This verse shows how human fears and worldly incentives can clash with God’s desire for wholehearted obedience.
They came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, ‘Let nothing, I beg you, hinder you from coming to me;” (Numbers 22:16). Balak, the king of Moab, sends these official messengers to compel Balaam to come at once. Moab lay east of the Dead Sea in what is now part of Jordan, a region that the Israelites were passing through near the end of their forty-year wilderness journey around 1406 BC. Balak was desperate to thwart Israel’s progress, fearing that his territory would be overwhelmed by God’s people. This summons shows Balak’s urgency, as he pleads with Balaam not to refuse his request.
They came to Balaam and said to him... underscores the fact that Balaam was a prophet whose reputation preceded him. According to the biblical account, he had the power to bless or curse with spiritual authority, and Balak hoped to purchase his services with a lavish reward. Balaam, however, was conflicted. On one hand, he professed to speak only what God allowed him to say; on the other, “Balaam” was drawn by the promise of earthly gain and sought ways to accommodate Balak without disobeying the Lord’s explicit command.
In sending this formal message—“Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, ‘Let nothing...hinder you from coming to me”—the Moabite king effectively tried to override any spiritual reservations Balaam might have. At this stage, Balak knew Israel was favored by God, yet he believed that with the prophet’s curse, Israel could be overcome. This moment reveals how worldly power can attempt to bend even a prophet’s resolve if the reward is enticing enough.
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Numbers 22:16 meaning
They came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, ‘Let nothing, I beg you, hinder you from coming to me;” (Numbers 22:16). Balak, the king of Moab, sends these official messengers to compel Balaam to come at once. Moab lay east of the Dead Sea in what is now part of Jordan, a region that the Israelites were passing through near the end of their forty-year wilderness journey around 1406 BC. Balak was desperate to thwart Israel’s progress, fearing that his territory would be overwhelmed by God’s people. This summons shows Balak’s urgency, as he pleads with Balaam not to refuse his request.
They came to Balaam and said to him... underscores the fact that Balaam was a prophet whose reputation preceded him. According to the biblical account, he had the power to bless or curse with spiritual authority, and Balak hoped to purchase his services with a lavish reward. Balaam, however, was conflicted. On one hand, he professed to speak only what God allowed him to say; on the other, “Balaam” was drawn by the promise of earthly gain and sought ways to accommodate Balak without disobeying the Lord’s explicit command.
In sending this formal message—“Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, ‘Let nothing...hinder you from coming to me”—the Moabite king effectively tried to override any spiritual reservations Balaam might have. At this stage, Balak knew Israel was favored by God, yet he believed that with the prophet’s curse, Israel could be overcome. This moment reveals how worldly power can attempt to bend even a prophet’s resolve if the reward is enticing enough.