Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
journey of israel through the Desert » Return to the plains of moab » Balaam not permitted to curse israel
God visited Balaam and asked him, "Who are these men with you?" Then Balaam told God, "Zippor's son Balak, king of Moab, sent them to me and said, "Look! A group of people have escaped from Egypt. They cover the surface of the whole earth! So come right now and curse them for me. Perhaps I'll be able to fight against them and drive them out.'" read more.
But God told Balaam, "Don't go with them. Don't curse the people, because they're blessed." So Balaam got up the next morning and told Balak's officials, "Go back to your homeland, because the LORD has refused me permission to go with you." So Balak's officials got up, returned to Balak and reported, "Balaam refused to come with us." In response, Balak sent more officers higher ranking ones, at that! who approached Balaam with this message: "This is what Zippor's son Balak says: "Don't let anything get in the way of your coming to me. I'm determined to reward you generously, and I'll do everything you tell me to do. So come right away and curse this people for me.'" Balaam responded to Balak's entourage by saying, "Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I won't double-cross the command of the LORD my God in even the slightest way. Meanwhile, stay here overnight so I may learn what the LORD might say to me." God came to visit Balaam that same night and told him, "If the men come to call on you, get up and go with them, but be sure to do only what I tell you to do." The next morning, Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started to leave, accompanied by the Moabite officials. At this, the anger of the LORD flared up against Balaam, because he was leaving. So the angel of the LORD stood in the way to oppose him. As Balaam was riding his donkey, accompanied by two of his servants, all of a sudden the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with an unsheathed sword in his hand! The donkey turned off the road and went into an open field. Balaam started beating the donkey in order to turn her back to the road, but the angel of the LORD stood on a narrow path that crossed the vineyards. It had walls on both sides of the path. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she squeezed herself so close to the wall that Balaam's foot was pressed to the wall. So he beat her again! Then the angel of the LORD went along a little further and stood in a much narrower space, where it was impossible to turn either right or left. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she crouched down under Balaam. As a result, Balaam got so angry that he started to whip the donkey with his staff. That's when the LORD enabled the donkey to speak. She asked Balaam, "What did I do to you that you would beat me in the space of only three footsteps?" "Because you're playing a dirty trick on me," Balaam answered the donkey. "If only I had a sword in my hand! I'd kill you right now!" But in response, the donkey asked Balaam, "I'm your donkey that you've ridden on in the past without incident, am I not, and I'm the same donkey you're riding on right now, am I not? Am I in the habit of treating you like this?" "No," he admitted. Then the LORD enabled Balaam to see, so he observed the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with an unsheathed sword in his hand. So he bowed down and prostrated himself on his face. Then the angel of the LORD asked him, "Why did you beat your donkey in the space of only three footsteps? I've come to oppose you, because I say that what you're doing is perverted. The donkey saw me and turned in front of me in the space of those three footsteps. If she hadn't turned away from me, I would have killed you by now and left her alive!" At this, Balaam replied to the angel of the LORD, "I've sinned! I didn't know that you were standing to meet me on the road. So now, since it displeases you, let me go back." But the angel of the LORD told Balaam, "Go with the men, but deliver only the message that I'm going to give you." So Balaam went with Balak's officials. When Balak heard that Balaam had arrived, he went out to meet him in the city of Moab on the border of Arnon at the extreme end of his territory. Balak asked Balaam, "Didn't I repeatedly send for you to summon you? Why didn't you come to me? I can pay you well, can't I?" Balaam answered Balak, "Well, I'm here now. I've come to you, but I can't just say anything, can I? I'll speak only what God puts in my mouth to say." So accompanied by Balaam and Balak's officials, Balak traveled to Kiriath-huzoth, where he sacrificed oxen and sheep. The next day, Balak brought Balaam up to Bamoth-baal, where he could see part of the community of Israel.
