^22:1¹ The Israelites traveled on² and camped in the plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan River³ across from Jericho.⁴^22:2Balak son of Zippor saw all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites. ^22:3And the Moabites were greatly afraid of the people, because they were so numerous. The Moabites were sick with fear because of the Israelites.

^22:4So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “Now this mass of people⁵ 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. ^22:5And he sent messengers to Balaam⁶ son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates River⁷ in the land of Amaw,⁸ to summon him, saying, “Look, a nation has come out of Egypt. They cover the face⁹ of the earth, and they are settling next to me. ^22:6So¹⁰ now, please come and curse this nation¹¹ for me, for they are too powerful for me. Perhaps I will prevail so that we may conquer them¹² and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed,¹³ and whoever you curse is cursed.”

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Footnotes

1 The fifth section of the book (22:1–33:56) traces the Israelite activities in Transjordan. It is hard to determine how long they were in Transjordan, but a good amount of time must have elapsed for the number of moves they made and the wars they fought. There is a considerable amount of information available on this section of the book. Some of the most helpful works include: H. C. Brichto, The Problem of “Curse” in the Hebrew Bible (); E. Burrows, The Oracles of Jacob and Balaam; G. W. Coats, “Balaam, Sinner or Saint?” BR 18 (1973): 21–29; P. C. Craigie, “The Conquest and Early Hebrew Poetry,” 20 (1969): ; I. Parker, “The Way of God and the Way of Balaam,” 17 (1905): 45; and J. A. Wharton, “The Command to Bless: An Exposition of Numbers 22:41–23:25,” 13 (1959): 37–48. This first part introduces the characters and sets the stage for the oracles. It can be divided into four sections: the invitation declined (vv. 1–14), the second invitation extended (vv. 15–21), God opposes Balaam (vv. 22–35), and Balaam meets Balak (vv. 36–41).
2 The verse begins with the vav (ו) consecutive.
3 The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
4 For the location of Jericho see ; ; ; ; ; .
5 The word is simply “company,” but in the context he must mean a vast company—a horde of people.
6 There is much literature on pagan diviners and especially prophecy in places in the east like Mari (see, for example, H. B. Huffmon, “Prophecy in the Mari Letters,” 31 [1968]: 101–24). Balaam appears to be a pagan diviner who was of some reputation; he was called to curse the Israelites, but God intervened and gave him blessings only. The passage forms a nice complement to texts that deal with blessings and curses. It shows that no one can curse someone whom God has blessed.
7 Heb “by the river”; in most contexts this expression refers to the Euphrates River (cf. , , , , , ).
8 Heb “in the land of Amaw” (cf. , , ); traditionally “in the land of the sons of his people.” The has “by the river of the land.”
9 Heb “eye.” So also in v. 11.
10 The two lines before this verse begin with the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh), and so they lay the foundation for these imperatives. In view of those circumstances, this is what should happen.
11 Heb “people.” So also in vv. 10, 17, 41.
12 The construction uses the imperfect tense אוּכַל (’ukhal, “I will be able”) followed by the imperfect tense נַכֶּה (nakkeh, “we will smite/attack/defeat”). The second verb is clearly the purpose or the result of the first, even though there is no conjunction or particle.
13 The verb is the Piel imperfect of בָּרַךְ (barakh), with the nuance of possibility: “whomever you may bless.” The Pual participle מְבֹרָךְ (mévorakh) serves as the predicate.