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.
After Israel came out of Egypt and defeated the Amorites and Bashan and pitched in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, Balak son of Zippor saw that they were too mighty for him and with all Moab was exceedingly terrified. He sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor to come and curse this people so that he might prevail to smite them and drive them out of the land, resting on the conviction that he whom Balaam blessed was blessed and he whom he cursed was cursed. Balaam had been acknowledged as God's prophet but had apostatized through covetousness and love of reward, and though he knew his curse could not harm Israel while they remained true to God, Balak's praise flattered his pride and the promised reward stirred his greed so that he entertained the request with a heart that longed to curse them. God forbade him and by divine power controlled him, constraining him to pronounce the richest blessings upon Israel instead, for he could not curse those whom God had not cursed though Balak led him from point to point to change the blessing into a curse. This overruling displayed the goodness and mercy of God and gave Moab added evidence that Israel was God's chosen under His almighty protection, showing that human scheming is powerless to shake those who are sustained by divine power.
Setting and Balak's Appeal
Israel had come out of Egypt, defeated the Amorites and Bashan and taken their land, then moved forward to pitch in the plains of Moab by Jordan by Jericho near the border of Canaan. The people stood near the Jordan confident of entering the land while waiting for God's guidance. Balak the son of Zippor, king of the Moabites, saw that Israel was powerful and too mighty for him. He with all Moab was exceedingly terrified and in trouble, saying to the elders of Midian that this company would consume all around them as an ox consumes grass.
Acting from that terror, Balak sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor by the river to call him to curse Israel. He asked Balaam to come and curse this people so that he might prevail to smite them and drive them out of the land. He hoped the curse would make victory and expulsion possible, since Israel was too strong for him to meet in battle alone.
His request rested on the avowed conviction that he whom Balaam blessed was blessed and he whom Balaam cursed was cursed. He believed Balaam's blessing or curse could determine a people's fate and fortune, even over a whole nation as idolatrous nations believed. Moab thus sought sorcery to counter what it recognized as God's power protecting Israel, attempting to use Balaam for political gain against God's people.
Balaam Tested and Overruled
Balaam had once been acknowledged as a prophet of God and had been a good man, but he apostatized through covetousness and love of the wages of unrighteousness. He became double-minded, still professing to be God's prophet while seeking to gain and keep the favor and honor of God's enemies for reward. Had he been left to himself he would have misrepresented God's people.
He knew that his curse could not harm Israel while they remained true to God, because God was with them and His blessing rested upon them. He knew he could not curse those whom God had not cursed, and that magic attempted against them would be forbidden and prevented. Yet Balak's praise of his reputed supernatural power flattered his pride, and the promised reward and the presents in the messengers' hands stirred his greed and covetous disposition. Though he knew what answer to give, he told them to tarry that night till the Lord should speak to him, willing to entertain the request for wealth and honor. In this he worked against God's purpose through selfishness and covetousness, putting his own interests ahead of God, with a heart that longed to curse God's people for reward and that sought sorcery and political gain against them.
God forbade him, and by divine power and by angels prevented and controlled him, constraining him instead to pronounce upon Israel the richest and most sublime blessings. Balak conducted him from one point to another in the vain hope of inducing him to change the blessing into a curse, but the effort failed. This overruling displayed the goodness and mercy of God. It gave Moab and Midian added evidence that the mighty Jehovah was the God they should serve and that Israel was His chosen under His almighty protection, and it shone the last ray of light upon a stiff-necked people who had set their wills in defiance of God's will before their cup of iniquity became full. So the appeal illustrates repeated efforts to move a steadfast man from his firmness, which succeed no better against Luther than against Israel, since human applause and the fear of man are alike powerless to shake one who is sustained by a divine power.