BALAAM OPPOSES ISRAEL

The story of Balaam is found in the Book of Numbers in the Old Testament of the Bible. Balaam was a non-Israelite prophet who was asked by Balak, the king of Moab, to curse the Israelites who were encamped near his territory. Balak was afraid that the Israelites would attack and defeat him.

Balaam initially refused to curse the Israelites, telling Balak that he could only speak the words that God gave him. However, Balak persisted and offered Balaam a large sum of money. Balaam eventually agreed to go with Balak’s messengers, but God was angry with him for agreeing to curse the Israelites.

On the journey to Moab, Balaam’s donkey saw an angel of the Lord blocking the road and refused to move forward. Balaam beat the donkey, but then the Lord allowed the donkey to speak, and the animal asked why it was being mistreated. Balaam then saw the angel and realized his mistake.

When Balaam finally arrived in Moab, he blessed the Israelites instead of cursing them. Balak was angry and accused Balaam of betraying him, but Balaam explained that he could only speak the words that God gave him.

Later on, Balaam gave advice to Balak on how to defeat the Israelites by seducing them into worshiping the Moabite gods. This led to a plague among the Israelites, but ultimately they were victorious in battle.

Balaam’s story is seen as a cautionary tale about the dangers of greed and compromising one’s principles for personal gain. It also highlights the importance of listening to God’s guidance and being faithful to His commands.