Lesson	& Balaam&and&His&Talking&Ass& (22:$1$ $25:$18)$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 1%
Lesson$#8$brought$bad$news$and$good$news.$$The$bad$news?$$Moses $sister$ Miriam,$who$fished$baby$Moses$out$of$the$Nile$River$and$brought$him$to$ Pharaoh s$daughter,$died$in$the$wilderness$of$zin;$aaron,$who$had$ accompanied$moses$in$his$showdown$with$pharaoh$in$egypt,$died$at$mount$ Hor;$Moses$himself$rebelled$against$God,$resulQng$in$God$forbidding$Moses$ to$enter$the$promised$land;$edom$forbade$the$israelites$from$passing$ through$their$territory,$a$requirement$for$their$journey$to$canaan;$and$the$ enqre$israelite$community$camped$on$a$pile$of$venomous$vipers,$and$many$ of$them$were$biven$and$died.$$alone$and$sinking$in$a$swamp$of$bad$news,$ Moses $most$difficult$days$were$yet$to$come.$ The$good$news?$$The$Israelites$defeated$the$king$of$Arad$in$the$Negev$ desert,$and$they$defeated$both$sihon,$king$of$the$amorites,$and$og$king$of$ Bashan their$first,$small$military$victories,$giving$the$israelites$some$much] needed$encouragement.$& Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 2%
Lesson$#9$offers$one$of$the$great$comic$stories$in$the$Bible.$$The$king$of$Edom$ has$blocked$the$israelites$from$traveling$up$the$king s$highway,$north$through$ the$eastern$mountain$range,$so$the$israelites$divert$west$to$kadesh]barnea,$ the$oasis$in$the$wilderness$of$zin$where$they$stay$for$the$majority$of$their$39$ years$in$the$wilderness.$$toward$the$end$of$the$39$years,$however,$moses$ leads$the$israelites$across$the$king s$highway,$and$they$enter$the$plains$of$ Jericho$from$the$east$by$the$desert$route,$through$the$backdoor$of$Moab.$$$ Balak,$king$of$Moab,$is$terrified$of$the$Israelites,$who$have$already$defeated$ three$kings,$and$who$in$their$great$numbers$will$ devour&everything&.&.&.&as&an& ox&devours&the&grass&of&the&field &(22:$4).$$$Knowing$he$cannot$defeat$the$ Israelites,$Balak$summons$help$from$a$famous$prophet$in$the$east,$Balaam$son$ of$beor.$$perhaps$balaam,$in$his$great$power,$will$curse$the$israelites$for$balak,$ and$thereby$cause$their$defeat.$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 3%
Balaam,$envisioning$a$large$payment$for$his$services,$agrees$to$speak$with$the$ Moabite$king.$$Balaam s$skill$at$the$bargaining$table$increases$the$price$of$his$ services$to$an$astronomical$level.$$on$the$way$to$complete$his$job,$god$slows$ Balaam$down$by$sending$an$angel$to$stand$on$the$road,$blocking$Balaam s$ass.$$ Balaam$can t$see$the$angel,$but$his$ass$can!$$aeer$beaqng$his$ass$twice$for$ stopping,$the$third$qme$the$ass$finally$talks$back$to$balaam and$balaam$ argues$with$him.$$it s$a$hilarious$scene!$ In$the$end,$Balaam$is$unable$to$curse$the$Israelites,$blessing$them$three$Qmes$ instead,$so$balak$fires$the$prophet,$and$that s$the$last$we$see$of$him.$ Or$is$it?$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 4%
To$this$point$in$our$story,$the$Israelites$have:$ 1. Lee$Mt.$Sinai,$aVempQng$to$travel$north$on$ the$king s$highway$to$the$plains$of$jericho.$ 2. The$king$of$Edom,$however,$refuses$to$allow$ Moses$and$his$2$million$Israelites$to$travel$ through$his$territory,$threatening$them$with$ war$if$they$try.$ 3. Consequently,$Moses$diverts$west$to$the$oasis$ at$kadesh]barnea,$where$the$israelites$spend$ the$next$37$or$so$years.$ 4. Desperately$needing$to$complete$the$task$God$ has$given$him,$moses$makes$a$bold$move:$$he$ leaves$the$relaqve$safety$of$kadesh]barnea,$ travels$east$across&the$king s$highway,$and$he$ journeys$north$by$the$rugged$and$dangerous$$ desert$route,$entering$the$eastern$plain$of$ Jericho$through$the$backdoor$of$Moab.$ 5. Along$the$way$the$Israelites$defeat$the$king$of$ Arad,$who$ruled$the$Negev;$Sihon$king$of$the$ Amorites;$and$Og$king$of$Bashan.$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 5%
The$Wilderness$Years$ (1445$ $1406$B.C.)$ MOAB$ Kadesh]barnea$!$ EDOM$.$ Mt.$Sinai$!$ MIDIAN$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 6%
