Numbers 22:7, commentary and pictures

Israel had encamped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan near Jericho, having destroyed the Amorites and taken their land, and Moab was exceedingly terrified because Israel was mighty. Moab feared this company would consume everything around them as an ox consumes the grass of the field. Balak son of Zippor, king of the Moabites, led the response and sent the elders of Moab and of Midian to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor by the river. The messengers carried Balak's words and request to Balaam.

The elders came with the rewards of divination in their hands, valuable gifts and treasures, to hire Balaam to use divination, sorcery and enchantments against Israel. Their mission was to enlist a curse to counter the victories attributed to Israel's God so that Moab could prevail, strike Israel and drive them out. This was because Balak believed those Balaam blessed were blessed and those he cursed were cursed, and because the people that had come out of Egypt now covered the face of the earth, abode opposite him, and were too mighty for him. Balaam had once been a prophet of God and a good man, but he had apostatized, given himself to covetousness, and loved the wages of unrighteousness.

When the elders arrived, the presents excited his covetous disposition and his long-fostered desire for wealth, honor and the favor of God's enemies ruled him. Though he knew he should refuse them and knew what answer to give, he was double-minded, still professing to be God's prophet while seeking gain, so he greedily received the bribe, delayed the messengers, invited them to stay, and inquired of the Lord. His willingness to conform to a corrupt people who hated God, with selfishness and covetousness entering his heart and plans, opened his heart to Satan and blinded him to eternal things. His course became working contrary to God.

Balaam tried to use magic to curse Israel, but God forbade him and God's angels prevented him, and he acknowledged that he could not curse those whom God had not cursed. His curse could not harm Israel while they remained faithful to God, so Balak's moving him from place to place in repeated attempts to turn the blessing of Israel into a curse was vain. The verse illustrates how influential people may offer payment to secure a curse against God's people, and Balaam's example shows that people hinder God's work when they leave God out and put their own interests first. It also shows that when a person is sustained by divine power, human applause and fear of man are powerless to shake steadfastness.