# Numbers 22 📖 [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[Numbers Overview]] | [[Numbers 21]] | [[Numbers 23]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]] [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts]] [[#🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference]] [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) ### Balaam Refuses to Curse Israel [[#Verse 01.]]  The Israelites traveled on and camped in the rift valley plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan River across from Jericho.  [[#Verse 02.]] Balak son of Zippor saw all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites.  [[#Verse 03.]] And the Moabites were greatly afraid of the people, because they were so numerous. The Moabites were sick with fear because of the Israelites. [[#Verse 04.]] So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “Now this mass of people will lick up everything around us, as the bull devours the grass of the field.” Now Balak son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at this time.  [[#Verse 05.]] And he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates River in the land of Amaw, to summon him, saying, “Look, a nation has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are settling next to me.  [[#Verse 06.]] So now, please come and curse this nation for me, for they are too powerful for me. Perhaps I will prevail so that we may conquer them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.” [[#Verse 07.]] So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fee for divination in their hands. They came to Balaam and reported to him the words of Balak.  [[#Verse 08.]] He replied to them, “Stay here tonight, and I will bring back to you whatever word the Lord may speak to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.  [[#Verse 09.]] And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”  [[#Verse 10.]] Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent a message to me, saying, [[#Verse 11.]] ‘Look, a nation has come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Come now and put a curse on them for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them and drive them out.’”  [[#Verse 12.]] But God said to Balaam, “You must not go with them; you must not curse the people, for they are blessed.” [[#Verse 13.]] So Balaam got up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land, for the Lord has refused to permit me to go with you.”  [[#Verse 14.]] So the princes of Moab departed and went back to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.” ### Balaam Accompanies the Moabite Princes [[#Verse 15.]] Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first.  [[#Verse 16.]] And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak son of Zippor: ‘Please do not let anything hinder you from coming to me.  [[#Verse 17.]] For I will honor you greatly, and whatever you tell me I will do. So come, put a curse on this nation for me.’” [[#Verse 18.]] Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the commandment of the Lord my God to do less or more.  [[#Verse 19.]] Now therefore, please stay the night here also, that I may know what more the Lord might say to me.”  [[#Verse 20.]] God came to Balaam that night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them, but the word that I will say to you, that you must do.”  [[#Verse 21.]] So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. ### God Opposes Balaam [[#Verse 22.]] Then God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him.  [[#Verse 23.]] And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, so the donkey turned aside from the road and went into the field. But Balaam beat the donkey, to make her turn back to the road. [[#Verse 24.]] Then the angel of the Lord stood in a path among the vineyards, where there was a wall on either side.  [[#Verse 25.]] And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pressed herself into the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So he beat her again. [[#Verse 26.]] Then the angel of the Lord went farther, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left.  [[#Verse 27.]] When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she crouched down under Balaam. Then Balaam was angry, and he beat his donkey with a staff. [[#Verse 28.]] Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”  [[#Verse 29.]] And Balaam said to the donkey, “You have made me look stupid; I wish there were a sword in my hand, for I would kill you right now.”  [[#Verse 30.]] The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey that you have ridden ever since I was yours until this day? Have I ever attempted to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.”  [[#Verse 31.]] Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his sword drawn in his hand; so he bowed his head and threw himself down with his face to the ground.  [[#Verse 32.]] The angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you because what you are doing is perverse before me.  [[#Verse 33.]] The donkey saw me and turned from me these three times. If she had not turned from me, I would have killed you but saved her alive.”  [[#Verse 34.]] Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood against me in the road. So now, if it is evil in your sight, I will go back home.”  [[#Verse 35.]] But the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you may only speak the word that I will speak to you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. ### Balaam Meets Balak [[#Verse 36.]] When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at a city of Moab that was on the border of the Arnon at the boundary of his territory.  [[#Verse 37.]] Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send again and again to you to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?”  [[#Verse 38.]] Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you. Now, am I able to speak just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.”  [[#Verse 39.]] So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth.  [[#Verse 40.]] And Balak sacrificed bulls and sheep, and sent some to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him.  [[#Verse 41.]] Then on the next morning Balak took Balaam, and brought him up to Bamoth Baal. From there he saw the extent of the nation. ## ==📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary== ###### Overall. ###### Verse 01. ###### Verse 02. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. ###### Verse 08. ###### Verse 09. ###### Verse 10. ###### Verse 11. ###### Verse 12. ###### Verse 13. ###### Verse 14. ###### Verse 15. ###### Verse 16. ###### Verse 17. ###### Verse 18. ###### Verse 19. ###### Verse 20. ###### Verse 21. ###### Verse 22. ###### Verse 23. ###### Verse 24. ###### Verse 25. ###### Verse 26. ###### Verse 27. ###### Verse 28. ###### Verse 29. ###### Verse 30. ###### Verse 31. ###### Verse 32. ###### Verse 33. ###### Verse 34. ###### Verse 35. ###### Verse 36. ###### Verse 37. ###### Verse 38. ###### Verse 39. ###### Verse 40. ###### Verse 41. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) Write down things that are not straight from commentary but interesting facts that ground the text in history. %% ## 🧠 Chapter Summary - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) Write a short paragraph (3–5 sentences) summarizing what happens in this chapter. - What is the main event or teaching? - How does this chapter fit the book’s overall story? - What stands out immediately? Anything Apologetic to point out? %% ## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) - 📌 Observation 1 - 📌 Observation 2 - 📌 Observation 3 - (Add more as needed.) %% %% #### Today, I can apply this chapter by: - ✅ Application 1 - ✅ Application 2 Make these very practical: - "Trust God's timing in an uncertain situation." - "Speak truth even when it’s unpopular." Think: - What do we learn about God here? - What do we learn about people? - Are there promises, commands, or warnings? %% ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) - 📖 [Verse Reference] – "Quote of important verse." - 📖 [Verse Reference] – "Quote of another important verse." (You can link to deeper notes if you want later.) %% ## 🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference - 🔗 coming soon. - 🔗 coming soon. %% Examples: - John 1:1 and Genesis 1 - Romans 5 and Genesis 3 %% ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) Write 3–6 sentences reflecting on: - How this chapter encourages your faith, - Convicts your heart, - Reveals God's character. Optional format: "In light of this chapter, I am challenged to..." or "I am comforted by..." %% ##### 📂 Internal Links/Personal Notes