Remember,$ancient$warfare$was$ basically:$$ Beat&up&your&neighbor& and&take&his&stuff! & The$poeEc&reason$for$fighQng$the$Trojan$War$in$ The&Iliad&is$to$get$back$ Helen$of$Troy, $ Menelaus s$$wife$who$ran$off$with$paris,$the$ prince$of$troy;$$the$pracecal&reason$is$to$control$ the$ancient$mariqme$trade$routes$by$controlling$ the$entrance$to$the$dardanelles,$which$links$the$ Mediterranean$and$Aegean$Seas$to$the$northern$ Black$Sea.$ Likewise,$the$poeEc&reason$for$invading$the$ Promised$Land $is$to$fulfill$god s$promise$of$ real$estate$to$abraham,$isaac$and$jacob;$the$ pracecal&reason$is$to$control$the$land$bridge$ linking$europe,$asia$and$africa$and$thus$control$ the$power$and$wealth$of$the$ancient$world.$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 7%
Mask&of&Agamemnon&(gold),$16 th $century$b.c.$ NaQonal$Archaeological$Museum,$Athens.$ [Discovered&by&Heinrich&Schliemann&in&1886&in&Tomb&5,& Grave&Circle&A,&Mycenae,&Greece.]&& We$shouldn t$confuse$the$ kings $ in$this$story$with$the$later$concept$ of$a$ruler$over$a$sovereign$naqon.$$$ A$ king $at$this$point$in$our$ narraqve$is$more$akin$to$a$tribal$ warlord,$much$as$we$encounter$ kings $among$the$various$ Achaeans$in$The&Iliad,$such$as$ Odysseus$king$of$Ithaca,$$Menelaus$ king$of$sparta$and$agamemnon$ king$of$mycenae,$who$leads$a$ coaliqon$of$achaean$ kings $to$ avack$troy.& Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 8%
Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 9%
KINGDOM$ OF$OG$ Jordan$River$!$ Yarmuk$River$ Dead$Sea$!% Jabbok$River$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 10%
Jordan$River$!$ Jericho$ Plain$of$Jericho$ Plain$of$Moab$ Eastern$Mountain$Range$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 11%
Eastern$Mountain$Range$ (Mountains$of$Moab)$ Jordan$River$ $ $ $ $ $Plain$of$Moab$ Plain$of$Jericho$ Photography&by&Ana&Maria&Vargas& Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 12%
When$the$Israelites$arrive$on$the$plain$of$ Moab,$their$reputaQon$precedes$them.$$ Everyone&knew$what$happened$in$Egypt,$ and$what$happened$to$sihon$and$og,$kings$ of$the$amorites$and$of$bashan.$$in$joshua,$ it$is$rahab$the$harlot$who$tells$the$israelite$ spies:$$$ [W]e&have&heard&how&the&Lord&dried&up&the& waters&of&the&red&sea&before&you&when&you& came&out&of&egypt,&and&what&you&did&to&sihon& and&og,&the&two&kings&of&the&amorites&beyond& the&jordan,&whom&you&destroyed&under&the&ban.&& We&heard,&and&our&hearts&melted&within&us;& everyone&is&u\erly&dispirited&because&of&you,& since&the&lord,&your&god,&is&god&in&heaven&above& and&on&earth&below. && & & & & &(Joshua$2:$10]11)$$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 13%
It$is$liVle$wonder$then$that$the$king$ of$moab$says$to$the$elders$of$ Midian,$ Now&this&horde&will&devour& everything&around&us&as&an&ox& devours&the&grass&of&the& field $(Numbers$22:$4).$$Like$a$ rabbit$frozen$in$the$headlights$of$an$ oncoming$car,$moab$stands$ paralyzed$in$the$face$of$god s$ people,$over$half$a$million$strong,$ staging$for$war$on$the$plain$next$ door.$$$ Only$supernatural$help$will$suffice.$$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 14%
When$the$king$of$Moab$says$to$the$elders$of$Midian,$ Now& this&horde&will&devour&everything&around&us&as&an&ox& devours&the&grass&of&the&field $and$then$sends$a$message$ to$balaam$saying,$ A&people&has&come&out&of&Egypt!&&They& have&covered&up&the&earth&.&.&. &&(Numbers$22:$4,$5),&the$ Hebrew$echoes$the$plague$of$locusts$in$Egypt,$and$how$ they&covered&up&the&surface&of&the&whole&land &and$ devoured&all&the&vegetaeon&in&the&land &(Exodus$10:$15).$ NoQce:$ $ $devour $ $ $covered$up$ $(Numbers$22:$4,$5)$ $ $A $ $ $ $B$ $ $B $ $ $ $A $ $covered$up $ $devoured $(Exodus$10:$15) $$ That s$a$very$nice,$beauqfully]executed$chiasqc$parallel$ that$heightens$the$moabites $visceral$sense$of$fear$and$ loathing,$idenqfying$the$israelites$with$a$hoard$of$ creeping,$swarming$locusts$moving$inexorably$forward.$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 15%
