbers 22:25] AND WHEN THE ASS SAW THE ANGEL OF THE LORD, SHE THRUST HERSELF
UNTO THE WALL, AND CRUSHED BALAAM'S FOOT AGAINST THE WALL: AND HE SMOTE HER
AGAIN.
[Numbers 22:26] AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD WENT FURTHER, AND STOOD IN A NARROW
PLACE, WHERE WAS NO WAY TO TURN EITHER TO THE RIGHT HAND OR TO THE
LEFT.
[Numbers 22:27] AND WHEN THE ASS SAW THE ANGEL OF THE LORD, SHE FELL DOWN UNDER
BALAAM: AND BALAAM'S ANGER WAS KINDLED, AND HE SMOTE THE ASS WITH A
STAFF.
[Numbers 22:28] AND THE LORD OPENED THE MOUTH OF THE ASS, AND SHE SAID UNTO
BALAAM, WHAT HAVE I DONE UNTO THEE, THAT THOU HAST SMITTEN ME THESE THREE
TIMES?
First she went into the field, then she
crushed his leg against the wall, then she laid down. Then she communicated.
Balaam should have learnt that nothing happens by chance. Sometimes impediments
are placed in our path for our own good. We should try to open our eyes and
listen (Daat
Sofrim).
[Numbers 22:29] AND BALAAM SAID UNTO THE ASS, BECAUSE THOU HAST MOCKED ME: I
WOULD THERE WERE A SWORD IN MINE HAND, FOR NOW WOULD I KILL THEE.
#BALAAM SAID# He does not seem to have
been nonplussed by the ass suddenly talking to him. He took it in his stride. He
was evidently used to what we would consider supernatural occurrences happening
about him.
[Numbers 22:30] AND THE ASS SAID UNTO BALAAM, AM NOT I THINE ASS, UPON WHICH
THOU HAST RIDDEN EVER SINCE I WAS THINE UNTO THIS DAY? WAS I EVER WONT TO DO SO
UNTO THEE? AND HE SAID, NAY.
[Numbers 22:31] THEN THE LORD OPENED THE EYES OF BALAAM, AND HE SAW THE ANGEL OF
THE LORD STANDING IN THE WAY, AND HIS SWORD DRAWN IN HIS HAND: AND HE BOWED DOWN
HIS HEAD, AND FELL FLAT ON HIS FACE.
[Numbers 22:32] AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD SAID UNTO HIM, WHEREFORE HAST THOU
SMITTEN THINE ASS THESE THREE TIMES? BEHOLD, I WENT OUT TO WITHSTAND THEE,
BECAUSE THY WAY IS PERVERSE BEFORE ME:
[Numbers 22:33] AND THE ASS SAW ME, AND TURNED FROM ME THESE THREE TIMES: UNLESS
SHE HAD TURNED FROM ME, SURELY NOW ALSO I HAD SLAIN THEE, AND SAVED HER
ALIVE.
[Numbers 22:34] AND BALAAM SAID UNTO THE ANGEL OF THE LORD, I HAVE SINNED; FOR I
KNEW NOT THAT THOU STOODEST IN THE WAY AGAINST ME: NOW THEREFORE, IF IT
DISPLEASE THEE, I WILL GET ME BACK AGAIN.
[Numbers 22:35] AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD SAID UNTO BALAAM, GO WITH THE MEN: BUT
ONLY THE WORD THAT I SHALL SPEAK UNTO THEE, THAT THOU SHALT SPEAK. SO BALAAM
WENT WITH THE PRINCES OF BALAK.
[Numbers 22:36] AND WHEN BALAK HEARD THAT BALAAM WAS COME, HE WENT OUT TO MEET
HIM UNTO A CITY OF MOAB, WHICH IS IN THE BORDER OF ARNON, WHICH IS IN THE UTMOST
COAST.
[Numbers 22:37] AND BALAK SAID UNTO BALAAM, DID I NOT EARNESTLY SEND UNTO THEE
TO CALL THEE? WHEREFORE CAMEST THOU NOT UNTO ME? AM I NOT ABLE INDEED TO PROMOTE
THEE TO HONOUR?
Balak
was uptight about his invitation not being accepted the first time
round.
[Numbers 22:38] AND BALAAM SAID UNTO BALAK, LO, I AM COME UNTO THEE: HAVE I NOW
ANY POWER AT ALL TO SAY ANY THING? THE WORD THAT GOD PUTTETH IN MY MOUTH, THAT
SHALL I SPEAK.
s.4
Note by the Brit-Am Commentator:
Now and again we present before you ideas expressed by great Rabbis mostly from
the past. These ideas tie in with nuances in the Hebrew original and are worth
considering. This does not mean you have to accept what they say automatically.
Very few do that. Other Commentators have different opinions. We have been very
selective as to which opinions we quote from. Everyone should strive to reach
their own understanding of Scripture. Nevertheless the ideas we refer to, more
often than not, have an internal logic of their own. After consideration it is
hoped they will be found quite convincing.
[Numbers 22:39] AND BALAAM WENT WITH BALAK, AND THEY CAME UNTO KIRJATHHUZOTH.
KIRJATHHUZOTH:
#Kiryat
Chutsot#
literally #The City of Streets.# As if he wanted to emphasize the great numbers
of people the Israelites in his opinion were threatening. &
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