But God told Balaam, "Don't go with them. Don't curse the people, because they're blessed." So Balaam got up the next morning and told Balak's officials, "Go back to your homeland, because the LORD has refused me permission to go with you." So Balak's officials got up, returned to Balak and reported, "Balaam refused to come with us." In response, Balak sent more officers higher ranking ones, at that! who approached Balaam with this message: "This is what Zippor's son Balak says: "Don't let anything get in the way of your coming to me. I'm determined to reward you generously, and I'll do everything you tell me to do. So come right away and curse this people for me.'" Balaam responded to Balak's entourage by saying, "Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I won't double-cross the command of the LORD my God in even the slightest way. Meanwhile, stay here overnight so I may learn what the LORD might say to me." God came to visit Balaam that same night and told him, "If the men come to call on you, get up and go with them, but be sure to do only what I tell you to do." The next morning, Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started to leave, accompanied by the Moabite officials. At this, the anger of the LORD flared up against Balaam, because he was leaving. So the angel of the LORD stood in the way to oppose him. As Balaam was riding his donkey, accompanied by two of his servants, all of a sudden the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with an unsheathed sword in his hand! The donkey turned off the road and went into an open field. Balaam started beating the donkey in order to turn her back to the road, but the angel of the LORD stood on a narrow path that crossed the vineyards. It had walls on both sides of the path. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she squeezed herself so close to the wall that Balaam's foot was pressed to the wall. So he beat her again! Then the angel of the LORD went along a little further and stood in a much narrower space, where it was impossible to turn either right or left. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she crouched down under Balaam. As a result, Balaam got so angry that he started to whip the donkey with his staff. That's when the LORD enabled the donkey to speak. She asked Balaam, "What did I do to you that you would beat me in the space of only three footsteps?" "Because you're playing a dirty trick on me," Balaam answered the donkey. "If only I had a sword in my hand! I'd kill you right now!" But in response, the donkey asked Balaam, "I'm your donkey that you've ridden on in the past without incident, am I not, and I'm the same donkey you're riding on right now, am I not? Am I in the habit of treating you like this?" "No," he admitted. Then the LORD enabled Balaam to see, so he observed the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with an unsheathed sword in his hand. So he bowed down and prostrated himself on his face. Then the angel of the LORD asked him, "Why did you beat your donkey in the space of only three footsteps? I've come to oppose you, because I say that what you're doing is perverted. The donkey saw me and turned in front of me in the space of those three footsteps. If she hadn't turned away from me, I would have killed you by now and left her alive!" At this, Balaam replied to the angel of the LORD, "I've sinned! I didn't know that you were standing to meet me on the road. So now, since it displeases you, let me go back." But the angel of the LORD told Balaam, "Go with the men, but deliver only the message that I'm going to give you." So Balaam went with Balak's officials. When Balak heard that Balaam had arrived, he went out to meet him in the city of Moab on the border of Arnon at the extreme end of his territory. Balak asked Balaam, "Didn't I repeatedly send for you to summon you? Why didn't you come to me? I can pay you well, can't I?" Balaam answered Balak, "Well, I'm here now. I've come to you, but I can't just say anything, can I? I'll speak only what God puts in my mouth to say." So accompanied by Balaam and Balak's officials, Balak traveled to Kiriath-huzoth, where he sacrificed oxen and sheep. The next day, Balak brought Balaam up to Bamoth-baal, where he could see part of the community of Israel.
High places » Signify a place of idolatrous worship
Later, Solomon even constructed a high place on the mountain east of Jerusalem that was dedicated to Chemosh, that detestable Moabite idol, and to Molech, the detestable Ammonite idol.
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Nevertheless, each nation continued to craft their own gods and install them in the temples on the high places that the people of Samaria had constructed every nation in their own cities where they continued to live.
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They have built high places at Topheth in the Valley of Ben-hinnom to burn their sons and daughters in the fire. I didn't command this, and it never entered my mind!
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Jeroboam built temples on the high places, and appointed his own priests from the fringe elements of the people who were not descendants of Levi.
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He lived like his father Asa and never abandoned that life. He did what the LORD considered to be right. Nevertheless, the high places were not demolished, and the people continued to sacrifice and burn incense on the high places.
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The Israelis practiced secret things that were not right, offending the LORD their God. In addition, they built high places for use by all their towns, watchtowers, and fortified cities.
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They erected high places, sacred pillars, and Asherim for themselves on every high hill and under every green tree.
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The next day, Balak brought Balaam up to Bamoth-baal, where he could see part of the community of Israel.
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Nevertheless, the high places were not removed, even though Asa's heart was blameless toward the LORD all of his life.
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High places » Mentioned in scripture » Baal
The next day, Balak brought Balaam up to Bamoth-baal, where he could see part of the community of Israel.
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Idolatry » Objects of, worshipped » On high places
The next day, Balak brought Balaam up to Bamoth-baal, where he could see part of the community of Israel.
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"For long ago I broke your yoke and tore off your bonds, But you said, "I won't serve you!' Instead, on every high hill and under every green tree, you bend down to commit fornication.
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