At that time Balak, son of Zippor, was king of Moab; and he sent messengers to Balaam, son of Beor, at Pethor on the river, in the land of the Ammonites, to summon him with these words, A people has come out of Egypt! They have covered up the earth and are settling down opposite me! Now come, curse this people for me, since they are stronger than I am. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed and whoever you curse is cursed. (22: 4-6) Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 16%
Clearly,$Balaam$is$a$seer$of$no$ ordinary$ability.$$brought$all$the$way$ from$pethor,$a$town$located$on$the$ west$bank$of$the$euphrates$river$ about$twelve$miles$from$ Carchemish,$his$fame$preceded$him,$ as$israel s$preceded$it.$$to$avract$ Balaam,$the$elders$of$Moab$and$ Midian$offer$him$a$heey$sum,$given$ his$prodigious$reputaqon.$$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 17%
Asia$Minor$ (Turkey)$ "$Carchemish$ Euphrates$River$ Cyprus$ Pethor$ Syria$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 18%
Any$pagan$seer$was$accustomed$to$ consulqng$a$variety$of$gods$on$any$ number$of$mavers.$$learning$that$ he$was$to$curse$the$israelites,$ Balaam$wisely$decides$to$consult$ the$israelite$god$before$accepqng$ the$job.$$and$god$accommodates$ him.$$aeer$telling$the$moabite/ Midianite$delegaQon$to$ stay&here& overnight,&and&i&will&give&you& whatever&answer&the&lord&gives& me $(22:$8),$Balaam$receives$God s$ message$forbidding$him$to$curse$the$ Israelites.$$$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 19%
Henry$Fuseli.&&Tiresias&Appears&to&Ulysses& &(watercolor$and$tempera$on$cardboard),$c.$1780.$ AlberQna$Museum,$Vienna.$$$ Seers$were$common$in$ancient$literature,$and$ Tiresias$was$perhaps$the$most$famous$of$them$ all.$$a$prophet$of$apollo,$he$was$transformed$by$ Hera$(Zeus $wife)$into$a$woman$for$seven$years,$ aeer$striking$two$copulaqng$snakes!$ Later,$he$was$drawn$into$an$argument$between$ Zeus$and$Hera$concerning$who$had$the$greatest$ pleasure$during$sex,$a$man$or$a$woman.$$having$ experienced$both,$tiresias$replies,$a$woman,$for$ of$ten$parts$a$man$enjoys$only$one. $$For$his$ impiety,$hera$strikes$him$blind.$ In$Sophocles $Oedipus&the&King,$Oedipus$asks$ Tiresias$to$help$him$discover$who$killed$the$ previous$king,$and$tiresias$famously$appears$to$ Odysseus$in$book$XI$of$The&Odyssey,$as$ Odysseus$journeys$to$the$land$of$the$dead.$ Curiously,$Tiresias$is$oeen$idenQfied$with$the$ paired$serpents$on$the$caduceus,$a$faint$link$to$ Moses $ brazen$serpent. $ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 20%
God s$reply$provides$balaam$with$both$a$ problem$and$an$opportunity.$$balaam$ delivers$the$message$to$the$delegaqon$as$ God$has$given$it,$and$they$are$obviously$ disappointed,$but$in$delivering$the$message$ Balaam$sees$the$opportunity$to$negoQate$a$ higher$fee:$$aeer$all,$he$has$spoken$to$the$ Israelite$god,$and$the$god$has$spoken$to$ him,$so$he$has$clearly$made$contact the$ first$step$in$any$negoqaqon.$$$ And$his$strategy$works.$$The$first$delegaQon$ returns$home,$and$balak$sends$other$ princes$ who&were&more&numerous&and& more&disenguished&than&the&others $(22:$ 15).$$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 21%
They$say,$$ Thus&says&Balak,&son&of&Zippor:&&Please&do& not&refuse&to&come&to&me.&&i&will&reward&you& very&handsomely&and&will&do&anything&you& ask&of&me.&&come,&lay&a&curse&on&this&people& for&me. && & & & & &(22:16]17)$$$ The$offer$of$an$increased$fee$is$on$ the$table.$$no$amateur$in$such$ mavers,$balaam$replies,$ Even&if& Balak&gave&me&his&house&full&of& silver&and&gold,&i&could¬&do& anything&small&or&great,&contrary&to& the&command&of&the&lord,&my& God $(22:18]19).$$$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 22%
Balaam$clearly$has$the$reputaQon$ as$a$mighty$seer;$he$has$made$ contact$with$the$israelite$god;$and$ he$now$claims$an$inqmate$ relaqonship$with$him,$referring$to$ him$as$ the$lord,$my$god. $$$It$ may$take$balak s& house&full&of& silver&and&gold, $but$the$mighty$ seer$just$may$convince$this$god$to$ allow$him$to$curse$the$israelites.$$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 23%
