Why would God condemn Balaam for doing what God told him to do with the Moabites? It appears that is because the motives of Balaam were wrong, as is revealed in 2 Pet. 2:15, where Peter tells us that Balaam “loved the wages of unrighteousness.” Let’s take a look.
Numbers 22:20–24, “God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise up and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you shall you do.” 21 So Balaam arose in the morning, and saddled his donkey and went with the leaders of Moab. 22 But God was angry because he was going, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him. 23 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand, the donkey turned off from the way and went into the field; but Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back into the way. 24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path of the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side.
2 Peter 2:15, “forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
From Peter, we can see the problem with Balaam was his greed. He “loved the wages of unrighteousness.” The original context of Numbers 22 is relevant, though it does not give us the inside found in 2 Peter 2:15.
Israel was camped in the “plains of Moab beyond the Jordan opposite Jericho” (Num. 22:1). The people of Moab were afraid (Num. 22:3-4). Balak sent for Balaam to curse Israel (v. 5-6). Balaam inquires of the Lord, who tells him not to curse Israel (v. 12). But Balak persists (vv. 15-17). Balaam again refused. He stated he would not go, even if they offered him a “house full of silver and gold” (Num. 22:18). Balaam then asks them to stay the night near him (v. 19). God told Ballam, “If the men have come to call you, rise up and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you shall you do” (v. 20). Balaam went with the Moabites (v. 21). But God was angry at Balaam for going with them and the angel of the Lord intercepted Balaam (v. 22.)
A possible hint at Balaam’s motives could be found in Balam asking the Moabites to stay the night near him (Num. 22:19). Why didn’t he ask them to leave since he would not affirm their request? Even though Balaam initially denied the Moabites’ request and denounced their monetary incentive (Num. 22:18), he eventually went with them, seeking money. This is revealed in 2 Pet. 2:15, cited above. He was supposed to repeat only what God told him, not seek money.
So, as he went, an angel of the Lord stood in the way to kill Balaam. The donkey saw the danger and refused to go further. Then, we have the miracle of the Lord opening the mouth of the donkey and speaking through it (Num. 22:28). What is fascinating is how Balaam continues to talk to the donkey. Perhaps it was because Balaam was accustomed to hearing from the Lord and sensed it was yet another interaction with Him.
“Balaam appears commonly in the OT and regularly in the NT as an example of an evil artist, a prophet who would sell his skill for the proper price without reference to the Word of God supposedly represented by his words (Deut. 23:4, 5; Josh. 13:22; 24:9, 10; Neh. 13:2; Mic. 6:5; 2 Pet. 2:15; Jude 11; Rev. 2:14).” (Achtemeier, Paul J., Harper & Row and Society of Biblical Literature. Harper’s Bible Dictionary. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1985.)
Article Summary
- Balaam was a prophet hired by Balak, king of Moab, to curse the Israelites.
- God warned Balaam not to go with the Moabites and curse the Israelites.
- Balaam went with them anyway, and God was angry with him.
- Balaam’s donkey saw an angel of God and refused to move forward.
- Balaam beat his donkey three times before God opened the donkey’s mouth, and it spoke to him.
- The angel of God told Balaam that he could go with the Moabites, but he must only speak what God told him to say.
- Balaam’s motives can be found in 2 Pet. 2:15, where Peter tells us that Balaam “loved the wages of unrighteousness.”
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