Balak offers Balaam great honor in the misguided hope that Israel can be overcome by a curse, but the LORD will not allow it.
When King Balak of Moab saw the encroaching Israelite nation, he sent messengers to convince the prophet Balaam to curse them, promising wealth and honor. In his plea, Balak used the words, “for I will indeed honor you richly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Please come then, curse this people for me” (Numbers 22:17). Moab was located east of the Dead Sea, and its rulers worried about Israel’s growing numbers after their forty years of wandering in the wilderness. This request reflects Balak’s desperation, for he believed that only the power of a true prophet could defeat God’s chosen people.
Historically, Balaam lived around 1406 BC, near the end of Israel’s forty-year period between their exodus from Egypt and entry into the Promised Land. References in the biblical text and later writings show him to be a genuine prophet—one whose words reliably came true. Balak’s promise in this verse underscores the lavish offer he was willing to make in exchange for Balaam’s services. In those days, nations sometimes resorted to spiritual or supernatural means to gain victory, and Balak saw cursing Israel as his best strategic move. Yet Numbers 22 reveals how God’s authority overrode any plan to harm His people, despite Balaam’s inclination to accept Balak’s incentive.
At a deeper level, “curse this people for me” speaks to the conflict between earthly wealth and divine obedience. Balaam was tempted by the promise of riches and fame, signified by Balak’s words “I will indeed honor you richly,” but ultimately, he found himself unable to overrule God’s blessing on Israel. His story illustrates how human attempts to manipulate spiritual power for profit cannot overcome the sovereign purposes of God.
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Numbers 22:17 meaning
When King Balak of Moab saw the encroaching Israelite nation, he sent messengers to convince the prophet Balaam to curse them, promising wealth and honor. In his plea, Balak used the words, “for I will indeed honor you richly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Please come then, curse this people for me” (Numbers 22:17). Moab was located east of the Dead Sea, and its rulers worried about Israel’s growing numbers after their forty years of wandering in the wilderness. This request reflects Balak’s desperation, for he believed that only the power of a true prophet could defeat God’s chosen people.
Historically, Balaam lived around 1406 BC, near the end of Israel’s forty-year period between their exodus from Egypt and entry into the Promised Land. References in the biblical text and later writings show him to be a genuine prophet—one whose words reliably came true. Balak’s promise in this verse underscores the lavish offer he was willing to make in exchange for Balaam’s services. In those days, nations sometimes resorted to spiritual or supernatural means to gain victory, and Balak saw cursing Israel as his best strategic move. Yet Numbers 22 reveals how God’s authority overrode any plan to harm His people, despite Balaam’s inclination to accept Balak’s incentive.
At a deeper level, “curse this people for me” speaks to the conflict between earthly wealth and divine obedience. Balaam was tempted by the promise of riches and fame, signified by Balak’s words “I will indeed honor you richly,” but ultimately, he found himself unable to overrule God’s blessing on Israel. His story illustrates how human attempts to manipulate spiritual power for profit cannot overcome the sovereign purposes of God.