And$that$night$the$Lord$seemingly$ relents,$encouraging$balaam s$line$ of$thinking:$$rather$than$forbidding$ Balaam$to$go$any$further$with$the$ game,$the$lord$says:$$ If&these&men&have&come&to&summon&you,& go&back&with&them;&yet&only&on&the& condieon&that&you&do&exactly&as&i&tell&you. $$ $ $ $ $ $ $(22:$20)$$$ Could$it$be$that$God$will$sell$out$the$ Israelites if$only$the$fee$is$high$ enough?$$$ Surely,$Balaam$must$think$so.$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 24%
Early$the$next$morning$Balaam$gets$ up,$saddles$his$ass$and$goes$with$ the$princes$of$moab.$$balaam s$plan$ is$progressing$nicely.$$the$fee$for$ divinaqon$has$increased$and$ Balaam$has$opened$the$door$to$ increasing$it$further,$while$god$has$ seemingly$opened$the$door$to$ allowing$balaam$to$curse$the$ Israelites$and$to$collect$his$fee.$$$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 25%
But, &we$read$ now&god s&anger& flared&up&at&him&for&going&.&.&. &(22:$ 22).$$Certainly,$God$is$not$angry$ because$balaam$went$with$the$ delegaqon,$for$god$allowed$him$to$ go;$more$likely$he$is$angry$because$ of$balaam s$impudence,$thinking$ that$he$can$manipulate$god$into$ cursing$the$israelites if$only$the$fee$ is$high$enough.$$if$this$is$the$case,$ Balaam$would$indeed$be$the$great$ seer$he$imagines,$rather$than$the$ blind$ass$he$truly$is.$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 26%
Along$the$road$God$opens$Balaam s$ eyes.$$$ In$a$hilarious$scene,$Balaam s$ass$ encounters$the$angel$of$the$lord$ three$qmes:$$the$first$qme,$she$ simply$turns$aside,$and$balaam$ beats$her;$the$second,$she$pushes$ close$to$a$wall,$crushing$balaam s$ foot,$and$he$beats$her$again;$and$ the$third,$she$lays$down$under$ Balaam,$and$he$beats$her$with$his$ staff.$$$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 27%
In$the$ Three$LiVle$Pigs, $the$big,$bad$wolf$ huffs$and$puffs$and$blows$down$the$house$ made$of$straw$and$the$house$made$of$ sqcks,$but$he$fails$to$blow$down$the$house$ made$of$bricks.$ Likewise,$in$ Goldilocks$and$the$Three$ Bears, $the$bears$find$the$porridge$too$hot,$ too$cold$and$then,$just$right;$and$the$beds$ too$hard,$too$soe$and$then,$just$right.$ This$is$a$classic$3]part$ encounter,$typical$of$countless$ folktales,$such$as$the$ Three$ LiVle$Pigs $and$ Goldilocks$and$ the$three$bears. $$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 28%
The$third$Qme,$in$a$stroke$of$divine$inspiraQon,$ God$opens$the$ass s$mouth$and$she$says,$ What& have&i&done&to&you&that&you&beat&me&these&three& Emes? $$$ Rather$than$stand$back,$astonished$at$a$talking$ ass,$balaam$erupts$in$anger:$$ You&have&acted&so& willfully&against&me&.&.&.&that&if&i&only&had&a& sword&in&my&hand,&i&would&kill&you&here&and& now. &&& The$comedy$is$only$heightened$as$the$ass$calmly$ replies:$$ Am&I¬&your&[ass],&on&which&you&have& always&ridden&unel&now?&&have&i&been&in&the& habit&of&treaeng&you&this&way&before? && No, $he$ replies$sullenly,$as$it$dawns$on$him$what$he$is$ doing holding$a$conversaqon$with$an$ass$$ (22:$28]30)!$$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 29%
Apart$from$the$serpent$in$Genesis$3,$ this$is$the$only$talking$animal$in$ Scripture and$it s$really$funny!$ Only$Shakespeare s$midsummer& Night s&dream$has$a$scene$of$ comparable$humor$when$titania,$the$ faerie$queen,$falls$in$love$with$ BoVom,$a$comic$figure$who$has$been$ transformed$into$a$man$with$an$ass s$ head.$$$ This$is$an$uproariously$funny$moment$ in$scripture,$as$it$is$in$shakespeare!$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 30%
What&have&I&done& to&you&that&you& beat&me&these&three& Emes? &! Rembrandt.$Balaam&and&His&Ass&(oil$on$oak$panel),$$1626.$ Musée$Cognacq]Jay,$Paris.$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 31%
Edwin$Henry$Landseer.$Titania&and&Bo\om&(oil$on$canvas),$c.$1850.$ NaQonal$Gallery$of$Victoria,$Melbourne.$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 32%
