Balaam

The character of Balaam is presented several times in throughout the Hebrew Bible as a foreign seer who is capable of bestowing blessings and curses. In the passage of interest, the Moabite King Balak was fearful of the approach of the Israelites and decided to contract Balaam to curse the Israelites. Yet Balaam does the bidding of God and refuses to curse the Israelites for Balak, instead blessing the Israelites through a series of poems. However, there were also inscriptions found in a sanctuary dedicated to the divine assembly that reference Balaam. In one recovered story, Balaam dreams that the divine assembly was about to destroy his city. This destruction comes in the form of subverting the natural order of animals by making tame animals

Balaam is a foreign seer compelled to curse a nation by a foreign King. In this context, Balaam’s foreignness is key. Balaam’s character is initially introduced in a way that shows both confidence in Balaam’s seer ability, and doubt that Balaam will be impartial. Balaam lives “in Pethor, which is by the Euphrates, in the land of [Balak’s] kinfolk.” Thus, it is clear that Balak is hopeful that Balaam will be loyal to his “kinsfolk” and curse Israel. This sets up a tension between truth and loyalty. Yet Balaam quickly aligns himself with the side of God’s truth by responding to the elders of Midian saying: “I shall reply to you as the Lord may instruct me.” He even rejects “a house full of silver and gold.” This dispels the notion that Balaam may be corrupt and falsify his oracle to help his kinsfolk against the Israelites. In a broader context, this establishes the purity of the prophetic tradition. The identity of a prophet is one of an incorruptible mouthpiece of God. Even though he is a foreigner, Balaam is presented as totally adherent to God’s will. He “could not do anything, big or little, contrary to the command of the Lord my

The story of Balaam and his ass has classically been defined as an insertion into the text. The episode has been interpreted as descending from a separate tradition than the rest of the narrative of Balaam. This makes sense, because in this episode, the perception of Balaam shifts from positive (since he obeys God’s commands) to derisive and mocking: “The angel of the Lord said to him, ‘Why have you beaten your ass these three times?’” Yet even if this passage originates from a different tradition, it showcases the only transgression against God in the passage of interest. In the passage, God tells Balaam that he “may go with [the midianites].” The only provision is that Balaam must do “whatever [God] commands.” Yet when Balaam sets off on his journey, an angel of the lord stops in the path with a sword drawn so that the ass runs off the road. Balaam, who cannot see the angel, is incensed and “beats the ass with his stick.” In this context, Balaam continually tries to drive the animal back to the bad path, but even the animal knows to fear God. The angel of the Lord is now revealed to Balaam, and Balaam is reprimanded for not letting God guide him. Even when he is blind to the dangers, he should trust that God is in