Then the Lord opened Balaam s eyes, so that he saw the angel of the Lord standing on the road with sword drawn; and he knelt and bowed down to the ground. But the angel of the Lord said to him: Why have you beaten your [ass] these three times? I have come as an adversary because this rash journey of yours is against my will. When the [ass] saw me, she turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away from me, you are the one I would have killed, though I would have spared her. (22: 31-33) Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 33%
So,$it$turns$out$ that$balaam$is$ the$real&ass$in$ the$story!$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 34%
Then Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, I have sinned. Yet I did not know that you took up a position to oppose my journey. Since it has displeased you, I will go back home. But the angel of the Lord said to Balaam: Go with the men; but you may say only what I tell you. So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak. (22: 34-35) Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 35%
We$then$read$that& the&next&morning& Balak&took&Balaam&up&on&Bamothfbaal,& and&from&there&he&could&see&some&of&the& people &(22:$41).$ Aeer$building$7$altars$and$sacrificing$7$ bulls$and$7$rams,$balaam$says$to$balak:$ Stand&here&by&your&burnt&offering&while&I&go& over&there.&&perhaps&the&lord&will&meet&me,& and&then&i&will&tell&you&whatever&he&lets&me& see &.&.&.&[Then]$the&Lord&put&an&u\erance&in& Balaam s&mouth,&and&said:&& Go&back&to&Balak,& and&speak&accordingly. &&So&he&went&back&to& Balak,&who&was&sEll&standing&by&his&burnt& offering&together&with&all&the&princes&of&moab.&& Then&Balaam&recited&this&poem:& Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 36%
From Aram Balak has led me here, Moab s king, from the mountains of Qedem. How can I lay a curse on the one whom God has not cursed? How denounce the one whom the Lord has not denounced? For from the top of the crags I see him, from the heights I behold him. Here is a people that lives apart and does not reckon itself among the nations. Who has ever counted the dust of Jacob, who numbered Israel s dust-cloud. May I die the death of the just, may my end be like theirs. (23: 3-10) Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 37%
Of$course,$Balak$is$furious$that$ Balaam$has$blessed,$not$cursed$ the$israelites:$ What&have&you&done&to&me? &&cried& Balak&to&Balaam.&& It&was&to&lay&a&curse& on&my&foes&that&i&brought&you&here;&but& instead&you&have&blessed&them! &&Balaam& replied,& Is&it¬&what&the&Lord&puts&in&my& mouth&that&i&take&care&to&repeat? & $ $ $ $ $(23:$11]12)$ $ $ $ $$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 38%
The$1 st $curse$didn t$work;$instead,$ Balaam$pronounced$a$mild$blessing$on$ the$israelites.$$so$let s$try$it$again:$ Then&Balak&said&to&him,& Please&come&with& me&to&another&place&from&which&you&can&see& them;&but&you&will&see&only&some,¬&all&of& them,&and&from&there&lay&a&curse&on&them&for& me. &&So&he&brought&him&to&a&lookout&post&on& the&top&of&pisgah,&where&[again]$he&built&seven& altars&and&offered&a&bull&and&a&ran&on&each&of& them.& $ $ $ $ $(23:$13]14)$ From$the$new$locaQon$Balaam$can$see$ more$israelites$than$he$could$from$the$ previous$spot.$$again,$balaam$leaves$ Balak$and$God$meets$with$him:$$Balaam$ then$recites$his$2 nd $poem:$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 39%
Rise, Balak, and listen; give ear to my testimony, son of Zippor! God is not a human being who speaks falsely, nor a mortal, who feels regret. Is God one to speak and not act, to decree and not bring it to pass? I was summoned to bless; I will bless; I cannot revoke it! Misfortune I do not see in Jacob, nor do I see misery in Israel. The Lord, their God, is with them; among them is the war-cry of their King. They have the like of a wild ox s horns; God who brought them out of Egypt. Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 40%
No, there is no augury against Jacob, nor divination against Israel. Now it is said of Jacob, of Israel, Look what God has done! Here is a people that rises up like a lioness, and gets up like a lion; It does not rest till it has devoured its prey and has drunk the blood of the slain. (23: 18-24) Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 41%
This$Qme$Balak$is$even&more& furious.$$balaam$blessed$the$ Israelites$the$1 st $Qme,$but$the$2 nd $ Qme$the$blessing$is$even$more$ detailed$and$intense!$ Balak$exclaimed:$$$ Neither&lay&a&curse&on&them&nor&bless& them, &said&balak&to&balaam.&&[in$other$ words,$ If$you$can t$say$something$bad,$ don t$say$anything$at$all! ]$$But&Balaam& answered&balak,& Did&I¬&tell&you,& everything&the&lord&tells&me&i&must&do? & $ $ $ $ $(23:$25]26)$ $ $ $ $$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 42%
Maybe$the$3 rd $Qme s$the$charm?$ Then&Balak&said&to&Balaam,& Come,&let&me& bring&you&to&another&place;&perhaps&god&will& approve&of&your&laying&a&curse&on&them&from& there. &&So&he&took&Balaam&to&the&top&of&Peor,& that&overlooks&jeshimon.&&& $ $ $ $ $(23:$13]14)$ From$this$3 rd $locaqon$balaam$can$see$all& of$the$israelites.$$this$qme,$when$balaam$ saw&israel&encamped,&tribe&by&tribe,&the& spirit&of&god&came&upon&him, &and$he$ recites$his$3 rd $poem:$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 43%
The oracle of Balaam, son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is true, The oracle of one who hears what God says, and knows what the Most High knows, Of one who sees what the Almighty sees, in rapture and with eyes unveiled: How pleasant are your tents, Jacob; your encampments, Israel! Like palm trees spread out, like gardens beside a river, Like aloes the Lord planted, like cedars beside water; Water will drip from their buckets, their seed will have plentiful water; Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 44%
The king will rise higher than Agag and their dominion will be exalted. They have the like of a wild ox s horns God who brought them out of Egypt. They will devour hostile nations, break their bones, and crush their loins. Crouching, they lie like a lion, or like a lioness, who will arouse them? Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you! (24: 3-9) Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 45%
Now$Balak$is$livid&with$rage:$ In&a&blaze&of&anger&at&Balaam,&Balak& clapped&his&hands&and&said&to&him.&& It& was&to&lay&a&curse&on&my&foes&that&i& summoned&you&here;&yet&three&emes&now& you&have&actually&blessed&them!&&now& flee&to&your&home.&&i&promised&to&reward& you&richly,&but&the&lord&has&withheld&the& reward&from&you! &&Balaam&replied&to& Balak,& Did&I¬&even&tell&the&messengers& whom&you&sent&to&me,& Even&if&Balak&gave& me&his&house&full&of&silver&and&gold,&i& could¬&of&my&own&accord&do&anything,& good&or&evil,&contrary&to&the&command&of& the&lord? &&Whatever&the&Lord&says&I&must& say. & $ $ $ $ $(24:$10]13)$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 46% $ $ $ $$
So,$just$as$in$the$ Three$LiVle$ Pigs $and$ Goldilocks$and$the$ Three$Bears, $each$iteraqon$of$ Balaam$escalates,$leading$to$a$ dramaqc$conclusion.$$$ Summarily$fired,$Balaam$takes$his$ last$shot,$his$dénouement:$ But&now&that&I&am&about&to&go&to&my& own&people,&let&me&warn&you&what&this& people&will&do&to&your&people&in&the&days& to&come.&&then&he&recited&his&[4 th ]$poem:& $ $ $ $$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 47%
The oracle of Balaam, son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is true, The oracle of one who hears what God says, and knows what the Most High knows, Of one who sees what the Almighty sees, in rapture and with eyes unveiled: I see him, though not now; I observe him, though not near: A star shall advance from Jacob, and a scepter shall rise from Israel, That will crush the brows of Moab and the skull of all the Sethites. Edom will be dispossessed and no survivor is left in Seir. Israel will act boldly, and Jacob will rule his foes. Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 48%
Upon seeing Amalek, Balaam recited his poem: First of the nations is Amalek, but their end is to perish forever. Upon seeing the Kenites, he recited his poem: Though your dwelling is safe, and your nest is set on a cliff; Yet Kain will be destroyed when Asshur takes you captive. Upon seeing the Ishmaelites he recited his poem: Alas, who shall survive of Ishmael, to deliver them from the hands of the Kittim? When they have conquered Asshur and conquered Eber, they too shall perish forever. (24: 15-24) Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 49%
NoQce$how$Balaam$projects$his$oracle$far$ beyond$the$defeat$of$moab;$in$the$future$moab$ will$indeed$be$destroyed,$but$balaam$extends$his$ prophecy$to$include$the$total$destrucqon$of$$the$ Amlekites,$Kenites$and$Ishmaelites.$ In$a$polytheisQc$culture$such$as$that$mirrored$in$ the$hebrew$scriptures,$such$ancient$seers$as$ Balaam,$Tiresias$and$the$oracle$of$Apollo$at$ Delphi$receive$special$wisdom,$power$and$ understanding$from$a$variety$of$deiqes,$which$ includes$foreseeing$future$events.$$$ It$should$come$as$no$surprise,$then,$that$in$the$ Hebrew$Scriptures$Balaam$funcQons$as$an$oracle$ for$yhwh.$$$ $ $ $ $$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 50%
NoQce,$too,$how$ blindness/seeing $ forms$a$themaqc$thread$throughout$the$ Balaam$narraQve,$obviously$in$Balaam s$ ass$seeing$the$angel,$while$balaam$can t,$ but$also$throughout$the$four$oracles.$$ Here s$an$example$from$oracle$#4:$ The&oracle&of&Balaam,&son&of&Beor,& &the&oracle&of&the&man&whose&eye&is&true,& The&oracle&of&one&who&hears&what&God&says,& &and&knows&what&the&most&high&knows,& Of&one&who&sees&what&the&Almighty&sees,& &in&rapture&and&with&eyes&unveiled:& I&see&him,&though¬&now;& &I&observe&him,&though¬&near&.&.&.&. & $ $ $ $ $ $(24:$15]17)$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 51% $ $ $ $$
So,$Balak$sends$Balaam$packing,$ unpaid.$$it$seems$like$this$is$the$end$ of$the$story but$it s$not.$$we$read$ in$numbers$25 the$very$next$ chapter:$ While&Israel&was&living&at&Shiim,&the&people& profaned&themselves&by&prosetueng&themselves& [literally,$ whoring$with ]$the&moabite&women.&& These&then&invited&the&people&to&the&sacrifices&to& their&god,&and&the&people&ate&of&the&sacrifices& and&bowed&to&their&god.&israel&thereby&a\ached& itself&to&the&baal&of&peor,&and&the&lord s&anger& flared&up&against&israel. && $ $ $ $ $ $(25:1]3)$$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 52%
PosiQoning$this$story$immediately& aeer$the$balaam$story$should$raise$ the$quesqon$in$our$minds:$$ Why$ did$the$israelite$men$do$this? $$$ In$the$first$commandment,$God$ specifically$forbade$such$behavior:$$ I&am&the&Lord&your&God,&who& brought&you&out&of&the&land&of& Egypt,&out&of&the&house&of&slavery.&& You&shall&have&no&other&gods&beside& me &(Exodus$20:2]3).$$And$only$a$ few$verses$earlier$moab$was$about$ to$go$to$war$with$israel!$$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 53%
So,$what s$going$on$here?$$$perhaps$ Balaam$did$not$return$home$aeer$ all.$$perhaps,$unwilling$to$give$up$his$ fee$for$divinaqon, $Balaam$ returned$to$balak$with$a$ Plan$B. $$ Perhaps$it$was$Balaam s$idea$to$ have$the$moabite$women$seduce$ the$israelite$men$and$subdue$them$ through$sexual$favors.$$$ Such$a$reading$may$seem$ farfetched,$but$when$we$turn$to$ Numbers$31$we$encounter$strong$ evidence$that$this$is$precisely$what$ happened:$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 54%
Moses told the people, Arm some men among you for the campaign, to attack Midian and to execute the Lord s vengeance on Midian. From each of the tribes of Israel you will send a thousand men to the campaign. From the contingents of Israel, therefore, a thousand men of each tribe were levied, so that there were twelve thousand men armed for war.... They waged war against the Midianites, as the Lord had commanded Moses, and killed every male. Besides those slain in battle, they killed the kings of Midian: Evi Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba, the five kings of Midian; and they also killed Balaam, son of Beor, with the sword. (31: 1-4; 7-8) Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 55%
So,$Balaam$did$not$go$ home$aeer$all.$$he$ A+$ was$living$with$the$ Midianites!$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 56%
And$when$the$Israelites$fail$to$kill$the$ capqve$midianite$women,$moses$ thunders:$$$ So&you&have&spared&all&the&women! &he& exclaimed.&& These&are&the&very&ones&who&on& Balaam s&advice&were&behind&the&israelites & unfaithfulness&to&the&lord&in&the&affair&at& Peor,&so&that&plague&struck&the&Lord s& community.&&now&kill,&therefore,&every&male& among&the&children&and&kill&every&woman& who&has&had&sexual&relaeons&with&a&man.&&but& you&may&spare&for&yourselves&all&the&girls&who& have¬&had&sexual&relaeons. && $ $ $ $ $(31:$15]18)$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 57%
Apart$from$the$very$troubling$ending,$ where$the$israelites$kill$all$the$women$ and$male$children,$keeping$for$ themselves$the$midianite$virgins,$ assimilaqon$into$the$surrounding$ cultures$and$the$worship$of$their$gods$ posed$the$greatest$danger$for$the$ Israelites.$$Indeed,$no$sooner$do$the$ Israelites$conquer$the$Promised$Land$ than$we$read$in$judges:$$$ So&the&Israelites&se\led&among&the& Canaanites,&Hiites,&Amorites,&Perizzites,& Hivites&and&Jebusites.&&They&took&their& daughters&in&marriage,&and&gave&their&own& daughters&to&their&sons&in&marriage,&and& served&their&gods. && $ $ $ $ $(Judges$3:$5]6)$$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 58%
A+$ In$the$New$Testament$we$find$Peter$ comparing$the$avaricious$moqves$of$false$ teachers$to$ the&road&of&balaam,&the&son&of& Beor,&who&loved&the&payment&for& wrongdoing &(1$Peter$2:15),$and$Jude$calls$ down$woe$on$false$teachers$who$ have& abandoned&themselves&to&balaam s&error&for& the&sake&of&gain $(Jude$11).$$$ The$final$allusion$to$Balaam$occurs$in$ RevelaQon,$where$the$Lord$casQgates$the$ church$in$pergamum$for$having$ people&there& who&hold&to&the&teaching&of&balaam,&who& instructed&balak&to&put&a&stumbling&block& before&them:&&to&eat&food&sacrificed&to&idols& and&to&play&the&harlot. $(RevelaQon$2:14]15).$$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 59%
In$Scripture,$Balaam$becomes$an$ emblem$of$corrupt$teaching$for$ gain,$teaching$that$undermines$ the$word$of$god$by$suggesqng$ accommodaqon$to$the$dominant$ pagan$culture.$$$ The$full$meaning$of$the$Balaam$ story$only$emerges$when$we$read$ it$in$the$context$of$our$enqre$ biblical$narraqve,$stressing$the$ importance,$as$we$noted$in$lesson$ #1,$of$reading$Scripture$with$a$ wide]angle$lens,$as$well$as$with$a$ macro$lens.$$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 60%
So,$there$you$ have$it!$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 61%
1. In$our$narraQve,$why$do$you$think$God$spoke$ through$the$pagan$seer,$balaam?$ 2. What$evidence$can$you$point$to$that$suggests$ Balaam$negoQates$a$higher$fee$for$divinaQon$ than$he$was$iniqally$offered?$$ 3. What$funcQon$does$the$ talking$ass $story$serve$ in$the$narraqve?$ 4. With$each$oracle$Balaam s$blessing$of$the$ Israelites$becomes$more$specific$and$more$ intense,$ending$in$his$dénouement.$$this$is$really$ good$story]telling$technique.$$can$you$think$of$ other$examples$like$it?$$$ 5. What$is$the$ error$of$balaam?$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 62%
Copyright$ $2015$by$Logos$EducaQonal$CorporaQon$ All$rights$reserved.$No$part$of$this$course audio,$video,$photography,$ maps,$qmelines$or$other$media may$be$reproduced$or$transmived$ in$ any$ form$ by$ any$ means,$ electronic$ or$ mechanical,$ including$ photocopying,$ recording$ or$ by$ any$ informaqon$ storage$ or$ retrieval$ devices$without$permission$in$wriqng$or$a$licensing$agreement$from$ the$copyright$holder.$ Balaam%and%His%Talking%Ass% 63%